I would like to know that at night time, does turning the lights off during a red light for example, does it have any benefit for the car battery? Would it make its life more, I mean does it make any difference?
Also, lets say i have to wait 5 mins at the red light. Would I save fuel by shutting the car off and then restarting it? Or would restarting it after only 5 mins consume more fuel. Also restarting again and again would wear down the battery etc etc. So is it better to keep it on for that 5 mins at the red light?
Thanks for your answers.
2006-12-22 05:59:24 · 11 answers · asked by rooney 4 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Shutting it off and restarting it that often would certainly put some wear on the starter motor. And not it really wouldnt affect the life of your battery, because it is your alternator or generator that are making the electricity at that point. Plus, shutting the car down would consume more fuel. When the car restarted it would begin in "rich" mode until a certain time elapsed, thus fuel fouling the spark plugs and using more fuel. Hope that helps.
2006-12-22 06:06:03 · answer #1 · answered by zebj25 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Based on the fact that some hybrid cars actually do shut off the gasoline engine when stopped, there may be some theoretical minuscule mileage savings for fuel injected cars. However this statement is an academic one only. As a practical matter, any savings will be difficult to identify and constantly manually shutting off and restarting the engine will be quite bothersome and a hindrance to traffic flow.
Rex_rec has very good advice. Turning off your lights in traffic not only does not save the battery, it is illegal and definitely hazardous. This also does not save the battery because after starting, running the engine switches over to the alternator unless its output is below specifications for some reason.
2006-12-22 07:15:00 · answer #2 · answered by db79300 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On a public road, it is illegal to turn your lights off after dusk while operating the vehcle, in fact it is flat out dangerous. Lights aren't just so you can see, but equally important that others see you. Will you save the battery and fuel? Not enough savings to make it worth doing. Idling at a red light does use some fuel, but it is better for the engine and, believe it or not, the environment. Everytime you start your cars engine, more pollutants are expelled than idling for 20 minutes, and it too is dangerous to do. In an emergency, such as an ambulance coming up from behind, the time it takes to realize the emergency vehicle is coming, starting the vehicle, putting it in gear and moving takes an enormous amount of time, and sometimes luck.(you are hoping the engine starts). It is good to see you are thinking about such issues.
2006-12-22 06:11:12 · answer #3 · answered by rex_rrracefab 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No effect on the car battery by turning off the lights, as the alternator will charge when needed. Plus with todays batterys they last 10 years anyway. Turning off and starting your car again will use more gas compared to if you just let it idle for 5 minutes.
2006-12-22 06:03:20 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
you are better off to leave your lights on at a red light, as they are there to also make sure others can see your car. They run off of the alternator when your car is running, so there is no benefit to turning them off.
Also, turning your car off at a red light would not save gas, and you would indeed use more gas starting it up again. Plus, if you had to move out of the way of an emergency vehicle, you could cause them to be delayed unnecasasarily while you started your car.
2006-12-22 06:03:43 · answer #5 · answered by Mr. Goodkat 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
different human beings have responded, it does not actually remember too lots. To do it "wisely" although: a million) connect the floor (earth) to a pair unpainted steel on the engine block or chassis which you will clip to. 2) in case you opt to be rather secure, you leave the donor motor vehicle off, and purely enable the batteries get to appreciate each and each for a minute or 2 and attempt a start up. The battery on my own would desire to be sufficient to start, till the donor battery is susceptible too. 3) provided that that doesn't artwork, start up the donor motor vehicle's engine, and then attempt a bounce in that configuration. in spite of the indisputable fact that as someone from the united kingdom, i could think of that bodging issues collectively comes genetically, so be at liberty dismiss the above and purely hook up with the battery posts and rev the donor engine.
2016-12-18 17:47:20 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
turning lights on and off wont have any benefit to longetivity to you battery.some countries do this as a courtesy to oncoming traffic,but for no other reason.they did this alot in s.korea when i was stationed there,merely a courtesy.
starting and stopping the engine will consume more fuel than if you let it idle.if you were to sit for a longer period,say 10 or more minutes then id shut it off.
2006-12-22 11:50:32 · answer #7 · answered by yankeegray_99 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The amount of power the lights use is not worth getting a ticket shutting them off. At lights, shutting the car off and on will just put a lot of strain on your starter.
2006-12-22 06:03:37 · answer #8 · answered by Lab 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Turning it on and off requires more fuel. Turning your lights off doesn't help your battery, you have alternator or a generator running from your fan belt to keep it charged up!
2006-12-22 06:02:59 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your logic reminds me of a discussion in a CarTalk Q & A. A woman said her husband gets mad at her when she signals for turns because he said it wears out the turn stalk mechanism. Great googly moogly!
2006-12-22 06:11:12 · answer #10 · answered by RightLeft 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