Tips For Storing Your Vehicle Battery

When storing your car or seasonal vehicle a little attention to the battery will save you big headaches when it comes to taking your vehicle out of storage.

A vehicle battery stored for a long period of time will lose its charge. As a battery's charge decreases the chance of permanent damage increases. A discarded battery will result in the lead sulfate in the battery crystallizing and hardening on the plates (called "plate sulfation") preventing the affected plates from holding a charge.  Also a discharged battery will freeze at a much higher temperature than a fully charged battery.

To insure that your battery is in good working order when you need it again here are a few steps to take:

• Clean the battery before you store it.  This will reduce the rate of discharge and allow proper connection to the battery posts.
• Make sure the battery is fully charged before you store it.
• If the battery has removable vent caps, check the electrolyte level and return any cells that are low to the proper level with distilled water.
• Keep the battery in a cool dry location.
• Keep the battery charge above 75% of its state-of-charge.  Check state-of-charge every 60-90 days.  Use a battery charger to get the battery to a fully charged state when the state-of-charge dips below 75%.  A Smart Charger is a worry free option for keeping the battery in tip top condition while in storage.

"Smart Chargers" are a hands free option for long term battery maintenance.  A smart charger will monitor the battery and keep it in a fully functioning condition while in storage.  A smart charger has multiple modes of charging and is able switch between modes to provide efficient charging without the worry of overcharging. Some smart chargers can be left connected to the battery for months.