I leave the house in the morning, press the central locking button and... nothing. The car does not respond. No problem, we open it with the key. We turn the ignition key, but the lights don’t even light up, there’s a slight squeaking sound from under the panel. Everything is clear - the battery is dead. Even if everything was fine yesterday, due to a number of reasons, the battery can be discharged in just one night. Most often, this violation is detected only in the morning, and leads to being late for work.
The consequences of such a situation can be extremely disastrous: the plates can crumble irreversibly. If this happens in the cold, the electrolyte may freeze and expand, damaging the battery case.
Reasons for rapid battery discharge
A dead battery in the morning is a consequence of an emergency situation. If the car battery is discharged to zero, it means that a fairly high power consumer was turned on.
How to find the reason
The algorithm of actions when searching for a problem depends on the urgency and the need for further movement.
Attention! In order to save time and money, use the rule from simple to complex, from cheap to expensive when making diagnostics. For example, there is no need to replace an expensive generator if the cause of the discharge is damaged wiring.
First, you need to visually inspect the ignition switch, battery and alternator, as well as all visible wiring. What to pay attention to:
If nothing critical is found, you can “light it” from another car or install a known-charged battery. When connecting wires, pay attention to the spark. A jumping spark indicates current consumption, which should not exist when the ignition is turned off. Often this is precisely the reason why the car battery quickly discharges.
Checking the operation of the generator
A separate point needs to be placed on the operation of the generator. 
If there is no spark, start the car and check the operation of the generator. Apply the gas, if the belt makes a whistle, you need to tighten it. If everything is in order with the belt, we turn on all electrical consumers - headlights, lights, fan, and so on.
Lastly, turn on the wiper blades and monitor their speed. With increased energy consumption, a non-working generator is not able to provide energy to the wipers - they will move noticeably slower than usual. The voltage at the battery terminals will also be low - less than 12.8 volts. If this is the case, the cause of the dead battery should be associated with a malfunction of the generator.
A faulty generator cannot provide the car with electricity, this is one of the reasons why even a new battery in a car quickly discharges.
Looking for a current leak
Current leakage in a car is determined using an ammeter. It is found in most modern multimeters. We will need a measurement range from 0 to 20 Amps. 
- We put a known-good charged battery in the car, connect the negative terminal, and connect the ammeter to the gap between the positive wire and the battery terminal.
- If the readings are higher than 0.2 - 0.4 amperes (there are always constant consumers - computer, clock, alarm, radio), then there is a current leak.
- We are looking for an unauthorized consumer by turning off the fuses. If the numbers on the ammeter drop when the fuse is removed, then there is a breakdown in this circuit.
- Disturbances in the wiring occur due to soured starter solenoids, a shorted temperature sensor on the radiator, or a short circuit in the generator windings.
- Damage to the generator field wire inside the braid can cause the generator to be excited and draw a lot of current.
If no current leakage is observed, it is worth analyzing the operation of the alarm. It is constantly connected to the battery and is the most likely current consumer.
Can the alarm drain the battery?
Standard alarm consumes 0.08 ampere/hour. Complex alarms with remote notification waste 30% more. This is not much; a 60 Amp/hour battery will discharge after about a month of inactivity. 
The alarm works like this: when armed, it goes into “sleep” mode. Current consumption is minimal. When a contact in the sensor circuit is closed, the unit is triggered, sending a signal to the headlights and siren, as well as an alert to the key fob. Modern alarms are able to respond to loud sounds, vibrations and even excessive proximity to the car. Such systems consume more current because they use the radar principle or photocells.
Reasons why alarms consume more current.
- Presence of a radio warning module. It requires more energy to operate than the alarm itself.
- Marriage signaling schemes.
- Incorrectly installed or too sensitive sensors The alarm goes off; if the siren is broken, this leads to an increased discharge.
- Immobilizer activation. In this case, the battery will work, but the ignition will not turn on.
- Faulty autostart tried to start the engine. The starter quickly drains the battery.
- The autonomous type alarm system has its own battery. If it wears out, the relay tries to charge it and “pulls” energy from the main one. Therefore, it is better to install a dependent alarm or check the battery of the main one.
Attention! Install and repair alarms in a specialized workshop from an experienced auto electrician. Incorrect connections or exposed wires may cause fire or serious damage.
It is quite difficult to check the serviceability of the alarm, since the discharge can be short in time and impossible to track. The test is simple:
- The alarm is turned off and the car is operated without it. If the battery does not discharge, it is worth diagnosing or installing a new unit.
- The hood rises, the sensor end is clamped. We measure the alarm current consumption. We provoke accidents - we knock on the fenders, we shake the car. The alarm consumes more current during activation, but after a set time it should turn off and not consume excess energy. If the alarm does not turn off, it can easily “drink” an entire battery overnight.
