How Temperature Extremes Affect Your Car Battery

There’s one thing that every car hates – weather extremes. Hot and cold weather affect different parts of cars in different ways. Batteries don’t normally freeze, but they’ll have trouble starting in extremely cold weather. On the other hand, they do work better in warmer climates, but it will have a hard time recharging during extremely hot weather. Batteries work the best when the temperature is moderate.

This article from eHow.com explains exactly how extreme temperatures affect your car battery. Now you’ll know what to expect during this summer’s scorchers!

Temperature Extremes

·         Batteries exposed to temperature extremes can begin to act up in ways outside of normal operations. Most people don’t realize this when purchasing a battery and don’t purchase the right one for their region’s weather conditions. Batteries continually exposed to extreme temperatures on either side of the spectrum may expand, contract, crack, bubble over or damage the inside of your vehicle. In extreme cases, they may even explode.

Affect On Battery Chemicals

·         A battery is a device that uses chemicals to create electricity. Batteries contain reactive plates immersed in sulfuric acid that gather an electric charge with one side being negative and the other positive. Battery draw causes the electrons inside a battery to flow to the positive side, and the electrochemical reaction inside helps to replenish the electronics. Temperature changes affect the electron’s movement inside the battery. Warmth excites the electrons, while cold suppresses or inhibits their actions.

Charge Release

·         The temperature also affects how the battery retains its charge or releases it. Because the cold inhibits the flow of electrons, less charge is released in colder temperatures, while more charge is released in warmer temperatures. Garaging your vehicle in colder climes allows the battery to stay warmer and start quicker.

Choose the Right Battery

·         You can find batteries rated for use in extreme temperatures, especially cold ones where it is important that the battery deliver the cranking amps needed to start the vehicle. Most batteries have a “Cold Cranking Amperage” rating on the battery or CCA that indicates the amperage the battery delivers at zero degrees Fahrenheit while cranking for 30 seconds. Choose the battery suited to your climate to ensure optimum operation when you need it.

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