How Long Can You Listen to Music on a Car Battery?
3 Answers
You can listen to music on a car battery for 3-4 hours. Here are the relevant details: Usage Duration: Based on experience, with a good car battery, turning on the headlights, reading lights, and radio, a 35Ah battery can last about 3 hours, while a 45Ah battery can last slightly longer, between 3 to 4 hours. The higher the volume of the radio or CD player, the greater the power consumption, so the battery's usage time also depends on this factor. Battery Types: There are three types of car batteries: standard lead-acid batteries, dry-charge batteries, and maintenance-free batteries.
As a ride-hailing driver who spends over ten hours in the car daily, I've got plenty of experience with this. With a new battery, if you listen to music with the engine off at medium volume on a standard car stereo, it'll last about three hours max. An old battery might die in just half an hour. Winter is worse—the battery drains much faster. The most annoying thing is people who leave the AC blower running with the engine off—that drains way more power than the stereo. Last week, a passenger forgot to turn off the reading light, and the next morning, the car wouldn't start. My advice: don’t exceed 30 minutes. If you really need to listen to music for a long time, keep the engine idling to charge the battery. A dead battery replacement can cost you 500-600 RMB!
The modification shop technician reminds you: This mainly depends on three aspects. First, check the battery capacity. A standard 45Ah battery with the factory audio system can last a little over two hours at medium volume. Second, consider the audio power. Some owners install 2000W subwoofers, and the battery alarm goes off after just half an hour with the engine off. Third, look at the battery age. Batteries over two years old have their endurance reduced by 30%. The key point many don't know is that leaving headlights on or incorrectly wiring the dash cam can drain more power. Here's a pro tip: Crack the window slightly when listening to music instead of using AC, and using speakerphone for calls saves more power than car Bluetooth.