Useful video
This video clearly shows how to determine why the battery discharges overnight:
Conclusion
To avoid unpleasant moments in the morning, you should take care of your car. This applies not only to the appearance or cleanliness of the interior; first of all, you need to undergo periodic maintenance, carefully monitor extraneous noise, and look under the hood. The battery and generator brushes are consumables that need to be changed in accordance with technical regulations. Outside interference in the car's wiring, installation of low-quality alarm systems with “crooked” hands are generally dangerous and can cause a fire.
Operate your car correctly, study the life of a motorist, and you won’t have such problems in the morning.
Battery failure is one of the most common nightmares of car enthusiasts. The situation when a car was put in the garage in working condition in the evening, and in the morning all attempts to start it were in vain, is not uncommon. The battery shows absolutely no signs of life. Such a “surprise” can come from a completely new battery in a car. Let's try to figure out what could be the reasons for this malfunction and why the battery drains overnight.
Common causes of problems
Let's look at the main reasons why a car battery runs out quickly, for example overnight. Let's try to group the main ones.
No matter how good and high-quality the battery you choose, in some situations it can still fail. Therefore, you shouldn’t be surprised that your car’s battery suddenly dies overnight, even if it’s new. There are explanations for this situation.
The main ones are presented below:
- The battery has exhausted its allotted resource , simply put - grown old;
- problems with the generator , as a result of which it does not infect the battery;
- incorrect connection of one of the machine’s energy “consumers” , partial or complete malfunctions in these devices;
- The battery will drain faster in unfavorable climatic conditions , for example, at extremely low temperatures;
- The car battery drains quickly overnight if the driver forgets to turn off the lights, music or heating .
Physical wear and tear of the battery
Any thing, and the battery is no exception, has its own and inevitably becomes unusable. If previously they were designed so that the owner of the car could service them (monitor the condition of the plates, set the electrolyte level and its density), today this is not provided. We can say that modern batteries are disposable because they have a closed case. They last on average from 3 to 5 years, after which they are not subject to repair or any kind of updating.
Therefore, if a battery that has served its purpose is dead, it is better not to suffer and buy another one. If the battery is an old model, then you can try to revive it (check the electrolyte level, bring it to normal using distilled water). A detailed algorithm of actions can be found in all details on numerous car enthusiast forums. But it should be understood that all such events are just a short-term escape from the problem. Therefore, the only correct action in this situation is to purchase a new battery to replace the old one.
No charge from generator
If your car's recently purchased battery runs out quickly, or the discharge occurs gradually and systematically over the course of a week, then you should think about the serviceability of the generator. In this case, the first action should be to diagnose its condition.
How to determine that the charge from the generator is sufficient? To do this, you need to check its operation using a multimeter. This device needs to measure the voltage at the battery terminals with the headlights, heated windows, music and engine on. Its value should normally be in the range of 13-14.4 volts. If the result obtained differs to a lesser extent, then the problem is precisely the insufficient supply of charge to the battery from the generator.
The reasons for this generator problem may be as follows:
- voltage regulator failure ;
- weakening of the belt tension or its breakage ;
- diode bridge fault .
If the battery is constantly discharged due to problems in the generator or insufficient charge from it, you need to contact specialists at a car service center to diagnose and repair the breakdown.
Leakage current
The battery may die due to a current leak in the vehicle's on-board network. It is not difficult to establish the fact of a leak. To do this, you only need a little free time, an ammeter or a multimeter. But determining the specific location of the leak is a more difficult task.
There are several reasons for leakage, the most common are the following:
- insulation damage ;
- contact oxidation ;
- incorrect connection of devices ;
- worn out wiring .
To measure current losses in a car network, you need:
- remove the negative terminal from the battery ;
- measure the current loss between the removed terminal and the negative terminal of the battery , for this you need an ammeter or multimeter.
Measurements must be carried out with the ignition off and devices that consume current turned off. In this case, you need to leave the doors to the salon or windows open in case the central locking blocks them.
Within normal limits, the current leakage rate will be from 15 to 80 mA. Large values indicate an electrical fault in the car; diagnostics and repairs are required.
Other reasons for battery drain
Errors in the work of an auto electrician, incorrect connection of devices in a car lead to the fact that the devices themselves work and please the owner, but an increased load is formed in the electrical circuit. In this case, the car owner may be faced not only with the fact that the battery is discharged, but also with the fact that other electrical devices have failed.
The more various gadgets connected to the car (magnetic recorder, radar detector, navigator, backlight, etc.), the higher the load on the generator. And if the generator cannot cope, then the battery takes on part of the “responsibilities”. In this case, she will sit down quite quickly.
From the above, a logical question follows - can the battery be discharged from the alarm? Yes, it can, but it doesn't happen often.
An alarm can be the main reason why the battery drains too quickly if:
- mistakes were made during its installation ;
- there is a problem with the signal itself ;
- the system was installed, not a factory-assembled one, but a do-it-yourself one .
