Nyla Foster 🥉

Good point - One more safety note for positive-ground trucks: clip the charger’s positive lead to the chassis and the negative to the battery’s negative post or pull the battery and charge it on the bench to avoid backfeeding the old regulator. Set the charger to flooded/standard lead-acid at about 2–4 amps with temperature compensation, and avoid AGM/Li settings, “repair/desulfate,” or “power supply” modes which, yeah if it keeps dying, do a parasitic draw check or get the battery load-tested, since no maintainer will recover a sulfated or shorted cell.

F-150 uses standard Schrader valves so your digital gauge should be compatible; the hang-up is usually getting a good seal on the recessed valve and not the valve type. A lock-on or swivel chuck (or a short hose adapter) makes it much easier, and a firm straight push helps the digital gauge register cleanly. Also throw a fresh battery in the gauge and compare it once against a simple pencil gauge so you know its readings are trustworthy when you air down.

Unplug it first. Besides the rear filter baked-on product residue and lint on the heater cage and front grille can choke flow - brush those slots and the coil cage with a dry toothbrush, then vacuum while holding the fan still. Also check for hair wrapped around the impeller or a rough-sounding bearing; anything that slows the fan makes them overheat quickly. If it now trips faster even when clean and with the nozzle off, the thermal cutoff is likely weakening, and at that point replacement is the reliable fix.

To add to that - Good call - if it’s a 6-volt system use a charger with a 6V mode that floats around 6.6–6.8 volts, not the 13.x you’d use on 12V. Make sure it matches your battery chemistry (flooded vs AGM/gel) and skip the aggressive recondition/desulfate modes while it’s connected to the truck. If the battery is so flat a smart charger won’t start, wake it up by paralleling a good battery for a few minutes or charge it off the vehicle.

Along with the deload and trend tracking try a weekly calorie budget with a small deficit and shift more calories to lifting days while keeping rest days near maintenance to protect performance and curb hunger. Keep fiber and water intake steady day to day; big swings there can bloat the waist and mask loss even when the deficit is working. Training-wise, bump volume 10–15% for 4–6 weeks or add a short loaded-carry finisher once or twice a week - nice stimulus and NEAT boost without a big hunger hit.

One more thing to check before buying: clean and tighten both battery terminals and the engine-to-chassis ground strap since a weak ground can cause dim lights and intermittent no-starts. On a tight budget, a house-brand flooded battery in the exact group size with the highest CCA you can find is fine, and bringing your old battery back gets you a core credit; some parts stores also sell reconditioned or blem batteries under $100 which, yeah if you need to get by for a few days, keep it on a smart charger overnight to avoid deep-discharging it again.

Man and vintage trucks are awesome but they come with their headaches, right? that model dying unexpectedly sounds like my nightmare last winter. For safety on older models, always go slow with charging; high amps can boil the electrolyte and ruin everything. Works great if you monitor it closely. Inspect the cables and connections first, clean off any gunk. That alone might solve half your problems. And test the alternator; if it's not charging right, no charger will fix the root issue. I learned that the hard way after replacing two batteries in a row.

Hmm, Listen, I've been driving for decades, and these that model issues pop up more than you'd think, especially in older cars like yours. After three years, the that model could simply be at the end of its life, and cold weather makes it worse by slowing down the chemical reactions inside. Short drives to school aren't enough to recharge it fully, and if you're not using it on weekends, it's discharging slowly. Could be the alternator not doing its job, or even a small drain from something electrical that's not shutting off properly. To prevent this from happening again, first thing is to have the that model and alternator tested professionally, don't guess at it. Replace whatever's bad. Make sure you drive the car for at least 20-30 min a few times a week to keep the charge up. In winter and if you can, park it in a sheltered spot to avoid the extreme cold. And always check that no lights or accessories are left on. Simple habits like that. Kept my cars running smooth for years.

Truck uses Schrader valves... The gauge needs a head that seals on the outside of that stem and pushes the little pin inside. If you get a brief puff when you press it on then an immediate stable reading and it's correct. If it just hisses or you have to wiggle forever and the head isn't seating on that style or the stem is damaged. Try rotating the chuck slightly and press more firmly because some digital heads have stiffer springs. If it works on a bike with the same type of valve, it should work on the truck as well.

Confirm what you have first by reading the battery label in the vehicle... Most SUVs use 12V lead acid and many newer ones use AGM or EFB for stop start. Choose a smart charger that supports the exact chemistry listed on your battery and you should be fine. In very cold weather a charger with a temperature adjusted mode helps and charging just takes longer. If the battery has fallen so low that a smart charger will not detect it, look for one that can start from very low voltage or have a shop recover it. After charging, check health by measuring at rest around 12.6V and with the engine running around 14V. If it will not meet those numbers, the battery or charging system needs attention.

