Battery discharges: causes and solutions

Probably, every car owner at least once faced the situation when his car refused to start because of a dead battery. And what is remarkable, it happens at the most inopportune moment. Well, if there is someone nearby who will not refuse and will give a "light" from his car or help push.

To prevent such troubles, it is necessary to diagnose and maintain the battery in a timely manner . Only in this way can you be completely sure that at the right moment it will not let you down. If you suddenly notice that in your car the battery is quickly discharged, hurry to determine the cause of this phenomenon and eliminate it, especially when going on a long trip. Otherwise, you can permanently get stuck somewhere far from the village, waiting for help. In this article we will talk about why the car's battery is discharged, how to determine the cause of the discharge, and also consider ways of solving such a problem.

Features of the battery

The battery in the car performs two main functions: it ensures the start of the engine and protects the onboard network from sudden voltage drops that can occur when it is powered by the generator. In addition, it supports the operation of the lighting and alarm system, and also supplies electricity to some appliances with the engine not running. Due to constant loads, the battery naturally sits. This is normal. However, when the engine starts to work, a generator is turned on in the process, which switches all the load to itself, providing the onboard circuit of the machine with the generated electricity. The battery does not turn off, but, on the contrary, starts charging from the electricity supplied. Thus, the battery lives in a constant cycle of discharge-charging.

In this mode, a modern battery can last up to five years and longer, naturally, if the car owner maintains its viability. But unfortunately, it also happens that even a new battery becomes unusable for several months, losing the ability to hold a charge.

The reasons why the AKB loses its properties

Consider the most common reasons why a battery is discharged. To them it is possible to carry:

• Long service life;
• Untimely service;
• Wrong connection of electrical equipment;
• Leakage current;
• Malfunction of the generator or its additional equipment providing charging of the battery;
• The negligence of the car owner.

We will discuss these reasons in more detail and consider ways to eliminate them.

Service life left

There is nothing eternal in this world. This truth applies to batteries. No matter how powerful the battery is, no matter how much money it costs, how often it is not serviced, over time it will cease to cope with its functions. And there's nothing you can do about it. The chemical processes occurring inside the battery promote the oxidation and destruction of the electrodes, as a result of which they, in fact, are destroyed.

Some "experts" undertake to restore old batteries, naturally, demanding a certain price for this. The very process of "resurrecting" the battery is a kind of shock therapy using high voltage. Indeed, after such procedures, the battery can work for some time: a week or a month, after which it will "die" forever.

So if the battery is discharged and does not keep charging, but it served by faith and truth for 4-5 years, it is better to send it to a well-deserved rest, replacing it with a new battery.

Untimely service

Most modern batteries are unattended. Thanks to the sealed housing, the evaporation of the electrolyte in such batteries is reduced to zero. However, even a non-serviced battery is discharged if it is not recharged in time.

As for the more customary for us serviced batteries, then without the timely addition of electrolyte they are unlikely to last long. It is recommended to check its level in banks at least twice a year, to measure the density and, based on the results obtained, to top up the liquid and charge it.

Maintenance of the battery is not limited to this. It is also necessary to monitor its condition. Oxidized terminals, dirt and moisture on the surface - all this leads to the fact that the battery is discharged.

Incorrect electrical connection

The reason for the discharge may be the inept work of an auto electrician. In practice, it often happens that when installing the car stereo mounts , the craftsmen confuse the wires, which leads to the fact that the device fully functions, bringing pleasure to the driver, however, in the electrical circuit of the machine there is an extra load. As a result, the radio works, the battery is discharged, and all other electrical equipment is in danger.

This applies not only to tape recorders. Today, when the market is full of various devices and gadgets for cars, individual motorists, without hesitation, install them in their cars, and the more, the better. Few people understand that all these DVRs, radar detectors, rear view cameras, navigators, speakerphones, video players, daytime running lights, threshold lights, being connected to the vehicle's on-board circuit, create additional load on the generator. You ask, why is the battery discharged? Yes, because when the generator stops coping, it helps the battery.

Current leakage

If you have checked and disproved all the previous options, but the battery is discharged, the cause may be covered in the leakage current. This phenomenon is the uncontrolled consumption of battery power by devices that we normally leave on, leaving the car: the electronic engine control unit, anti-theft alarm, clock, radio, etc.

All of them continue to feed even when the ignition is switched off. The permissible leakage at which the battery is not subjected to a deep (critical) discharge is 50-80 mA. But if this indicator is exceeded, the battery may lose its properties prematurely. For example, with a leakage of 1-2 A a medium-capacitive battery discharges overnight.

Uncontrolled power consumption can also result from a wiring insulation failure or moisture exposure to electrical contacts. In this case, there will be a short circuit, due to which the battery discharges even faster.

How to identify a leak

To determine the current leakage value, you will need an ordinary car tester or multimeter, included in the ammeter mode and in the range 0-20 A. Measurements are made by connecting the instrument's probes to the battery terminal and the corresponding wire in series. One probe (polarity does not matter) connects to the "-" battery, and the second - to the battery disconnected from the battery wire. Similarly, the amount of leakage can be rechecked by connecting the ammeter contacts to the positive terminal and the positive bus. Attention: in no case should you connect a multimeter or tester included in the voltmeter mode - it will simply burn!

Malfunction of the generator

Another reason why the battery is quickly discharged may be a generator failure. At the same time, he either ceases to supply electricity to the battery, or the electricity produced by him is not enough to fully charge. It is not difficult to determine such a malfunction. It is enough to pay attention to the dashboard. On all cars without exception, it is equipped with appropriate indexes. A red burning icon in the form of a battery indicates that the battery does not receive recharging, and a scale with the corresponding designation indicates the voltage coming to the battery. In the case of problems with the generator, it is recommended to immediately contact the auto electronics, because there can be as many reasons as possible, starting from an incorrectly tensioned belt and ending with a burned voltage control relay.

Negligence of the owner of the car

Often, the owner of the car or driver, without knowing it, becomes the culprit of the rapid discharge of the battery. Left over for a night radio tape recorder or light alarm devices are able to put the battery in a few hours. To such a result can lead to oxidation of the battery terminals, moisture and dirt around them, or a long, simple machine in severe frost.

Some useful tips

In fact, the reasons for discharging the battery are much greater, and it is impossible to provide all possible options. But still try to follow these tips:

• When buying a new battery, select a model whose capacity and starting current correspond to the parameters of the car;
• Promptly perform diagnostics and maintenance of the battery (topping up the electrolyte, recharging, removing dirt and moisture from the surface);
• Do not leave electrical appliances on overnight;
• Do not allow malfunctions in the power supply system of the car;
• Do not trust the maintenance of your car to home-grown auto electricalians.