How Long Before Car Battery Dies With Radio On?

Hi there, are you curious about how long before car battery dies with radio on?  Now stop wandering! I am covering it here. If you are a music lover, you can understand whether you are tailgating, camping, or just glaring from your parked vehicle.

It is always a fascinating experience with your radio blasting or just giving you a light background. You can even use your radio when running because, for any reason, you are without power. But, the question here is how long before car battery dies with radio on. 

I must say that using a standard car battery will run for about 8 hours before the battery dies. However, if your vehicle carries an amplifier and a subwoofer, the radio’s listening to the time before the battery dies is discharged and reduced to 6 hours approximately. 

In this article, I will explain everything you need to know about the consequences of your radio on your car battery. I will also recommend some cool tricks to keep your radio running while your car’s engine is off without draining its battery.

So, keep reading to understand better how long before car battery dies with radio on or Does the car radio drain the battery? 

Well yes! It can drain your battery if your radio keeps playing for long hours while your car is not running. The reason behind it is that your car’s electrical system comes on when you turn on your stereo, which can boost the parasitic draw on the battery.

Though, keep in mind that car speakers don’t require a lot of power, listening to the radio will rarely drain your car battery when your car is running.

However, leaving your car radio on while the engine is off can slowly drain your battery, and eventually, your battery dies. So, make good habits, and it’s better to listen only when driving.

But if you want to listen to music while you are parked, it will be a good idea to bring your portable Bluetooth speakers with you so you can warm yourself listening to music without draining your battery while you’re in your parked car. 

How Long Before Car Battery Dies With Radio On?

Your battery power and radio type are the main factors that impact battery longevity. A car battery can last six to eight hours while the radio is on.

Modern cars come with more amps than the older ones, so the batteries on older cars can last longer than the modern car models. 

Usually, the battery capacity of older cars is approximately 40Ah. This power is supposed to be sufficient to last for several hours because senior car models usually do not have powerful amps, speakers, and subs. 

You can leave the radio on with a set volume for several hours without draining too much battery power. While doing this, you will notice that the radio will only draw 0.25-1.5 amps. This is considerably less than the usage associated with the louder radio volumes.

On the contrary, the capacity of modern cars is approximately 60Ah, which means they can transmit 6 amps for roughly 10 hours or 60 amps for up to an hour. The stereos form more energy-consuming amps and subs because their battery capacities are higher.

So, these stereo systems can draw anywhere from 1.6 amps or higher. Even at zero volume and the car stereo is idle. Modern radios draw about 5 amps she set to the conversational volume, but turning it up high can draw more than 10 amps of current. 

Preventing your car radio from draining out 

First and foremost, don’t forget to charge your battery if you are planning to listen to your radio for long hours. Though, in my opinion, the best way to prevent your battery from draining is to carry a portable radio with you on your road trips.

Luckily, many modern portable speakers produce high-quality sound and create low amounts of battery drainage. There is also a second way to keep your battery from dying while listening to music. You need to fire up your engine at intervals to recharge the battery. 

Listening to your car radio with the engine off 

Now it’s time to get into the cool tricks I mentioned above. There are a couple of ways you can listen to the music while your engine is off without causing any drainage of your car’s battery. The following are mentioned in two ways: 

1. Put your car in Neutral Gear: 

It can do more than create a break between the drive wheel and the engine. 

● Allow the car’s engine to run while you turn on the radio

● Settle your car into neutral gear before turning off your engine

● Turn off the radio but let the music continue to play

2. Put your car in accessory mode: 

This method is only available in modern cars, so this accessory mode may not work for you if you have an older model. 

● Turn off the engine 

● Do one thing according to your car’s model. First, switch the ignition to a notch without firing up the engine. Remove your foot from the brake and push the start button of your car

● Now your car is in accessory mode, Go ahead and turns on your radio. 

Here is the one thing to notice: your radio doesn’t require a lot of power. But operating other accessories like AC for long hours in accessory mode can drain your battery. 

Usually, you can leave your car battery on accessory mode for 30-40 minutes. However, this duration depends on your car’s model.

Factors determine how long your car battery can last in accessory mode

● The type of the car battery 

● The capacity of the battery. 

● The temperature of the car 

● The number of accessories you operate while your car is in accessory mode. 

Always remember that the amount of time your battery can last depends on the model of your car. If your car’s battery doesn’t last long in accessory mode, get your speakers changed! 

Faulty battery or wiring issues 

If your battery is constantly running down, even if you are mindful of energy habits and don’t listen to music more than your battery can handle. Then the issue might be with your wiring, incorrect stereo installation, or a bad battery.

When finding the answer of how long before car battery dies with radio on, consider faulty battery or wiring issues as well. 

It is also a danger to drive with a faulty battery. So, go to the professional and check your battery and wiring. 

Conclusion 

If you want your car’s battery to work properly for a long time, you should not leave your car on while you are not driving. To prevent hazardous situations, be mindful of energy usage. This will increase the longevity of your car’s battery and keep your car in proper working condition. 

I hope there is no more confusion in your mind about how long before car battery dies with radio on after reading this article.

Reference(s)

• https://batterymanguide.com/