Reasons for battery self-discharge

Reasons for battery self-discharge

You turned off the car, locked it and went home. And after a couple of days of inactivity, the battery was discharged to zero. We understand the causes of current leakage from the battery.

Reason one. Absent-mindedness

If you're tired or simply distracted, it's easy to forget to turn something off in your car. Not all cars turn off the lights themselves or warn the driver. A light bulb or a navigator connected to the cigarette lighter will drain the battery with a bang.

Reason two. Incorrect installation of current consumers

Today, cars are literally crammed with electronic systems. Some of them are designed to increase comfort (car audio, media systems, cameras, driver assistants), some control internal systems. But properly installed electronics should not drain the battery even after a month of inactivity. And an incorrectly installed, say, simple radio tape recorder can short-circuit somewhere and discharge the battery in a few hours.

Third reason. Defective battery or wiring

Any battery has a service life, even if it is fashionable EFB and AGM, which on average work properly from 5 to 10 years. With the “classics” everything is worse; they work properly for 3 to 5 years. The service life of the battery can be shortened by improper operation, oxidation at the terminals, short circuits of damaged and oxidized wiring, and mechanical damage. Short trips and driving in traffic jams, during which the battery does not receive a full charge from the generator, “finish off” the battery.