The battery can be completely discharged if you leave the car for a long time and forget to turn off the lights, music or any other electrical appliances. If this doesn't happen often, there is no need to panic. After recharging, the battery will function as usual.
Frost can cause the battery to quickly lose charge. In winter it shrinks much more intensely than in summer. In cold weather from 15°C, each degree of decrease in air temperature leads to a decrease in battery capacity by 1 mAh. If there are problems with charging, the electrolyte in the battery freezes. To prevent this situation, it is necessary to monitor the battery charge level and electrolyte density.
What can I do to prevent my battery from draining quickly?
To ensure that the problem of a dead battery affects the car owner as little as possible, the following conditions must be met:
- When buying a car alarm, you need to carefully study its characteristics . It is important to understand how much energy it will require. Preference should be given to the system that can remain in sleep mode for the maximum period.
- When choosing a radio, it is recommended to pay attention to the one that consumes less energy .
- Make sure appliances are turned on when they are not needed .
- Regularly diagnose the health of all machine systems .
- Avoid overcooling or overheating the battery .
- Buy the battery that is best suited for the parameters of a particular car .
When talking about measures to extend the service life of a car battery, we should mention the phenomenon of sulfation. This phenomenon often leads to a shortening of the battery life, reducing its capacity. Its development is facilitated by increased electrolyte density, severe frost or heat, as well as storing the battery for a long period without recharging. Therefore, in order for it to work like a clock and for as long as possible, you need to provide for such nuances, avoiding them if possible. And carry it out in a timely manner.
Almost all users of mobile gadgets face the problem of the battery draining too quickly. The problem occurs gradually and goes unnoticed for some time, but one day the owner notices that the battery life of the smartphone or tablet has been reduced by almost half. If you do nothing, it will decrease further - until it becomes impossible to use the device. And one day the device won’t turn on at all.
Let's talk about why the battery on Android devices drains quickly and how to extend its life.
Reasons for rapid battery discharge
- The actual battery capacity of a smartphone or tablet is lower than indicated in the specifications.
- Battery capacity has decreased due to normal wear and tear.
- Ambient temperature is below +5 ⁰C or above +30 ⁰C.
- The screen brightness level is too high.
- Resource-intensive features included: GPS, NFC, Bluetooth, etc.
- Long distance to the mobile operator's base station.
- Apps and widgets running in the background consume energy.
- Frequent turning on and off of the device.
- Infection with mobile viruses.
- A malfunction of the operating system or hardware, as a result of which certain resource-intensive functions or the device itself are not turned off.
Battery capacity is lower than in the passport
The discrepancy between the actual battery capacity and the indicator indicated in the passport of a smartphone or tablet is more common than you think. It’s just that very few users decide to double-check it. Most believe documents, as well as program indicators, which also do not always display reliable data.
The reason for the discrepancy between actual information and nominal information does not always lie in deception on the part of the manufacturer or seller (although this also occurs); lithium power supplies simply lose their capacity during long-term storage. If you bought a device that was released a year ago, even if stored correctly, its battery capacity has become 2-6% less capacious, and if stored incorrectly (i.e., when charged to 100%) - by as much as 15-30%.
To calculate the actual capacity of the battery, use charger-discharge devices, like iMAX, or homemade dischargers complete with a multimeter or USB tester. The exact indicators are determined during the discharge of a fully charged battery.
If your phone's battery capacity is less than stated, it means it will drain in a shorter time than expected. And, alas, it is impossible to influence this.
Capacity has decreased over time
Battery wear becomes noticeable after 1.5-2 years of using a smartphone or tablet. But it may happen earlier if:
- use the device often and for a long time at low and very high air temperatures (the most favorable temperature for operating lithium batteries is room temperature);
- allow discharge close to 0%.
- charge the device near heat sources;
- store an unused battery at 100% charge at high ambient temperatures (for storage, the optimal charge level is 40-50% and refrigerator temperature);
- charge the battery with a higher voltage and current than the manufacturer provided (the required level of current and voltage is indicated on the charger that was sold with the gadget).
Frequent short-term recharging, contrary to popular belief, does not harm the battery. The current with which it is charged has a much greater influence. It is preferable to charge lithium batteries with low currents, although this takes longer.
If the battery capacity of your device has decreased due to wear and tear, the only solution is to replace the battery with a new one.
Using the gadget in cold or hot weather
When using a mobile device in unfavorable temperature conditions (up to +5 ⁰C and above +30 ⁰C), the battery discharges noticeably faster, but at temperatures close to room temperature, its capacity is immediately restored to its original level.
If you don't do this too often, the battery won't wear out quickly, but for calls in the cold it's still better to use a headset and keep the phone in a warm pocket.
