It is a daily ritual for folks to turn on the ignition every morning as they set out for the day. With a good battery, there is no such delay as you expect it to start. Nevertheless, if the car battery won’t hold a charge, it may seem like a daunting task getting the engine started.
Have you been in such a situation in the past? The battery provides the energy needed for the car’s running, and as such, it’s a crucial component of vehicles. It helps run electrical components, including the key starter, radio, and Car Lighting System.
If the battery seems damaged, then you can expect the engine not to come on when you “turn the key.”
There exist some reasons why your car battery is not holding charge overnight. I would be revealing a handful of these reasons to help you fix such a problem with greater ease.
How Car Battery Systems Work?
To know why car battery won’t hold charge you first need to understand how car batteries work. There are three types of batteries in the Automobile industry (SLI, Li-ion, Lead-Acid).
Most of the car’s batteries are the SLI type SLI stands for “starting, lighting, and ignition.” Almost every car battery relies on a lead-acid chemical reaction to get things moving and running.
SLI type of battery provides short bursts of energy to power your Light, accessories, and car engine. When the car battery jolts the engine to life, the car’s power is supplied by the alternator.
The car alternator converts mechanical energy to electrical energy, and this power goes to the car battery, and your car runs on car’s electric energy. That’s why proper grounding of a car battery is important.
What Causes Car Battery Won’t Hold Charge?
Different reasons could prevent car batteries from holding a charge for long, but the most common ones are as follows:
#1. Corroded Battery Connections.
Electrolytes from the battery top can cause corrosion of the connections to the battery cables and prevent them from reaching a full charge, so the battery won’t hold a charge for long while driving along.
Corroded battery cables show blue-white or green-tinged substances on your car’s battery terminals, cables, or posts. You can fix the problem by regular maintenance or taking it to a repair shop for cleaning and evaluation.
#2. Battery Not Recharging As You Drive.
Your car’s battery recharges regularly while you drive, but if there’s any connection or mechanical issue, that recharging isn’t taking place, resulting in a quick battery drain.
The battery must be checked during routine maintenance to diagnose any issue before it becomes a bigger problem. However, if you’ve just had work done or want to rule it out, inspect the terminals and tighten any noticeably loose connections.
Leaving loose connections can cause excessive resistance build-up, affecting adequate battery recharge. Corrosion may also result in a lack of recharge, so if you notice any, remedy it immediately.
#3. The Battery is Old or Past Expiration Date.
Your car battery won’t hold a charge for long if it reaches the end of its service life. A battery will typically serve you for three to five years.
An old battery is easily identified visually when corrosion returns just a few months after cleaning. When this happens, you must take your vehicle in for a full-service car battery replacement.
#4. Faulty Alternator.
The alternator fails because of use or age. Premature failure may result from fluid leaking on the component. Indicators of a faulty alternator are the smell of burning rubber, whining or growling sounds, and battery warning lights.
The best way to fix the alternator is to take your car to a repair shop for diagnosis and assessment because technicians will identify the specific part that has an issue.
#5. Parasitic Draw on Charge.
A parasitic draw happens if your battery keeps draining when the car is not running. Some faulty issues with the car could be drawing the charge even when the engine is off, or it could be as simple as an interior light that was left on for an extended period.
#6. Overcharging, Undercharging, or Allowing Deep Discharge.
Overcharging can cause overheating and breakdown of your car battery. It arises from charging too frequently or for long periods.
When you do not sufficiently charge the battery, the lead plates begin to sulfate, reducing the surface area for the necessary chemical reaction.
Lastly, a deep charge allows the battery to discharge completely before recharging. This can damage the battery and reduce power holding capacity. This issue is common among electrical car owners.
#7. Extreme Temperatures.
Extreme temperatures result from hot or freezing weather. It evaporates the battery water and reduces its efficiency. For extreme coldness, the battery may not produce enough charge.
