With many vehicles currently inactive for prolonged periods during the present restrictions, battery specialist ECOBAT has offered some advice to both the trade and motorists on battery care.

All batteries will naturally discharge when not used and left untouched. This will mean eventually they have insufficient power reserves to start the engine. The problems do not end here however, as the battery is responsible for maintaining a host of electrical components and systems, so being unable to start the engine is just one of the potential issues of an unused vehicle.

Motorists are generally unaware of the important functions of a battery outside of lights and ignition and also operate under the misconception that idling an engine for 10 minutes will charge a battery. In fact, the reverse is normally the case as this will undoubtedly take far more power out of the battery than the alternator can replace during a few minutes at idle.

ECOBAT therefore recommends the use of an intelligent or smart charger, such as one from the Numax ‘connect + forget®’ range. Laura Jones, marketing manager for ECOBAT says, “Despite being thought of as a relatively simple product, there is a lot more to a battery than many people appreciate, not least its voltage and what defines ‘flat’. It might well surprise many that registering less than 12.35-volts means it is seriously discharged and should be charged immediately.”

Numax ‘connect + forget’ chargers can maintain the health of a car battery during any period of inactivity, automatically checking the battery’s state of charge and adjusting its charging pattern accordingly. Once it is charged, it will monitor the battery condition and if necessary, exercise the battery and regulate the power input, to maintain the ongoing performance of the battery.

Laura also points out that battery stockist also need to monitor battery stock to ensure the batteries do not drop below the 12.35-volt level. If they do, they will not be accepted as a warranty claim as there is no underlying fault with quality or manufacture. She adds, the Numax ‘connect + forget’ charger is a great option to avoid battery issues for garages, stockists and motorists.