High screen brightness level
The screen of an Android mobile device is the main consumer of energy. The brighter it is illuminated, the faster the battery drains.
The use of adaptive backlight, which changes depending on the ambient light (available only on devices equipped with a light sensor), helps reduce battery consumption. To enable it, select the “Auto” checkbox in the screen brightness settings. To prevent the screen from remaining on when you are not using the gadget, set it to go into sleep mode after 30-60 seconds of inactivity.
Resource-intensive features
After the screen, the next active consumers of energy are:
- geolocation;
- live (animated) wallpaper;
- NFC and Bluetooth;
- mobile Internet (3G, 4G).
- Wi-Fi.
If they are all on at the same time, even the most capacious battery will drain very quickly, so whenever possible, turn off what you are not using.
Unstable cellular connection
You may have noticed that when you spend a long time in places where the phone has poor reception of the operator's base station signal, for example, outside the city, the battery discharges faster than usual. This happens because more energy is spent maintaining an unstable, intermittent connection.
The battery will drain faster even if the problem occurs with only one of the two SIM cards. To save charge, it is better to disable such a SIM card for a while.
Apps and widgets running in the background
Many Android applications and widgets, after installation, register themselves in autorun and work in the background the entire time the device is turned on. When there are a lot of such applications, the device not only discharges very quickly, but also noticeably slows down, so startup should be kept under control and allowed only to those programs that need it (antivirus, optimization tool, utility utilities, instant messengers, etc.).
Unfortunately, there is no function for controlling the autorun of user and system applications in Android. But it becomes available after obtaining root (superuser) rights and installing special utilities on the device, such as:
- BootManager and some others
There are utilities that allow you to manage startup without root rights, but they do not work on every gadget and do not always work correctly.
Applications that the user himself launched, but after they were no longer needed, he forgot to close, can also consume battery resources. The accumulation of such programs not only loads, but also heats up the processor, which in turn heats up the battery. And when heated, as we know, the phone battery drains very quickly.
Control over processes that actively consume energy is also best entrusted to special utilities. For example, the following:
- Clean Master, etc.
By the way, the capabilities of most of them include cleaning the system from unnecessary files, cooling the processor, optimizing charging and a number of other tasks. To keep your device in order, it is advisable to use one of these utilities constantly.
Frequent reboots and turning the device on and off
Wanting to save charge, some users regularly turn off their mobile gadget. Sometimes even several times during the day. This is another reason why the battery drains too quickly, since when the device starts up and the operating system loads, the energy consumption is close to the maximum.
While you are not using your Android smartphone or tablet, you should not turn it off completely - just turn off the screen, complete resource-intensive tasks, disable communication functions (Wi-Fi, GPRS, 3G-4G Internet, GPS, NFC and Bluetooth), background data transfer, sensors and vibration motor. To do this, most mobile gadgets have an energy saving mode, the activation button for which can be located in different sections of the settings (parameters) menu.
Mobile virus infection
Malware that attacks Android devices does not always operate openly. They often carry out activities that are invisible to the user, and the only signs of their presence are empty accounts and very rapid battery drain, including in standby mode.
Hidden virus infection should be excluded in case of any non-standard behavior of the gadget, for example:
- The phone or tablet wakes up from standby mode without any active action on your part.
- The device is in sleep mode and becomes warm.
- Wi-Fi, geolocation, mobile Internet and other modules are enabled on the device without your participation. Or they cannot be turned off.
- Unknown numbers appeared in the list of outgoing calls and SMS, and views of sites that you have not visited appeared in your browser history.
- An application has assigned itself as a device administrator without your knowledge.
- For unknown reasons, Google Play antivirus and other security applications stopped running.
- Any system functions have stopped working.
- The volume of network traffic on the device has increased for no reason.
Read about how to find and remove a mobile virus on our website. The instructions are relevant for Android phones and tablets of various brands: Samsung, LG, Xiaomi, Philips, Lenovo and others.
System or hardware failure
Some users of PCs and laptops have encountered such a problem as incomplete shutdown of the computer, when the screen goes blank when the operating system is shut down, but some devices remain active - the cooler continues to rotate, indicators light up, etc. The exact same problem occurs on mobile devices, it’s just not so easy to notice, because smartphones and tablets do not have a cooler, and the indicator only shows the charging stage. In the event of such malfunctions, the device essentially remains on constantly and, accordingly, even in a “sort of turned off” state actively consumes battery energy.
The causes of such problems may be faulty applications, viruses, operating system errors and malfunctions in the device’s hardware (including connected devices - memory cards, SIM cards, etc.).
The only symptom that allows one to suspect that the device has not been completely turned off is too much battery consumption at a time when it should be minimal. And to make sure whether this is really your case, just remove the cover of the phone (tablet) and check the processor temperature with your fingers. If the device continues to work after being turned off, its processor will remain warm. Sometimes in this condition the body of the device heats up slightly, but sometimes not - it depends on its design.