Living in an area with extreme weather conditions requires extra attention to be paid to the battery’s cold cranking amps (CCA) rating. In the battery industry, the CCA rating defines the battery’s ability to start the engine in cold temperatures.
The higher the CCA rating, the greater the battery’s starting power. Get an inspection for your car battery to determine if you will need to add water to get it running.
#8. Blown or Defective Fuse.
An overloaded battery will blow a fuse because too much current flows through the circuit. Common indicators of a defective or blown fuse include minor electrical problems like faulty interior backup lights.
Use your car manual to locate and fix the blown fuse, or take it to your mechanic for assistance.
Knowing When to Replace an Old Battery?
When your car battery is too far gone, the only thing you can do is replace it with a new one. This is the best way to handle a worn-out battery once you’ve determined that enough of its cold cranking amps are depleted to make it undependable.
But before you do, here are some tests you might want to perform on your battery to know whether or not a replacement is absolutely necessary.
Battery Electrical (Parasitic) Drain Test
A battery electrical drain test determines if there’s a component or circuit that’s draining the battery even when the ignition is off.
Electronically tuned radios, computers, and controllers are some components that draw a slight but continuous amount of current from the battery when the ignition is off.
An inductive DC ammeter and a digital multimeter that’s set to read milliamperes are some tools that are used to conduct a drain test (see illustrations).
To find the source of the drain, check to make sure the underhold light, glove compartment light, and trunk light aren’t illuminated when they shouldn’t be. Check interior lights, like map lights kids may have turned on when you weren’t looking.
Disconnect fuses one at the time from the underhold junction box and then the inside fuse panels, but make sure you don’t have the door open so that the dome light is on while removing the fuses or you’ll get a false positive result.
If the drain stops after one fuse is disconnected, the source of the drain is located in that particular circuit.
But if the battery drain still exists, check the alternator, starter solenoid, or nearby wiring for any issues. If you don’t know how to do this, take your car to a mechanic.
Battery Load Testing
A battery load test determines the condition of any battery. This method requires a load tester that uses a carbon pile to create an electrical load on the battery.
To perform this test, it’s important to determine the battery’s CCA rating before anything else.
The proper electrical load to be used on the battery should be half of its CCA rating or three times the ampere-hour rating. Once you’ve determined the CCA rating, you can proceed with connecting the load tester to the battery. Apply the load for a full 15 seconds.
During the load testing, the battery should have a reading of above 9.6V. Repeat the test at least one more time to get a more accurate battery condition.
Battery Voltage Test
A battery voltage test can determine the state of charge of any battery. Also referred to as an open circuit battery voltage test, this procedure is conducted with an open circuit, no current flowing, and no load applied to the battery.
Before attaching a voltmeter to the battery terminals, always make sure that the surface charge has been removed. To do this, turn the headlights on high beam for one minute, turn them off, and wait for at least two minutes.
From there, connect the voltmeter to the battery posts. Read the voltmeter, and compare the results with the state of charge. A negative meter reading could mean two things: an incorrect voltmeter connection or the battery needs to be replaced.
This test should be followed by watching the battery voltage (with eye protection) while attempting to start the vehicle.
Check at the battery post, and if the voltage stays steady, move your probe to the battery terminal. Do this first on the positive side and then on the negative side.
Electronic Conductance Testing
Electronic conductance testing measures how well a battery can create current. It’s usually done on batteries that are under factory warranty and can be performed on test flooded or absorbed glass-type batteries.
A conductance tester sends a small signal through the battery and measures a part of the AC response.
This method isn’t designed to accurately determine the state of charge of a new battery. It should only be used to test batteries that have been in service. A conductance tester usually displays two results: ”good battery” or “charge and retest.”
However, keep in mind that improper connections to the battery can produce inaccurate results. Also, make sure to turn off all accessories and the ignition switch before conducting the test.
