Battery Maintenance 101

How to maintain a 12 volt car battery? Read these tips to optimize the performance of your batteries.

There are many misconceptions about how to properly maintain your Car (12 Volt), Electric Quad, Electric Motorcycle, E-Scooter or E-Bike batteries. Here we will advise you on how to properly maintain your batteries, and ensure that they are operating at their peak performance as much as possible.

Do's and don'ts

Plug your charger into the outlet before plugging it into your vehicle/battery.

When you plug the charger into the outlet, the charger light will turn green, indicating it is on, if applicable. Then plug it into your vehicle/battery and the light on the charger will turn red, indicating it is charging. When the light on the charger turns green again, it means your vehicle is fully charged. When fully charged, you must unplug the charger from your vehicle/battery.

Do not leave your vehicle plugged into the charger for more than 6 to 10 hours depending on the model or permanently .

While the charger stops charging after a charge is complete and the light has turned green, there is still a risk of overcharging and overheating the battery. If necessary, an electric timer is the best way to ensure that your charger always turns off after the predetermined period.

Charge your vehicle after each use.

It is not necessary to completely empty your batteries before recharging them. This actually damages your batteries and shortens their lifespan. It's best to keep your batteries charged as much as possible. Just remember that charging time will correspond to how discharged your batteries are, and you'll need to monitor your charger to make sure you're not overcharging them. For example, if you've only depleted your battery by 20%, you won't have to leave the charger on for a full 6 to 10 hours.

Do not charge your vehicle immediately after a long trip.

When you have been riding for a long time, your batteries will heat up, especially if they are almost completely discharged. Plugging the charger into your hot, discharged batteries will damage them by overheating them. It is best to wait an hour or two until your batteries have had a chance to cool down and then recharge your vehicle.

Bring your batteries or vehicle indoors for the winter.

Don't forget to recharge your batteries every 4-6 weeks to keep them in good condition throughout the winter. Since batteries discharge over time regardless of use, it is best to keep them topped up during the winter. Be sure to monitor your charger when you do this, as it won't take long to recharge batteries that aren't in use.

Keep your vehicle in an enclosed area for the winter months.

Our fixed battery vehicles are all equipped with sealed lead acid batteries and must not freeze during the winter. Do not make a habit of driving your vehicle in freezing temperatures, it is not only a danger to your safety, but your batteries may not work efficiently in the cold, which will significantly reduce your range and speed.

Keep your charger dry.

Moisture can damage the charger.