In such cases, what can the user do without contacting the specialists:
- Remove applications installed before the problem appeared (if you were able to record the time it started).
- Conduct an anti-virus scan.
- Disconnect all connected devices.
- Reset the system to factory settings.
- Remove the battery (if it is removable), hold down the power button for 20-30 seconds and replace the battery.
- Reflash the device with known working firmware.
After each manipulation, check the gadget by turning it off. If the problem is not solved, you will have to take it to a service center for repairs, since the problem itself will not go away, and the battery will exhaust its life much faster than during normal operation.
Unfortunately, almost every car enthusiast has encountered a discharged battery. This is a very unpleasant event, even more unpleasant because, as a rule, it occurs in the morning. You approach your car, you have some plans for the day, for example, you urgently need to get to this or that place.
Get behind the wheel, turn the key in the ignition and nothing happens. As a result, you have to change your plans on the spot and somehow get out of the situation, because a car with a discharged battery is absolutely lifeless.
We will look at what to do and why this happens in this article.
Reasons for battery discharge
First. There are many reasons why a battery may be discharged, but the most common is failure due to the end of its service life.
Despite the fact that technological progress is advancing across the planet by leaps and bounds, in the field of car batteries it has remained mothballed at the level of the 80-90s of the last century.
Even those batteries that are produced today can be considered worse in quality than those produced in the USSR. They are still lead, still acidic and just as susceptible to sulfation as their counterparts were almost a quarter of a century ago.
Only if their Soviet counterparts were adapted to repair and the possibility of extending their service life, today batteries are maintenance-free and simply thrown away.
So if your battery is already 5 years old or more, then its failure is 90% associated with the end of its service life and it’s simply time for you to change the battery.
Two. Another common reason for battery discharge is interruptions in charging.
This can happen due to several situations:
- Generator failure:
- Damage to the battery charging circuit;
- Broken generator belt;
- Loosening the tension of the generator belt;
- Burnout of the diode bridge in the generator;
- Failure of the voltage regulator.
Three. The third reason on our list can be considered curious. Although its consequences are by no means funny, but more than serious.
This is a battery discharge due to the consumer being left on. Most often, drivers in the car forget to turn off the interior lights or leave the radio on.
In a word, if you leave some electricity consumer on at night, then in the morning you may have a discharged battery waiting for you.
Four. Well, the last reason is the most banal - severe frost outside. The fact is that under the influence of low temperatures, the battery capacity decreases.
This is due to the fact that under the influence of low temperatures the oil in the engine thickens and the starter requires more energy to crank it.
Thus, if your battery is not fresh, and the ambient temperature has dropped significantly, then the energy reserve in the battery may not be enough to start the engine.
How to understand that the battery has gone to zero
If the cause of the discharge is not visually visible, then the method of searching for it is as follows.
First of all, you need to check the level of charge that the battery provides. This is done using a device - a multimeter.
During normal operation of the generator, the multimeter should show a charge level in the range of 13-15 volts.
How to start a car if the battery is dead
What to do if the battery is dead, but you need to drive. There are several ways to solve this problem and they will be discussed in detail below.
Lighting up
This method has nothing to do with cigarettes or smoking tobacco. And it is named so because of the analogy with lighting one cigarette from another.
To start a car engine using this method, you will need cigarette lighter wires.
In order to start the car using these wires you need:
- Drive the car from which the cigarette will be lit as close as possible to the car with a discharged battery, as close as possible so that the wires from the terminals of your battery reach the terminals of the donor car.
- We connect the battery wires of two cars. In this case, it is important to ensure that the wire from the positive terminal of the donor car is connected to the positive terminal on the car with a discharged battery. In the same way, carefully monitor the connection of the negative terminals. Thus, you connect your car's on-board network to the battery of another car.
- After this simple procedure is completed, you can start the car. After starting, you remove the wires. The on-board network begins to operate from the generator, and your battery begins to charge.
- Naturally, you cannot turn off the engine immediately after lighting a cigarette, since the battery will not have time to charge in a few minutes.
Lighting up wirelessly
Another option for lighting a cigarette, in cases where there are no wires for lighting at hand, is the option of transferring the battery. To do this, you will need a set of wrenches so that you can remove the battery from the donor's car and, naturally, from your car.
You simply exchange your battery for a battery from someone else's car, and then start it. After the car starts idling, you can change the batteries back.
You need to remember that when you remove the terminals from the battery, the car will not stall, since it will be powered by the generator. This will give you the opportunity to install the battery on a running car, after which the discharged battery will begin to charge.
Push launch
I think all motorists know this method of starting the engine. It's the simplest. It does not require any additional accessories, just physical strength, or a few strong friends.
By the way, you can start it yourself, but for this you need the car to be standing on a hill.
This method also has limitations; you will never push-start a car equipped with an automatic transmission.
