Proper car maintenance ensures a smooth drive every time without your car breaking down in the middle of the road or leaving you stranded in a busy parking lot. The battery is the most important component of car maintenance; if there is a battery problem, you aren’t going to get very far.
That's why there are several considerations regarding the car battery and maintaining a proper charge.
How to Maintain the Battery While in Storage
Regardless of if you're planning to store your car at home or at a car storage facility, you need to take care of the battery. This is where a battery tender can help. At The Auto Den, we provide battery tenders for our clients!
A battery tender provides a charge to the battery in your vehicle when the car is not being used. Modern chargers are “smart” in that they know how much charge to provide and will extend the life of the battery.
It is important to:
1. Determine Battery Type
Batteries come in three different types, including lithium batteries, AGM, or lead. In order to find the battery tender that is best for your car, you need to know your battery type.
The battery type is determined by checking the specifications on the manufacturer's website or the battery label located on the battery's top or side.
If you have a lithium battery and the tender you choose is not compatible with it, the battery can be damaged and even cause a fire. So, ensure you know the battery type before attaching the tender to it. When they're both compatible, the battery will be preserved.
2. Determine Battery Capacity
Battery capacity needs to be determined to ensure the battery and tender voltage are compatible. Luxury automobile storage facilities will check the battery capacity before selecting the one for your car so that it doesn't get overcharged. They determine the battery capacity by the specs mentioned on the manufacturer's website or the battery label.
3. Determine Charger Output
The charging capacity helps you determine the right charger output, which should be a minimum of 10% of your battery's Ah rating. Let's say you have a 100Ah battery, then the tender you choose should be of a minimum 10Amp.
Making the Final Choice
Make sure to purchase a compatible battery tender and invest in the right one. A cheap tender will only work for a short time. This is a one-time investment for your car, so you have to be smart about it.