How to Increase the Lifespan of Your Car and Bike Battery in Nepal’s Climate

Are you a biker or Car owner who is driving around Kathmandu’s dusty streets or tackling those hilly roads up in Pokhara, your car and bike battery lifespan in Nepal is under constant damage from weather challenges of Nepal. Heat breezes in Terai packed with humidity everywhere, and cold winds of the hills decrease battery life at faster rate. Following a simple maintenance routine can exponentially double battery life. Let’s dive in for tips to protect battery life in Nepal’s Weather Climate.

Why Nepal’s Climate Kills Batteries Fast

Temperature in Nepal changes from scorching summer heat waves of over 35°C to chilly Himalayan nights of 6°C. High heat winds speeds up and doubles chemical reactions in lead-acid batteries. Ultimately, evaporating electrolyte fluid faster compared to temperate weather areas. Furthermore, humidity increases corrosion speed on battery terminals, rapidly. Result? Your bike and car batteries die in 2-3 years instead of 5. Add, the piles of grime brought in by the dusty roads leading to a drained power supply.

Park in Cool Areas to protect battery life.

Always Park in areas with shade whenever you are travelling out of your home to work or visits. Create a shady garage or a parking location in your home. Parking away from direct sunlight protects your car engine from becoming an oven. Exposing your car and bike heats the battery from 40°C to 60°C speeding up the chemical reactions. If your ride or car cannot be parked in shade always use reflective cover on hot days. Parking under shadows or covering it with reflective cover reduces temperature by a minimum of 10-15°C increasing the car battery life.

If there’s no shade at the place you regularly park your vehicle these additional steps can protect battery from heat damage:

• Leave your car windows slightly open in your car for airflow.
• Park you park very close to the walls of the parking area. It helps shield the battery from heating on the sides. In places like Nepalgunj and Birgunj or parking spaces which receive sunlight and temperature exceeding 30°C, the close to wall parking trick saves battery life.

Clean Terminals Routinely

Get a pack of baking soda, water, and a brush to clean the battery once in a month for added life span. Mix the baking soda and water to create thick liquid and dip the brush in it to scrub white corrosion off form Battery terminals. Afterwards, rinse the battery with clean water, pat it with a cloth and let it fully in shady place with air flow.  Make sure to wear gloves while during the entire cleaning process as battery is acidic.

It’s important to clean batteries every month as clean battery hold charge 20% efficiently than dirty ones. In a country like Nepal where dirt and gunk build in monsoon is guaranteed, it’s essential to clean the battery on a weekly basis to prevent mud caused short circuits in battery and wires. Furthermore, cleaning batteries in Nepal is very important because dirt from bumpy roads with potholes clogs up batteries fasters and corrodes battery wires causing frays. Cleaning batteries weekly in monsoon and monthly in remaining seasons decreases the resistance reducing start up times and increasing battery life.

Recharging your batteries correctly

Short vehicle trips and bike rides of less than 10 minutes don’t recharge your battery fully causing damages to your battery. Combine your market trips, shopping chores and other work errands for at least 30-minute drives weekly to recharge your vehicle batteries properly. Additionally follow these tips to increase battery life and improving recharging capacity:  

• Always turn off the Air Conditioner, all lights, and radio in the car before starting the car.
• Turn off all the side lights before starting your bike.
• Avoid frequent jump starts of your car or bike to protect battery life.

Check Battery Fluids and replace timely

Check battery fluids regularly and never refill your battery fluid with tap water always go for distilled water at our Asian Battery Store Maintenance locations or genuine distilled water refillers. Tap water can clog and damage the battery. Hence, it’s essential to fill it from genuine service sellers. Test the voltage at nearest car and bike workshops or our shop to check if its under 12.4 Voltes then it’s time to replace. Regular voltage check and timely replacement of liquids increase battery life drastically reducing new battery purchase.

Test and Upgrade Wisely

Buy a cheap multi-meter to test the voltage of car or bike battery once in a month. During such checks the battery voltage at rest should be 12.6 to 12.4 Voltes. If you don’t own a multi-meter or feel like it’s a hassle, get the battery Load test check at workshops during maintenance. Change batteries with lower volt range than 12.4 Voltes immediately.

Additionally, check for signs of battery wear down when driving your bike or car. Some general signs of battery wear down are low dim lights and difficult in starting your vehicle. These signs often indicate low sulfation, you either replace liquid or change the battery.

Conclusion

Follow the tips above for car and bike battery maintenance in Nepal’s varying weather to save thousands of rupees on battery replacements. In addition, following these tips can save you from getting your car or bike stuck in mid traffic or on the highway because of battery faults. To get a free voltage load test and to buy durable batteries visit local Asian Battery Store or our website.