Almost every driver is familiar with the situation when the car does not start due to a discharged battery. If the battery is old, replacement is inevitable, but if the problem arose with a recently purchased battery, it’s worth considering. For reference, let us recall that a car battery is one of the key elements of a car’s electrical system. If it malfunctions, the starter will not spin up, which means the car will not start. A typical battery consists of 6 cells, each producing 2 volts. Thus, in total, the voltage required for the charging system is 12 volts. The lead plates located inside the battery are coated with a special composition and filled with high-quality electrolyte to generate electric current. The main tasks of the battery:
- Start the engine;
- Help the generator carry heavy loads;
- Provide electricity to network devices even when the engine is turned off.
The discharge of a new battery can occur for various reasons. To understand the nuances, we will determine the main reasons for the rapid discharge of the battery.
Generator malfunctions.
If the generator, due to a breakdown, does not transfer the necessary charge to the battery, the battery will be completely discharged shortly after the vehicle stops.
To identify the problem, you need to check the functionality of the generator relay using a multimeter. After starting standard equipment and additional devices, the voltage in the network should be 13-14V. If this reading is less, the required level of charge is not being supplied - the generator is faulty. Even a new battery will not provide optimal voltage in the network if the generator is not working. Due to increased loads, the battery will also become unusable without serving its intended life. Therefore, it is necessary to seek help from the nearest car service center in time. Experts will identify the true cause of the generator failure, perhaps it is:
- Deformation or rupture of the alternator belt;
- Insufficient belt tension;
- Broken voltage regulator;
- Malfunction of the diode bridge.
Incorrectly selected battery
You shouldn’t really hope for this reason, since it is very unlikely. But, since some people complain that a battery with a larger or smaller capacity than it had before can cause a rapid discharge, it is necessary to mention this.
In fact, if you had a battery, for example, with 65 A*h, and you bought a new one with 75 A*h or 55 A*h, this aspect is unlikely to be the reason that it quickly discharged. The same applies to cold cranking current.
Yes. When the battery is no longer completely “fresh”, and you have a diesel engine, then a lot depends on the capacity and starting characteristics. But if the battery is new and not originally intended for a moped, and you plug it into a KAMAZ, there shouldn’t be such problems. At least because of the battery.
Low temperature
Winter is the most difficult period in the life of a battery.
It is at this time that the battery in the car is discharged more often. The fact is that the electrolyte becomes thicker in the cold, as a result of which the contact is greatly deteriorated. To avoid starting the car in the cold while “lighting up”, you should regularly monitor the electrolyte level and its charge. The normal density of the electrolyte can be tracked using a special table, which can be found freely available on the Internet.
Due to the threat of complete discharge of the battery when operating a car in winter, one important rule should be followed: do not leave the battery uncharged in the cold; in this case, the charge density may increase by 0.01 - 0.03 g/cc. It is better to move the battery to a warm place. Responsible drivers even take the power source home.
Features of winter energy consumption from the battery
An undercharged battery during a long period of inactivity in cold conditions will self-discharge faster, losing capacity. It is dangerous if the electrolyte with insufficient density freezes. A calcium battery may not recover after a one-time icing. If batteries often run low, they lose their ability to heal themselves. Why does the battery often die overnight in winter? In winter, recharging is slower and capacity losses become significant. It takes more effort to start equipment with thickened lubricant. As a result, the danger of running the battery to zero in winter increases many times over.
In cold weather, it is necessary to monitor the battery charge level more often. To restore capacity, the movement must be intense, with a small amount of downtime with the engine turned off. The battery or engine compartment must be insulated, retaining the residual heat of the engine for as long as possible.
How to detect battery quiescent current leakage?
- Remove the key from the ignition;
- Lower the windows and close the car doors, since checking the power source locks the central locking;
- Disconnect standard equipment and all devices connected to the electrical circuit;
- Remove the negative conductive terminal;
- Measure the leakage current using the already mentioned multimeter. Normally, the device should show 15-70 mA.
- If you observe a lower value, you can pull out the fuses one by one and “track” how the current changes. Doesn't work? Contact the auto service experts!
Current consumption of service on-board devices, parasitic currents
If all on-board internal and external consumers are in working order, the connection diagram is assembled correctly, they are completely disconnected from the network, and do not remain in sleep mode. Measurements with connected alarm, blocking and contactless immobilizer do not exceed the total consumption of 0.05 - 0.07A. With this consumption, even in winter, the battery will cope with starting the engine in the morning.
If a leak is detected, it is necessary to conduct a full diagnostic of devices and instruments powered from the on-board power supply. The reason may be incorrect connection of service equipment or powerful multimedia systems. Even a complex gadget power supply circuit can cause parasitic losses.
What do drivers do wrong?
It happens that the battery in a car is discharged due to the rash actions of drivers.
A classic example: leaving headlights on overnight. In cars of domestic brands, you will have to monitor the switching off of light bulbs yourself, but foreign manufacturers have taken care of convenient automatic systems. As for batteries that have been in use for more than 3-5 years, their discharge may occur due to the exhaustion of the battery life. Let us remind you that over time, the power source loses its electrical charge, and its capacity also becomes smaller.
