For those of us who drive or own vehicles, one of the last things we want to experience is a dead battery. But this can be easily avoided.

My family and I bought our first car in November 1989 and have since owned or driven several other vehicles, both gasoline and diesel. What I am about to share works for everyone.

When you’re done driving for the day…and keep in mind…this applies to both new and not-so-new batteries (two years is considered a normal time for a normal lead/lead battery to acid works fine), DO NOT just turn off the ignition and lock the vehicle! With the engine still running, turn off all lights, radio, and any other electrical appliances: Rev the engine to a “fast idle” speed that is just above its normal idle speed, but don’t rev it. Keep the engine running at this fast idle for about a minute, then ease off the throttle and turn off the ignition.

I’ve found that this significantly improves battery health while it’s idle and gives you a faster start the next day. Of course, do not forget to periodically check the cells of your battery to make sure that the “plates” are covered with electrolyte, unless it is a maintenance-free battery. If necessary, buy a bottle of “Battery Life” or another brand of distilled water, which is usually available cheaply at most gas stations, and gently add it to each cell until the dark plates are covered. Don’t overfill.

I am currently experimenting with a friend’s car that has a maintenance free battery and so far that one minute of fast idling leaves it with a high charge… between 12.97 and 13.25 volts when I check the next day .

I hope this little tip will be of great help to you in maintaining your battery. Feel free to leave comments or questions. I will welcome your feedback here on the site. I also hope to give some other timely advice if my life is saved, not only in cars, but in other areas of interest to me, and that may also be of help to you who will follow my advice. I am a customer-focused type of person and always try to make sure others benefit too.

You can also visit another site that I sometimes use for recreation. This one isn’t about cars, but you might find it entertaining and relaxing – it’s called Eager Zebra Games, and you can easily access it when you visit the main TripleClicks site listed below.

Happy driving everyone!

© Charles O’B. Harwood, 2018