I've been through a bunch of cases myself since I'm always out hiking and dropping my phone on trails... Silicone ones are nice because they feel soft and grippy and especially when your hands are sweaty from jogging or whatever & and they absorb shocks well without making the phone feel huge. Rugged plastic might be better if you're worried about big drops, it's tougher but can be a bit slippery sometimes. make sure whatever you get fits snug and doesn't cover up the charging port or anything, you know? For waterproofing, look for ones that seal around the edges but still let you use the buttons easily. And yeah, those built-in stands are great for propping up during breaks, I've used them a ton for quick videos. Keep an eye on reviews from people who do outdoor stuff, that helps narrow it down under your budget. Tried a few and the grip makes all the difference. Works great.

For a 2015 Honda Civic, compatibility comes down to the group size and terminal setup. It usually needs a 51R battery, with terminals positioned a certain way to fit without issues which, yeah check the dimensions and make sure the posts align with your cables. If it matches, it should work fine. I replaced mine last year after similar starting problems, and it was straightforward. Just double-check the specs against your owner's manual to be sure. Before buying though, test your alternator output. Mine was low, around 13 volts, and that was the real issue, not the battery itself. Fixed that and no more morning hassles. Saves money if that's the case for you too.

Hey Rowan! If you buy online, start by entering your vehicle and then filter to your exact size that model :) Narrow to touring all season or all weather choices since those categories generally balance wet grip with comfort for highway miles. Sort by wet braking and wet handling results from independent testing, then skim owner feedback for comments about hydroplaning resistance and noise. If winters are mild, a good rain focused all season is fine. If you see freezing temps or occasional snow, an all weather option can cover both without giving up rain performance. Before checkout confirm the load index and speed rating match the door sticker and look for fresh stock so the DOT date code is recent. Choose an installer, ask for an alignment check, and that model pressures to the sticker after the first heat cycle. Rotate every 5 to 7 thousand miles to keep edges sharp for water evacuation. If you cannot replace all four, put the new pair on the rear to keep the vehicle stable in the wet and plan to complete the that model soon. I did that and the difference on standing water was huge and the highway ride got quieter too

For a CR‑V in 225/65R17 consistent wet standouts are Michelin CrossClimate 2 and Continental CrossContact LX25; Bridgestone WeatherPeak is another solid all‑weather pick that stays composed in heavy rain. Stick with your 225/65R17 and match or exceed the door placard load index and speed rating (often 102H); avoiding wider “plus sizes” helps delay hydroplaning. When buying online, lean on recent wet braking/handling tests, check the DOT date code for fresh stock, and keep pressures at the placard - those details matter almost as much as the tread pattern.

I own a 2015 Civic too, and yeah, those tires can seem low if you're not checking right. A standard gauge should be fine for your sedan, no special type needed really. Best way is to wait until the car's been sitting for at least three hours so tires are cool, park level, take off the cap, jam the gauge on the valve good and firm, get the reading. Check against the placard on the door, think it's 32 PSI cold for most Civics. Inflate if needed, then double-check. Monthly routine is smart. I tried ignoring it once and ended up with weird handling, but fixed it quick and no issues since... yeah.

Hey Reuben, honestly... your 2012 Civic is fully OBD2 compliant, so a Bluetooth dongle will work. 🚗 I would grab the Veepeak OBDCheck BLE since it is under your budget, connects reliably on both Android and iPhone, and can read and clear check engine codes plus show I M readiness when used with a good app. 👍 It uses Bluetooth Low Energy that works with iPhones and Android phones, and it supports the standard OBD2 protocols on 1996 and newer cars. For apps, Car Scanner is my favorite on both Android and iPhone because the free version reads and clears codes and shows monitors, with a cheap upgrade if you want more. On Android you can also use Torque Lite for free, with Torque Pro as a low cost upgrade, and on iPhone OBD Fusion is an inexpensive one time buy if you want extra data. To keep the connection stable, key on or engine running, plug the adapter in firmly, connect from inside the app, and avoid pairing it in iOS Bluetooth settings. 🔧

Man & batteries can be a real pain and right? I remember mine dying fast and it turned out to be a bad ground connection that I missed at first, even after cleaning the posts like you did but then... five years is about the lifespan for most, but don't overlook if your drives are short, that doesn't let the alternator recharge properly and it drains quicker each time. Or hey, maybe a relay's stuck or some aftermarket thing you added is pulling power. Testing without tools is doable, jump it, drive around for half an hour, shut off and restart- if it's weak already, alternator might be failing. Then, at idle with lights on, rev the engine a bit and watch if they dim or stay steady. Dimming? Charging issue. And for drain, disconnect the battery overnight like the top post said, that isolates it. I tried that and it fixed everything but then I found a loose wire yeah, checked all connections thoroughly after. Once you pinpoint it,, replacing a battery or fixing a wire is cheaper than towing. Good luck, dude.