Start Me Up! A Simple Guide to Help You Avoid and Recover From a Dead Battery
A dead battery can ruin your day. Products such as the RG3000 from Rugged Geek can help you get back on track.
Going outside to start your car or truck and finding that it has a dead battery is no fun at all. And chances are this will happen at the worst possible time. Are you just going out for a pleasure drive with no particular destination or timeline in mind? Your battery will be fine. Is it pouring rain and your wife just went into labor and you need to get her to the hospital? THAT is when a battery likes to die. But let’s face it there is never a good time for it to happen. When it does, there are some great products out there like the RG3000 HD Portable Jump Starter and Power Supply — from Ford Truck Enthusiasts sponsor Rugged Geek — that will get you on your way.
There are also a number of other options that will help you get back on the road. In addition, there are some preventative steps you can take to keep your battery in top condition and lasting longer. With spring around the corner and perhaps some vehicles coming out of storage we thought this was the perfect time to discuss the battery. We put together this simple guide to help you take care of the battery and how to get yourself moving again if it does die on you.
Battery Life
How long does a battery last? 847 days. Just kidding. That is the problem, the answer depends on many factors. Typically, a new battery will last from 3 to 5 years, but some could go sooner, and some could last longer. You want your battery to last longer? Move to San Diego. The reason is that the city is blessed with some lovely weather. It rarely gets too hot or too cold in San Diego. Heat and cold can do a number on a car battery and shorten its life span. Of course, moving to another city simply to extend the life of a car battery might be a bit overboard. So, what else can you do?
Battery Tender
Driving your car or truck will charge the battery. When it sits idle the battery will slowly drain. If you will be parked for an extended period of time it is best to invest in a quality battery tender. These products will keep your battery fully charged and in top operating condition. Just running outside and starting your truck for 5 minutes once a week is not a great solution because that is often not long enough to fully charge the battery and the wear and tear on the engine it simply not worth the effort.
RG3000 HD
Did you’re your battery die? Then the RG3000 HD by Rugged Geek is a product that you want to have handy. It can start up to 10.0L gas or up to 8.0L diesel engines thanks to its 3,000 Peak Amp power jump starter. Even better, this unit is more than just an aid to jump start your dead truck. It has USB ports for charging all of your portable devices. It has a multimode LED flashlight, and with a 12v DC Out it can even power an air compressor. This is a handy device to have around.
Jumper Cables
Did you forget to buy the RG3000 HD and now have a dead battery? You can still get back on the road with the help of a friend or good Samaritan. But you will need a good set of jumper cables. Jumping a car or truck battery is typically quite simple. Shut off both vehicles. Put the positive clamp on the positive battery post on the dead vehicle and then do the same on the helper vehicle. Then hook up the negative clamp on the negative battery post of the helper vehicle. The other negative clamp should go to a ground connection of the dead vehicle. Look for an unpainted bolt away from the battery or fuel system. Start up the helper vehicle. Wait a moment and then start the dead one. Disconnect the cables in the opposite order and you are on your way.
Roadside Assistance
If your vehicle is covered, you can contact Ford Roadside Assistance and they will help you get going again. If you don’t have that coverage, consider joining AAA for their roadside program. They can help you with a flat battery. Also, check your benefits on your credit cards. Some credit cards offer roadside assistance that would cover jump starts if you are stuck.
New Battery
We will end with another preventative measure. A battery will not always show signs that it is about to die. So, if it is more than a couple years old it is good to get it tested to see what kind of condition it is in. If it is showing signs of weakening, get a new battery installed. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure as they say.
Images: Rugged Geek; Ford
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