Hi! I request your advice on maintaining my battery to try to get longer life. I have read everything regarding car batteries on this site for years, and I'm sure you will have some good tips for my situation / experience. Thanks in advance!
Vehicle: 2006 Honda Accord V6
Battery: Duracell - East Penn, Group 35, self-installed Oct-2019 (sticker Sep-2019)
Environment: Tennessee, Parked outside
Status:
-> Everything is working fine, and the car starts easily - I want to keep it that way.
-> Alternator charges at 14.1V.
-> This East-Penn battery has stayed very clean - the best I have ever had. No acid leaks since installed.
Driving Pattern:
-> Mostly stop & go city driving, less than 5 miles per trip.
-> I typically drive around-town in "D3" to rev the engine higher.
-> I drive it continuously for 20 miles at least once per month.
Experience / Motivation:
-> In 45 years of driving (Ohio, Texas, Tennessee), in a variety of vehicles & brands, I have had to replace my battery every 3 to 4 years. They have typically failed in Summer or Fall. I am motivated to get more life from my battery!
-> I research and try to find highly-rated, fresh batteries, and in the past 6 years have taken my DMM to the store to verify.
-> I keep the battery clean, and am fussy about clean terminals.
-> Nevertheless, after 3 to 4 years, when I experience slow-crank situations over several days, it is always immediately resolved with a new battery. I am always surprised how fast it cranks, and starts, by simply changing the battery. Again, battery terminals are pristine before & after. I drive for at least 30 minutes on the highway after replacing the battery.
-> I think my 2-year-old East Penn battery will do better-than-average, but as its 3rd winter approaches I am trying to be proactive in keeping it healthy.
Questions:
-> I have read here that even a so-called 'maintenance-free' battery should have the vents removed and cell levels checked. My battery does not have old-style caps, of course, but rather a thin, flush cover that goes edge-to-edge along a portion of the top. It looks like I can pry that off to get to the cells. Any tips on how to do that safely, or should I leave it alone since there is no evidence of leaking / spattering? I certainly do not want to break something, or cause it to start leaking!
-> I bought a NOCO Genius 5 charger last month (to help someone else's car), with the thought that I can also use it occasionally on my car battery to fully charge it, since the car's alternator 'under-charges' for safety margin from what I have read here. I have not connected the NOCO to my car yet, thinking I need to check the cell levels first.
Is that correct procedure?
If I add distilled water, do I need to let it sit awhile (mix) before attaching the charger?
What is the best temperature to charge the battery? Is 77 degrees F optimal?
Thanks for your help!
Vehicle: 2006 Honda Accord V6
Battery: Duracell - East Penn, Group 35, self-installed Oct-2019 (sticker Sep-2019)
Environment: Tennessee, Parked outside
Status:
-> Everything is working fine, and the car starts easily - I want to keep it that way.
-> Alternator charges at 14.1V.
-> This East-Penn battery has stayed very clean - the best I have ever had. No acid leaks since installed.
Driving Pattern:
-> Mostly stop & go city driving, less than 5 miles per trip.
-> I typically drive around-town in "D3" to rev the engine higher.
-> I drive it continuously for 20 miles at least once per month.
Experience / Motivation:
-> In 45 years of driving (Ohio, Texas, Tennessee), in a variety of vehicles & brands, I have had to replace my battery every 3 to 4 years. They have typically failed in Summer or Fall. I am motivated to get more life from my battery!
-> I research and try to find highly-rated, fresh batteries, and in the past 6 years have taken my DMM to the store to verify.
-> I keep the battery clean, and am fussy about clean terminals.
-> Nevertheless, after 3 to 4 years, when I experience slow-crank situations over several days, it is always immediately resolved with a new battery. I am always surprised how fast it cranks, and starts, by simply changing the battery. Again, battery terminals are pristine before & after. I drive for at least 30 minutes on the highway after replacing the battery.
-> I think my 2-year-old East Penn battery will do better-than-average, but as its 3rd winter approaches I am trying to be proactive in keeping it healthy.
Questions:
-> I have read here that even a so-called 'maintenance-free' battery should have the vents removed and cell levels checked. My battery does not have old-style caps, of course, but rather a thin, flush cover that goes edge-to-edge along a portion of the top. It looks like I can pry that off to get to the cells. Any tips on how to do that safely, or should I leave it alone since there is no evidence of leaking / spattering? I certainly do not want to break something, or cause it to start leaking!
-> I bought a NOCO Genius 5 charger last month (to help someone else's car), with the thought that I can also use it occasionally on my car battery to fully charge it, since the car's alternator 'under-charges' for safety margin from what I have read here. I have not connected the NOCO to my car yet, thinking I need to check the cell levels first.
Is that correct procedure?
If I add distilled water, do I need to let it sit awhile (mix) before attaching the charger?
What is the best temperature to charge the battery? Is 77 degrees F optimal?
Thanks for your help!