This is a question we often get asked in the Allstar Batteries office, and it’s little wonder, as your car battery is the literal spark that’s needed to get your car roaring to life and rumbling down the road.
Your car battery is the lifeblood of your car powering everything from your headlights, radio, clock and speedometer, so to say it’s an essential part of the vehicle is understating it just a little. It would be great if we never had to worry about car batteries going flat, but alas, like everything in the world that suffers from entropy, your car battery will eventually die.
But it’s not all doom and gloom, as given the proper treatment and circumstances; your car battery should live a long and healthy life, and it doesn’t just sit in your car getting drained every time you use your vehicle. It will actually recharge itself as you drive. Here’s an outline of how that happens.
Does a car battery recharge itself?
If your car battery were purely responsible for powering all the electricals in your car, it would drain power extremely quickly. This is why all cars have an electrical component called the alternator.
The alternator is designed to convert energy produced by your vehicle into electricity which then helps to run the power-hungry parts of your car like the lights, radio, GPS, etc. Whilst you’re driving your car, a proportion of the electricity produced by the alternator is also put back into your car battery, helping to recharge it whilst you’re driving.
Can a dead car battery recharge itself?
If your battery has run down completely, your car will fail to turn over, meaning it won’t start. If you can’t start your car, the alternator can’t work, and it won’t put any additional energy back into the battery, so it’s impossible for a dead battery to charge itself.
If your car battery is dead, it will either need to be replaced, jump-started by connecting it to another car or connected to a car battery charger to put some charge back into it.
How can I recharge a dead car battery?
If your car battery is totally dead, there are a few ways to recharge it.
Replace your car battery
Pretty straight forward. If you need a car battery replacement, talk with us today, and we can organise a replacement battery.
Jump start your car
If you have a set of jumper cables (or are lucky enough to be close by to someone with a pair) you can use the other vehicle's battery power to at least get your vehicle started.
This will give the alternator a chance to recharge the battery, so it’s ideal to go for a longer drive if your car has needed a jumpstart to give the alternator a longer chance to put charge back into your battery.
Use a car battery recharger
This would involve removing the battery and charging it with a specialised car battery recharger. You can purchase these from most automotive stores; however it’s worth noting that these devices can be rather expensive so you may want to consider investing that money into a new car battery if the one you currently have is causing problems.
If you need some more expert advice about car batteries, how they charge or if you need a replacement, talk with Allstar Batteries – the battery experts – today.
