Oct 23 2020

How to Prepare your Car Battery for Climatic Variations

 

You may not be in the freezing cold of a January in Val-d'Or or in the sauna of a July in Montreal, but you need to prepare your car battery for the extreme temperatures of Quebec.

 

Extreme Temperatures and your Car Battery:

 

Your car battery has passed the check well during your last regular maintenance. You haven't left your lights or the radio on all day while you work. So why isn't there even a spark when you turn the key in the ignition?

 

Check the temperature. Bundled up against a record cold in Chicoutimi? Out of breath on the first day of the hottest summer in Gaspé? Your battery is also suffering, it's drained and needs a boost. Wherever you live or travel in Quebec, you and your battery can from time to time have to endure extreme temperatures.

 

Before you get dead silence instead of hearing your engine purr, here are some tips for extending your battery life.

 

Your Battery can Light up in the Cold:

 

Do temperatures much lower than freezing mean certain death for any battery? How would you like to feel good about having an automotive battery built to withstand those cold winter mornings? You may not have to drive in Sept-Îles when it's -43 ° C, but here are some important things to look for in a good battery.

 

1. Ask your mechanic or technicians at the auto parts store for information on cold-cranking amps - CCA (cold cranking amperage), located on the battery label. They tell you how hot it can be for your battery to start again.
2. You must aim for the highest CCA you need. Rule of thumb: 700 CCA means the battery starts at -17 ° C. You measure how far you want to go from there.
3. An automotive technician will need to find this information for you, but also check a battery's reserve capacity. This tells you how long your car can run on battery power if the alternator fails. Again, the higher the capacity the better.

 

Can your Car Battery Die from Heat?

 

Quite simply: yes. You feel without energy at 35 ° C or more and the same goes for your battery. In fact, heat can kill your battery faster than cold. The good news is that you live in Quebec and you don't need a battery that can handle hot weather all year round.

 

But here are some tips all the same so that you can rely on your battery during the hot weather:

 

1. Use an extreme temperature battery with a good warranty - two years.
2. Buy a battery with a deep tank.
3. Buy an anti-corrosion battery or clean your battery regularly.
4. Have your battery regularly inspected and charge checked.
5. Have your mechanic recharge the battery or do it yourself with a battery charger.

 

Still Stuck with a Dead Battery? Call for help!

 

Do you know how to safely boost your battery? Great! If you have an emergency starter kit in your car, you won't have to find a friendly driver to share their battery power with you. Don't even know where the booster cables attach? Stay safe. Call your roadside assistance service for a battery recharge.