This method is only suitable for cars equipped with manual transmission. How to start a car this way?
Starting the engine is carried out in the following order:
- The driver gets behind the wheel and turns on the ignition;
- After that, you engage second gear and squeeze the clutch;
- The car begins to accelerate either from the mountain, or with the help of acceleration by one of the friends (they must push the car);
- After the car is more or less sufficiently accelerated, smoothly release the clutch. The power unit starts to start;
- After the engine starts, immediately put the gear in neutral and depress the brake. The car is now started, and you can drive; the on-board network is powered by a generator.
Starting using a starter-charger (ROM)
Few ordinary motorists have ROMs, but they are almost always available at specialized service stations. First, let's find out what it is?
A ROM is a device with which you can both charge a discharged battery and start an engine whose battery is discharged.
Starting using ROM is quite simple:
- Connect the ROM to the network;
- We connect the ROM terminals to your battery.
Please note that the positive terminal is connected to the battery positive, and the negative terminal to the negative terminal.
- We set the starting current to the ROM. Optimally it should be in the range of 15-20 A;
- We start the car.
After the engine is started, the terminals can be removed.
Starting with booster or lithium-ion battery
A booster is another version of the ROM; its main difference is that it does not charge the battery, but is intended solely to help when starting the engine.
This device is very popular in areas where there are often very low temperatures in winter. In essence, this is an assistant when starting the engine. What he really is?
This is essentially a miniature battery that is pre-charged at home and then used when the driver comes to the parking lot to start his car. The main advantages of such devices are their small size and weight.
It is worth noting that the booster is a lithium-ion battery, exactly the same as that found in your smartphone or laptop.
To start the car, you need to connect the booster in the same way as the ROM, and perform the same operations that are performed when starting the power unit using a starting charger.
Start with fast charge
This method is used in cases where you have a charger, but it is not intended to start the engine.
In this case, you need to charge your battery at the maximum current. In chargers it is usually no higher than 15 amperes.
Wait 15-20 minutes and try to start. If it fails to start, you need to repeat the procedure, but give your charger more time to charge. Ideally, one hour will be enough.
It is worth noting that with this method your battery will not be fully charged and after the trip it should be put on long-term charging with a low current of 5 Amps.
Starting the car using the "Sling"
This is, let's say, an advanced version of starting the engine from a pusher. For this you need another vehicle and a tow rope.
It is used in cases where there are no wires for “lighting”.
The launch is carried out using the “Sling” as follows:
- You drive your friend’s car in front of your car;
- Hitch your car to a matched vehicle using a tow rope;
- Get behind the wheel of your car, turn on the ignition, depress the clutch and engage second gear at the gearbox;
- Signal to the car in front to move away;
- After they start towing you, smoothly release the clutch and slowly add gas. Your car's engine begins to turn over and start quite quickly;
- After this, immediately depress the clutch and brake. The engine should continue to idle.
Actually, that's all, you can go. The main danger with this launch option is the possibility of “catching up” with the towing vehicle and hitting it in the rear.
Starting the car using a “Crooked starter”
This method is suitable for starting old vintage cars produced before the early 90s of the last century.
In addition to a jack and a wheel wrench, these cars included a “Curved Starter”, and the car engines had a special groove on the flywheel coming from the crankshaft. In addition, in the bumpers of cars, there was a special hole for using a “crooked starter”.
Launching this way is very simple. You insert the “crooked starter” into the groove and turn the crankshaft of your power unit by hand.
The main disadvantage of this method is its high energy consumption. However, if the engine and ignition are adjusted well, you will only need one or two turns to start.
Starting with alcohol
This method can be called extreme; it can be used if, apart from alcohol, other starting methods described above are not available to you.
This method is extreme due to the fact that it is disposable; after starting the car in this way, you will have to throw away the battery. That is, it is strictly not recommended to start new batteries in this way. But let’s actually move on to the essence of the method.
In order to briefly revive your battery, you will need weak alcohol. For example, dry red wine. If your alcohol is stronger, then you need to dilute it with water until the alcohol concentration is the same as in wine.
After the liquid with the required alcohol concentration has been obtained, unscrew the cans on your battery and pour about 150 grams of an alcoholic solution or, simply, wine into it. After this, the car should start.
This occurs because alcohol increases the acidity of the electrolyte, which in turn removes salts from the lead plates. All this should make it possible to start your car for the last time using this battery.
How to extend battery life - 6 useful tips for battery maintenance
The battery is a very important part of your car and quite expensive, so I think any driver is interested in having it last as long as possible.
This can be achieved by properly caring for the battery and following simple rules.
- If you have a serviceable battery, then perform its maintenance once a year, which consists of adding distilled water to the jars. It must be remembered that lead plates should never be dry. So, your battery can be checked much more often.
