5 Clever Ways to Protect Your Tractor Trailer Battery

July 6, 2022 12:00 am Published by Leave your thoughts

Semi-truck batteries not only power the starting system but also provide energy to all electrical components. When they are not operating appropriately, everything from light outages to whole system failure could occur. Therefore, it is critical to maintain the battery and ensure your fleet run efficiently.

Whether you are in unfamiliar or familiar territory, one thing you would not wish to worry about is jump-starting your tractor trailer due to an inefficient battery. Battery hitches can lead to additional costs and detrimental downtime, thus appropriate maintenance is critical. 

Ways to extend the battery life of your semi-truck

There are several reasons why a battery can fail, making you rely on the kindness of strangers or your semi-truck battery charger. Here are some ways in which you can extend the battery life of your tractor trailer:

  • Secure the cables properly: Your tractor trailer will likely have issues starting if its battery cables are not well-secured to the terminals. It would help if you checked the connections of your truck battery before starting any trip.
  • Minimize Corrosion of the battery terminals: When you expose the terminals of the battery to hydrogen gas, a battery acid ingredient, they will start to rust; This prevents your battery from fully charging. Nevertheless, minimal corrosions are normal and require routine cleaning. If you notice a significant amount of rust, get your battery terminals checked.
  • Control parasitic loads: Devices such as a radio draws the battery’s charge but does not replace it; such devices are considered parasitic loads. To some extent, these devices are unavoidable. Nonetheless, controlling their frequency and impact on your semi-truck battery is vital. If you leave them unchecked, they will continue to discharge the battery, leaving it dead or undercharged.
  • Check the alternator regularly: Your semi-truck alternator problems can lead to battery charging issues. Inappropriate voltage from the truck alternator is normally the cause. Therefore, it is important to inspect the battery’s alternator during regular service.
  • Avoid battery vibration: To prevent vibration, ensure your semi-truck’s battery is in the right place. If your battery is not secured, it will likely fail to function appropriately and its components might get damaged.

When should you replace your semi-truck battery?

Replacing your truck battery without investigating the problem further may be a temporal remedy; this is because there could be other underlying issues, like alternator voltage malfunction or parasitic loads, that continue to suck battery power. Load and voltage drop tests and circuit inspections keep tabs on your battery health.

Testing your truck’s battery regularly assists in revealing the source of charging problems, so you can address the issues and save your battery. In case the battery is the problem, replace it. It is vital to note that battery testing requires training. If you do not know how to test the battery, seek the assistance of a professional.

All in all, routine service is the best method of keeping your truck in tip-top shape.

Do you require an expert to service your truck? Complete Truck Service, Inc. has been in existence Since 1983 and has been the premier trailer and truck repair garage in Wytheville, Virginia. We offer a 24/7 lockout, jump-start, and towing service. We work with secure storage, heavy-duty diesel mechanic work, air cushion recovery, and more. For more information, call (276) 637-4271 or check out our website.

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