# How long will my car battery last setting at the airport **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 22, 2024, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-my-car-battery-last-setting-at-the-airport/1007602 "2024-09-22T23:48:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-my-car-battery-last-setting-at-the-airport/1007602/41 "2024-09-23T18:25:35Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > I had noticed possible battery issues with the car a few weeks before, but didn’t think too much about it. Yeah, this is why I mentioned earlier: > [@ParallelLines](#): > > One thing we can also discuss is how does @Lucas_Jackson feel about the battery. Sometimes, when you have this sort of anxiety, it’s because you’ve noticed something _else_ that’s triggering it. Maybe it took a moment longer than usual to start recently, and deep down, you _don’t_ trust it. I don’t claim to be a great sage, just that I’ve had similar situations to @Dag_Otto in the past where the battery died, but I _should_ have known it was coming, and did in fact make that mental note that I should get it checked or replaced. I was lucky in that the last time, the difficulty in starting was so dramatic that after it started, I called work saying I was going to be late, and drove straight to Costco and replaced the battery right then and there (it was a 4 year old battery, which is pretty decent considering some Colorado Winters, even when overnighting in the garage). ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-my-car-battery-last-setting-at-the-airport/1007602/42 "2024-09-23T19:34:53Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Cars should _ **never** _ be jumped battery-to-battery. > Always connect the ground lead last, and to a point on the frame, away from the battery. There’s often a dedicated post for this. > Connecting directly to the battery carries a small (but non-zero) risk of a hydrogen explosion, throwing Sulphuric acid in your face. While we’re on the subject… If an in-situ car battery is depleted or dead, “jumping” is always Plan B. Plan A is _ **always** _ to charge the depleted/dead battery using a battery charger. (And when doing so, it’s best to electrically isolate the battery from the vehicle.) Plan B should only be performed if Plan A is not feasible. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-my-car-battery-last-setting-at-the-airport/1007602/43 "2024-09-23T19:56:01Z")
Fun Battery Story: Someone was giving away a Jeep a few years ago. Lord only knows how long it was sitting there. I towed it home (no keys), got it started up with the battery that was in it. Fired right up! Now, for the last 4-5 years, its been sitting outside my place. Hot in the summer, cold in the winter. I start it up maybe every 6 months. Same battery that came with it. Always fires right up. It amazes me, every time! It’s an Interstate battery, by the way. A ringing endorsement! ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-my-car-battery-last-setting-at-the-airport/1007602/44 "2024-09-23T19:58:04Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > If you have concern, & it’s possible in the garage as some are head-in angle parking only, 1) back your car in, which will make the hood/battery more accessible. & 2) pick up a set of jumper cables. Good advise. Thanks. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > They should be considered safety/self-rescue equipment always kept in the vehicle just as much as a flashlight, tire wrench and jack, and a first aid kit, and even if you never use it for yourself, it can be a lifesaver to aid someone else in need, and most of them can also serve as a power bank to charge up a phone (assuming you also have a compatible cable with you). Appreciate the input. Do you know about the battery sensor? I’m getting conflicting info from the internet. I won’t be able to replace until I get back. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-my-car-battery-last-setting-at-the-airport/1007602/45 "2024-09-24T13:19:31Z")
A couple people have mentioned Honda CR-Vs and so I’ll toss in some info that may help someone. Many Hondas (including most CR-Vs) have two charging states: high-charge and low-charge. If, like me, you have a voltmeter connected to your car (mine is built into a USB charger that is plugged into my lighter socket), you may be deceived into thinking that your battery is not charging even though everything is fine. In my case, my battery died suddenly after being parked. A person nearby happened to have a battery jump starter unit. I bought a new battery and installed it, but I noticed that the (charging) voltage was around 12.2 volts as I drove away. This is lower than it should be. I actually made an appointment to have the car go into a shop for testing the next day. In the meantime, I did some research and found out that the car switches between low-charge and high-charge based on a number of factors. If you’re cruising along with low demand and a good battery, the voltage will be about 12.2 volts. But it will periodically jump to more than 13 volts, which is a more normal charging voltage. There was nothing at all wrong with my charging system or charging management. Completely normal. Just a bad battery. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2024, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-my-car-battery-last-setting-at-the-airport/1007602/46 "2024-09-28T03:19:47Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > My experience with those small chargers is that they are good for a couple of uses. I have a two of them and after a couple of jumps, they don’t seem to have enough strength anymore. I’m sorry you had a bad experience with them. Mine have worked fantastic for several years. I would suggest getting a good quality one, even if you have to pay more for it. I got mine at the Farm & Fleet. I keep one in all my vehicles. I also keep a code reader in all my vehicles. If the engine light goes on I want to know immediately what’s going on! ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-my-car-battery-last-setting-at-the-airport/1007602/47 "2024-10-10T22:59:16Z")
Update: My vehicle started up instantly when I got back to the airport. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-my-car-battery-last-setting-at-the-airport/1007602.md?page=2)