- Keep both the battery itself and the battery terminals clean. If oxides begin to collect on the terminals, they need to be removed from the battery and cleaned with sandpaper.
- When starting in winter, on cars equipped with a manual transmission, you must depress the clutch, so when starting, the starter turns only the engine without a gearbox. And this requires much less energy.
- Also, when starting in winter, it is recommended to warm up your battery. To do this, you need to turn the high beams on and off for a short time before starting.
- Also, when operating a car in winter, especially in cases where the mileage is short, find a way to recharge your battery using a charger, since with short mileage it does not have time to charge.
- Make sure that the battery is securely fastened, as it does not tolerate vibration well and may fail prematurely because of this.
By following these simple rules, you will achieve maximum service life for your battery.
Good day, dear friends! There is probably no car enthusiast who has not found himself in an unpleasant situation due to a dead battery at the most unnecessary moment. With a discharged battery, the car becomes practically useless, except perhaps for shelter from the rain. Again being late for work or some important meeting, frayed nerves. Yes, you can accidentally forget and leave the radio or headlights on, but what if this happens through no fault of the driver?
Battery (car battery), is an important element of the vehicle's energy system. Without it, the car simply won’t start, because it is the battery that powers all the electronic components of the car. This device consists of six two-volt elements, which, together, produce 12 volts. The internal elements of the battery are made of lead plates coated with a special substance and immersed in electrolyte. All this generates electric current. The battery in a car performs the following functions:
- Starts the engine;
- Helps the generator cope with the load placed on it;
- Allows electrical appliances to operate when the engine is turned off.
Why does the car battery drain quickly?
What are the reasons for its rapid discharge? Of the main ones, there are only four of them:
- Driver. Very often we ourselves are the reason for the rapid discharge of the battery.
- Naturally, the battery itself. Due to wear and tear or premature failure.
- Car generator. Due to its malfunction, there may be no charge when driving, or it may be insufficient to fully charge the battery.
- On-board electrical network. Worn wiring or current leakage in electrical equipment may also cause the battery to discharge.
We have listed the main reasons, now let's look at them in more detail.
Driver errors.
Let's start with the simplest. If the owner of the car does not yet have experience in owning it, then he himself can do those things that drain the battery. Among these actions, we will highlight the very best:
- A person simply forgot to turn off an electrical device: headlights, radio, light bulb in the cabin or trunk, and so on. Naturally, after the car sits all night, the battery will be completely discharged.
- The battery needs to be given periodic attention: check the electrolyte level, recharge. And if you don’t keep an eye on it, then it’s natural that it will discharge more and more often.
- Wrong travel mode. For example, you went to the store, which is only a five-minute walk on foot. The battery will spend energy to start the engine, but the generator, at such a short distance, will not be able to properly recharge it.
Here are the most common driver mistakes that cause your battery to drain quickly. If you are already an experienced motorist and this is clearly not the problem, then we will continue to understand the reasons further.
Faulty or worn out battery.
Very often the cause is a faulty battery. Diagnostics can be done at any car service center, or independently. If you have a device called a load fork, or you can get it, checking everything yourself will not be difficult. This device simulates the situation with the battery when the engine starts, and includes a voltmeter and a load resistor. In this video you can see how to test a battery with a load fork.
First you need to see what voltage the battery produces without load. When fully charged, it should be 12.7 volts. Next, we check its condition under load. Using the resistance of the device, load the battery, wait about five seconds, and check the indicators. If the battery is working properly, the voltage should be no more than 10.5 volts. If the battery, without a load, shows more than 12.7 volts, but with a load it cannot pass the test at all, then it’s time to replace it.
So why can a battery become unusable? There may be several reasons, here are just the most important ones:
- Short circuit;
- Sulfation of plates;
- Shedding of active mass;
- Causes related to electrolyte.
Now about all this in more detail.
Short circuit.
It can be caused by either a manufacturing defect or improper use. As a rule, this occurs due to the short circuit of plates of different polarities.
You can find out whether a short circuit is occurring by the strong “boiling” of the electrolyte and the voltage drop at the battery terminals. In addition, the overall battery capacity is reduced. The reasons why a short circuit occurs are:
- Foreign objects entering the battery;
- Violation of the integrity of separators;
- Formation of growths on the electrodes;
- Sludge at the bottom of the battery;
- Warping of plate grids.
In older batteries that can be serviced, the short circuit problem is solved simply by replacing the faulty element. As for modern maintenance-free or low-maintenance batteries, this cannot be done here.
You can find tutorials online on how to clear a short circuit by passing high-power electricity through the battery. After this procedure, although the short circuit is burned out, the battery will require more careful handling. Therefore, if you don’t want to stress too much because of problems with her, it’s best to think about it.
Sulfation of plates.
