August 31, 2021

Road Trip Checklist: How to Prime Your Car Battery for a Long Drive

There are many things you need to prepare before going on a road trip. Aside from planning where you’re headed, you must also ensure that your car is in the right condition for a long drive.

When making your road trip checklist, go over the most important maintenance tasks for your vehicle. Besides the tyres, gas, lights, and fluids, another critical item you need to check is the car battery.

The car battery converts chemical energy from petrol into electricity and stores it for the use of the vehicle. The battery is needed for car ignition and is crucial to keep it running. It also distributes power to the electrical components, like the radio, air conditioning, and other auxiliary devices.

To ensure that your battery can handle the long drive, below are six tips you can use when considering car maintenance tasks before your road trip:

1. Clean the battery terminals.

Pop the bonnet and inspect the car battery. Does the terminal show any sign of rust or corrosion that could impede battery performance and shorten its lifespan?

If so, you can follow these steps in cleaning them:

Determine the positive side of the battery (the part with the red cap or plus sign). When disconnecting the battery, always start with the negative side first.

Wound the bolt that connects the wires anti-clockwise before lifting it. Repeat this on the positive side while preventing the cables from touching the tools or any metal parts of the car.

Using a baking soda-water mixture (equal parts), wet a hard-bristle brush and scrub the battery terminals. This will remove any signs of corrosion or rust.

Use a rag to wipe off excess liquid when you’re done.

Reconnect the battery, starting with the positive terminal before the negative.

2. Determine its current electrolyte level.

Check if the battery’s electrolyte fluid is still sufficient. If you notice it is low or when the plates are exposed, you can top it up with distilled or demineralised water before recharging.

Make sure that you add just the right amount of fluid to cover the plates. You can control the flow better using a funnel or by pouring from a used sports bottle.

Once the fluid is at the right level, start recharging the battery using a battery charger. Use a rag to remove any excess fluid before putting the vent caps back securely in place.

3. Test the battery load.

Battery load testing should be done as frequently as oil changes or at least once a year for cranking voltage and amps.

New batteries start at about 500 amps, but as they age, that value declines. To make sure your batteries have sufficient load, you need to have a battery tester. Choose a heavy-duty one made for commercial batteries to get the most precise readings.

If you can, get battery load testing done monthly and by a licensed mechanic. This will ensure that the device is capable of charging properly even in lower temperatures.

4. Avoid overcharging.

When charging your car battery manually, make sure that you don’t overdo it to avoid damage to the components.

Switch off the vehicle and unplug any appliances connected to the battery. This includes GPS navigators and mobile phones that may be plugged into the charging port. Don’t attach anything back until the next car ignition to avoid draining the power of the battery.

When charging, routinely check the battery’s progress every 30 minutes or so.

5. Keep it secure.

Check if the hold-down is secure. If not, tighten it to prevent the battery from rattling around during your road trip.

If the battery is exposed to excess movement or vibration over time, it can get damaged or worn down prematurely.

The hold-down bar is made to ensure that this doesn’t happen by keeping the battery stable and immobile.

To test the hold-down, open the bonnet and shake the battery in its place. If it rattles or moves even slightly, you need to tighten the hold down:

Look for the bolts that attach the hold-down to the battery. These are the bars that stretch across the top of the battery.

Using a socket wrench, twist the bolts clockwise to tighten them.

Take note that different vehicles come with varying hold-downs. Bars are the most common, but you may find some with hold-down pads located along the battery base instead.

If you notice any damage on the hold-down, have it replaced immediately.

6. Replace the car battery as needed.

When the time comes, you may need to replace your car battery. You’ll want to do this before your road trip. But in case it happens while you are on the side of the road, make sure you’re ready and know what you’re doing.

Purchase a car battery in Dubai that is less than one month old to replace yours. Any older and the battery will have a shorter lifespan. You can check the manufacture date on the side of the battery.

Steer clear of used batteries as those are likely to deteriorate much quicker.

Once you have a replacement set, the next step is to remove the old one. Below is a quick step-by-step list on how to change your car battery:

Switch off the engine, then open the bonnet.

Put down your replacement battery, wrenches, and sockets where you can easily reach them.

Remove the negative cable first, preferably while wearing rubber gloves. Depending on the kind of battery you have, you may need to use a wrench to loosen the cable.

Proceed with the positive cable. When using a wrench, make sure the terminal doesn’t come in contact with metals to prevent sparking.

Loosen the hold-down, connectors, and fasteners that keep the battery in place.

Lift the battery. Get help if needed, as it may weigh more than 25 kilograms. Set aside the old battery in a safe spot.

After checking the clamps and battery terminals, put the replacement battery into the designated spot.

Secure it with the hold-down before attaching the terminals in reverse of what you did when removing them: positive first before negative.

Start your car to see if it will run. Try cranking up the engine or simply turn on the electronics. If things power up, the battery is installed properly, and you’re good to go.