Car battery maintenance
Have you ever found your self stuck somewhere because your battery died? Have you ever been in a hurry to get to work, or out the door for some commitment or another, only to find your car won't start because you have a dead battery? The car battery seems like no big deal, but when it is dead, it sure turns into one. So, one of the things you should be doing to keep your car properly maintained is make sure that you battery is properly maintained. If you are getting dead batteries and it is not from leaving lights on, or something similar, you may not be maintaining your battery correctly. Here are some tips:
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Make sure your battery is still in good condition.
One of the things people do not always realize is that just because a battery says it is maintenance free doesn't mean you shouldn't check on it, and maintain it. So, check your battery case every time you get your oil changed. If you ever notice bumps, cracks, bulges, etc. it is time to get a new battery.
Make sure you know how to clean your battery, and do so often.
A car battery can get dirty, and the dirt and grime can get in the way of your cars proper functioning. A dirty battery can lead to battery draining, and this leads to getting stuck places with a dead battery. So, how do you clean your battery? Well there are two things you need to do to clean your car battery. First you need to clean the battery itself, and second you need to clean the terminals or posts.
To clean your car battery take a damp rag and wipe it down well. If it has a lot of buildup then you need to use some sort of cleanser to get it off. A good, but mild cleanser mixed with some water, and applied with a rag will help you wipe away the dirt and debris that is causing your batter to not function as well as it should.
Your battery terminals are also important to keep clean, as this is how the power from your battery is transferred to your car. So, to clean them, first make certain the car is off. Then carefully remove the cables from the battery. Start by removing the negative cable, or black cable, and then remove the positive. Do it one at a time, and make sure you do it in the proper order. Once the cables have been disconnected, you want to use a wire battery cleaning brush to scrub the terminals down. You will probably need to make a paste out of baking soda and water, and use that to clean the posts really well. Once they are clean, wipe off the paste residue. Reconnect the cables in the opposite way you removed them, starting by connecting the positive, then the negative. Once they are back on, take a thin coating of grease and wipe over them to help protect them from corrosion and damage.