Sulfation is the deposition of lead sulfate on the electrodes during a chemical reaction when the battery is discharged. When charging, part of the sediment dissolves, and part remains on the plates. As a result of these processes, the capacity gradually decreases and the need to replace the battery arises. This is a natural process during battery operation and manifests itself slowly.
But what to do if sulfation occurs on a new battery? The reason, of course, is improper operation. The following reasons lead to such consequences:
- Low electrolyte level (operation of the battery with exposed plates);
- The battery is often completely discharged;
- The electrolyte is of poor quality;
- Incorrect battery charging with high current.
If the level of sulfation is high, it will cause the battery to drain faster. This happens because the sediment “eats” its entire capacity. If the battery is still “fresh” (less than a year), then the battery can be desulfated and restored as a whole. If it is already old (3-4 years), then it would be better to buy a new one.
Shedding of the active mass.
Shedding of the active mass during battery operation occurs gradually. This process accelerates with increasing vibration and shock loads. A striking example of this is off-road driving. The crumbled active mass accumulated at the bottom of the battery can cause a short circuit.
And even if you ignore the short circuit, the battery performance will decrease due to shedding. Particularly, capacitance and inrush current are affected. As a result, the capacity decreases so much that the battery practically stops gaining charge and quickly runs out. Only replacing the battery will help here.
Electrolyte problems.
As for the electrolyte, there may be two problems with it: density that does not meet the norm, and a decrease in the level with water consumption. All this is easy to fix, but it is imperative to monitor the condition of the battery and regularly carry out its maintenance.
The electrolyte level should be checked regularly to ensure that it does not fall below the top level of the plates. This is especially true in hot weather, during which the electrolyte may boil away. The normal electrolyte level is 15-20 mm. above the surface of the electrodes. The main reason for water consumption is the electrolysis process, to which, in the summer, evaporation from the heat is also added.
You can check the density of the electrolyte using a hydrometer. If the density is increased, then everything is simple - just add distilled water. When, on the contrary, the density is low, and the battery is fully charged, you will have to tinker a little. You will have to take out the old electrolyte and dilute it with a new one, with a density of 1.27-1.29 g/cm 3 . Before measuring, the electrolyte must sit for some time. The procedure is repeated until the density returns to normal.
Problems with the generator.
So, you have made sure that the battery is working properly and fully charged. Next, we turn our attention to the generator. It may either not provide a charge to the battery at all, or, although it does provide it, it is small and not enough to charge. And then, after a short stop, you may be presented with an unpleasant surprise.
If the generator does not charge the battery at all, then it will be difficult to find out the reason, especially for beginners in this matter. It is better to contact a car electrician. He will definitely tell you whether it’s time to replace it or whether it can still be repaired.
When the generator, although it produces energy, is not enough, one of the main reasons may be insufficient tension of the generator belt. Finding out if it needs tightening is pretty easy. If the belt is loose, the car will make a strong whistle when starting. Additional belt tension will correct the situation, and. You will only need a pry bar and a wrench to loosen and tighten the generator mount.
It’s better not to delay and fix the problem quickly, since if the charge is poor, the battery will run out, even while driving. This will come back to haunt you especially during the cold season.
Problems in the on-board electrical network.
Also, the reasons for the rapid discharge of the battery can be various malfunctions in the vehicle’s on-board electrical network. This could be either old, faulty wiring or very voracious, faulty current consumers. This requires a complete, comprehensive check using special equipment. But you can check some things yourself.
How to check if there is a current leak in the on-board network?
You will need a multimeter. Before measuring, turn off the ignition and all current consumers (radio, headlights, etc.). The resulting current strength, in this state, should not be more than 0.02 amperes. The verification procedure is as follows:
- Without removing the battery from the engine compartment, remove the negative terminal;
- Next, you need to switch the multimeter to 10 A current measurement mode;
- Connect one multimeter probe to the negative terminal, connect the second to the negative current terminal of the battery (it doesn’t matter where you connect the red and black wires);
- We fix the current value.
If the measurement shows a high current strength, then you will have to look for the problematic consumer, one by one disconnecting them from the network. If the problem cannot be found, the battery will continue to drain quickly.
What should I do to prevent my battery from draining?
What should you do to avoid getting into a situation where you urgently need to go to work in the morning, but your iron horse shows no signs of life? It's simple - proper operation and periodic maintenance. What should you pay attention to?
- The generator, electrical wiring and current consumers must always be in working order.
- At least once every six months (ideally more often), the battery needs to be recharged with a charger.
- Prevent corrosion of battery terminals and terminals. Treat them with a special compound and clean if there is rust.
- Check the density and electrolyte level more often if your battery is of a serviceable type.
- And keep your battery clean. After all, when dirt appears on the surface, it also turns into a conductive layer, and the battery begins to drain faster.
By performing all these simple steps, you can minimize the occurrence of unpleasant force majeure. We wish you to find yourself in such situations as rarely as possible.