Using up car battery?

Question

I like to listen to music in my car when I am not driving. Do you think I lessen the lifespan of my car battery by engaging in this seemingly harmless activity? What other things lessen the lifespan of car battery? Does giving another person a jump lessen the lifespan to?

Answer 1

A car battery's only purpose is to start the car. After that, the car runs on the alternator. The alternator also recharges the battery. If the car is not running and you are using the radio, lights, power windows, power seats, etc., then you are using the battery's power. This is not hurting the battery, but it is draining it's power (discharging). When the car is started (assuming you have not drained too much power), the alternator will recharge the battery to full power as you drive.

Answer 2

You shouldn't affect the lifespan of the battery by listening to the radio or giving someone a jump-start, if you do it correctly. A car battery is intended to be discharged and recharged many, many times. If it wasn't, you'd have to replace them every other year or so. I have one in one of my cars that's 7 years old, and still seems fine.

The radio draws very little power, and the car's battery should power it for hours without draining it, assuming the battery is in reasonable shape to start with. And as long as you connect positive to positive, and negative to ground when you jump-start it, you should be OK. Just remember to connect the cable to someplace metal besides the negative post on the car with the dead battery. Batteries make hydrogen gas when they charge, and the sparks from disconnecting the cable could ignite that and cause an explosion.

You CAN damage the battery by shorting it - connecting the positive and negative terminals of the same battery, or by running it dry. Most modern batteries are sealed, meaning you have to work to get to the individual cells. But if you have one that can be opened, check the cells and top them off with distilled water if necessary. Clean any corrosion off the terminals with a wire brush and some baking soda and water, too.

Answer 3

No. It has no negative affects by using accessories. Temperature and over charging are the culprits for premature battery failure. And as for jump starting. If you jump start some one correctly it will not affect or hurt anything. Be sure the hook the positive then negative to your vehicle after attaching it to the vehicle you are jumping. Spikes of electricity can occur if you do it in the reverse order which can damage computers and other delicate electronics. If you reverse polarity ( put + on - and - on +) BIG electrical problems can occur. Which a battery will then be then least of your problems. Hope this helps :)

Answer 4

Actually it's good to let the battery drain down a little it's referred to as (exercising the battery) and should extend the life of the battery. What will affect it is letting the water drop below the plates, as this will cause the plates to crumble an ultimately lead to a weaker battery. so make sure you keep it filled with distilled water. Jumping really doesn't hurt the battery. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

I used to sit and listen to tunes all the time. I would not recomend it if you have an after market stereo. (sub and amp.)

All batterys deteriorate when cycled. (discharged and recharged.)

Below is in no way accurate!
Somone needs a boost. Your battery cost you $100 lets say the boost takes .01 away from your battery are you gonna charge the person you boost $0.01 of course not nor are you going to drive past them for that matter.

So to answer your question everything affects battery life but to sit and listen to your radio or boost somone isn't that big of a deal.
Just don't listen to your radio all day without starting your car to recharge the battery!

Answer 6

I wouldn't think so. As long as you don't drain it completely while your jammin out.

But, jumpin someone else off shouldn't harm the battery either. As long as it's done right, by placin the neg. cable on say the alternator bracket or other metal object(back to ground, in other words) and not on the neg. post of the battery. Hookin the neg. cable back to the neg. post on the battery doing the jumpin off. Cna not only damage the battery but, the alternator, also.