Solutions for Fixing a Car Battery Not Holding a Charge
Facing issues with your car battery not holding a charge can be frustrating, but there are several practical solutions to help you resolve this problem efficiently. Here’s what you can do:
- Check Battery Connections: Ensure that the battery terminals are clean, tight, and free of corrosion. Loose connections can hinder the charging process and lead to power loss.
- Inspect Battery Health: If your battery is old or damaged, consider replacing it. Old batteries may struggle to hold a charge effectively.
- Charge the Battery: Use a battery charger to recharge the battery fully. This can sometimes resolve issues with insufficient charge retention.
- Test the Alternator: A faulty alternator can cause the battery not to hold a charge. Test the alternator to ensure it’s functioning correctly.
- Avoid Short Trips: Frequent short drives without fully charging the battery can impact its performance. Opt for longer trips occasionally to help maintain the battery’s health.
- Limit Accessories: Using multiple electronic accessories while the engine is off can drain the battery. Reduce unnecessary power consumption to preserve battery life.
Incorporating these solutions can help you address a car battery that’s not holding a charge effectively. By taking proactive steps, you can optimize your battery’s performance and ensure reliable starts every time.
FAQs.
Q: How do you tell if the battery or alternator is faulty?
When the car’s engine starts and goes dead immediately, it is most likely due to a bad alternator. In most cases, the alternator is not supplying the battery charge, and as such, you can’t start the vehicle.
Nevertheless, if the car died while driving and you later find it hard to start it again, there is a chance that the battery is dead. There always exists the debate of a faulty alternator vs. battery causing the car not to start.
So, you can look at some signs to tell which component has gone bad. You may need to jump-start the car to see if it would come on using jumper cables in such a situation. If the car can start with the jump-start, then the battery is faulty.
Q: What does it mean when your car battery keeps dying?
In most cases, the vehicle’s battery keeps dying due to some corrosion on or around it, as it prevents sufficient charge. Again, the issue may occur due to bad battery cables, loose connections, or stretched alternator belts.
With such, the battery does not also receive an appropriate charge to keep it functional. Aside from these issues, other charging problems and various forms of electrical drains can be responsible. Thus, it seems wise not to leave the dome lights or headlights on for a very long time.
Again, it would help if you plan a suitable battery maintenance schedule to care for your car’s primary electricity source.
Do not also forget that extreme weather conditions may also cause the battery to keep dying. Such weather conditions may intensify the underlying problems of the car’s battery.
Q: Can you recharge a completely dead battery?
Depending on the situation, it is pretty possible to charge dead car batteries, and such a task is quite easy. How do you know that the battery is dead? Well, in most cases, the vehicle would not start when you turn on the starter.
You can also hear a “labored sound” when you turn the key starter, as it cranks slowly. Aside from that, you wouldn’t notice the dome car lights when you open the vehicle’s door; the radio and headlights won’t also turn on.
However, it would be best to know that it is not the alternator’s job to conduct the task of recharging a completely discharged battery even though it maintains the battery’s health.
Thus, there would be a need to get the dead battery connected to a jump starter or any dedicated battery charger.
Q: Can you jump a car with a bad alternator?
It seems technically impossible to jump-start many cars with bad alternators; it can work for some vehicles. When the car stops suddenly and won’t start, you can use a jump starter to supply some power and start the engine.
With that supply of power, you can easily move the vehicle from the road and take it down to the service station for repairs. Thus, it would help if you get one and connect the red clamp to the positive battery terminals (one the dead and good battery).
Then do the same with the black clamp for the battery negative terminal. Kindly note that it is not recommendable to connect the jumper cables for too long. Doing so may result in some damages to the sensitive electronics of your car.
Final Words
The car battery supplies electricity and powers various other components of the vehicle. Thus, the battery must remain efficient at all times.
Nevertheless, the car battery won’t hold a charge due to some reasons. Still, it is important to find the underlying cause and fix the problem.
Ignoring such issues may result in a dead battery, and as such, the engine won’t start. Hence, it would help if you look through how the battery system works and why the battery won’t receive or retain its charge.