Natural wear occurs due to sulfation of lead-acid batteries - the process of salt accumulation on the internal plates. Reducing the working area of the terminals leads to deterioration of conductivity and contact with the electrolyte.
If the battery in a VAZ car dies overnight
Often it is the owners of VAZ cars who complain that the battery runs out overnight in the cold. The most common cause is poor contact. Large currents in the generator, starter, and battery circuits lead to local heating at the slightest violation of the connections. Violation of the density of connections leads to oxidation of wires, increased resistance, and excessive voltage drop. Connections and contacts must be thoroughly cleaned, mounting bolts and nuts must be tightened.
Another typical reason why the battery dies overnight is its chronic undercharging from the car’s generator. Modern on-board systems use a large amount of energy; the generator does not have enough power to recharge the battery, especially on trips of less than 20 minutes.
How to prevent rapid battery drain?
First of all, it is necessary to reduce the number of short trips.
Frequent starting of the engine leads to large expenditures of electricity from the on-board network, which simply does not have time to be replenished with a new charge before the next start. For normal operation of regular energy consumers, the car battery is regularly recharged using a charger. A full battery charge harms the element and leads to loss of capacity and reduced service life, even of a new battery. It would also be a good idea to check the electrolyte. In addition to the level, the state of the substance is also monitored. Plates made of lead must be completely hidden by the electrolytic composition. This type of maintenance and preventive measures will help extend the life of the battery and maintain its capacity throughout its service life.
If you notice that your car’s battery is draining too quickly, rush to look for the cause under the hood yourself; without a thorough knowledge of the circuit, you won’t be able to fix the problem.
Moreover, the situation can be made worse. If you find problems with the battery, wiring, related fuses and other elements, contact the official service centers of FAVORIT MOTORS Group of Companies. Experienced specialists will carry out competent diagnostics, check the condition of the battery terminals and measure the voltage in the network using a high-quality voltmeter. Repair of any systems is carried out in accordance with manufacturers' recommendations, on time and at a reasonable price. Ask a Question
Reasons why your car battery dies overnight
There is a great temptation to install modern communication systems, climate control equipment, and powerful headlights in your car. But all these devices take energy from a generator, which is not designed for excess consumption. As a result, a car whose mileage between starts does not exceed 20 minutes does not have time to charge the battery overnight. Additional energy will be spent on signaling and circuit protection during long periods of inactivity.
The standard signal consumption is small, but there are also parasitic currents. Somewhere the old wiring is exposed and touches the body. Perhaps the device circuit is assembled incorrectly, does not turn off, and operates in sleep mode. Often the radio remains plugged in, the sound is turned off, and the device consumes current in standby mode. As a result, it turns out that the car’s battery died overnight, which is why it won’t start. Testing will help you find all sources of leakage from the on-board system, detecting losses from each source.
What problems lead to severe battery drain?
In fact, modern batteries only need to be severely discharged once to get into trouble. We are talking about driving with a non-working generator or with a torn generator belt, about constant increased loads on the electrical system of the car. You need to monitor the battery indicator on the dashboard to avoid unpleasant consequences. The reasons for the increased constant discharge of the battery may actually be different:
- connecting additional equipment that does not fit into the operating scheme of your type of generator, this causes a constant draw of energy from the battery;
- breakdown of the diode bridge or generator brushes, which becomes a problem in terms of too little charge, this is not enough to replenish the battery losses;
- active use of electrical appliances, such as fans, electric heating, mirrors and glass, heated seats, connecting various devices to the cigarette lighter;
- side lights or headlights left on for a long time with the engine turned off, as well as a radio that worked all night in the garage;
- other problems and troubles, including poor quality of the battery itself, breakage of some wires and breakdown of sensors both in the generator and in other places in the electrical circuit.
All this leads to the fact that the car battery is discharged systematically and quite strongly. With a deep discharge, an attempt to replenish the necessary charge often does not help. The battery needs to be replaced, which often takes a toll on the buyer’s pocket and significantly reduces the financial benefits of operating the car. It is worth taking this as one of the aspects of operating a car. We suggest watching a video on how to determine current leakage in a car and reduce battery discharge:
Let's sum it up
Unpleasant situations related to the battery during vehicle operation occur virtually all the time. We are talking about troubles with low charge, constant battery discharge, and low quality of accessories sold on the market. There are various options and improvements you can make to your car to improve battery control. But all this does not guarantee the absence of problems. If your alternator belt breaks in the middle of the highway, you will have to put up with the dead battery.
If you don’t want to experience difficulties, you should always properly maintain your car and get maximum reliability in the operation of technical equipment. Change the alternator belt in a timely manner, and always pay attention to the operation of electrical appliances. If you have doubts about the quality of the electrician's work, use the services of a service station and check the operation of the entire circuit. This way you will be able to prevent problems with the battery and the need to buy a new, rather expensive battery. How do you think you can protect yourself from problems with your car battery?
