Look after your batteries

Swedish vehicle charging specialists CTEK say that regular battery charging can triple your battery’s life.

HERE IS CTEK’S GUIDE TO MAINTAINING BATTERY HEALTH:

• It takes 150−350A of battery power just to start a car, so nipping out on lots of short journeys, drains the battery because the alternator doesn’t have time to replace this This is especially so if your car has a ‘stop/start’ function.
• Even a small drop in charge can compromise battery health.

A car battery is fully charged at 12.72V. Below 12.4V, sulphate crystals can build up, degrading the battery and reducing its capacity. Below 10.4V, the battery won’t start the car at all. Battery failure can damage a vehicle’s electronics.

• Driving around in your car will only ever charge your battery to 80 percent To top it up to 100 percent, you will need a battery charger.

Charging your car battery at least monthly will prolong its life by up to three times, so buy a reliable battery charger, and add it to your “to-do” routine.