February may be the shortest month of the year, but that certainly doesn’t make it the least interesting. In fact, did you know that National Battery Day falls on February 18th? Did you even know there was such a thing as National Battery Day?! Well, you’re in luck. 

The term battery was first coined by Benjamin Franklin in his efforts to describe an array of glass particles that are charged. This was in 1748. Alessandro Volta was a physicist, chemist and a pioneer of electrical science. He is most famous for his invention of the electric battery. In brief he invented the first electric battery – which people then called the “voltaic pile” – in 1800. Using his invention, scientists were able to produce steady flows of electric current for the first time, unleashing a wave of new discoveries and technologies.

Today, you’ll find batteries everywhere! Cars can’t function without them, nor can phones, or computers or just about anything that keeps us connected to the modern world.  National Battery Day is a commemoration of Alessandro Volta’s birthday, which fell on February 18th. 

In the 21st Century, we rarely think about portable, and therefore mobile, electricity especially owing to the fact that batteries are easily accessible even in local stores. For instance, the batteries that power our phones can be charged using the battery that powers our cars while we are on the move driving. It is also possible to use portable chargers that are connected to our phones via USB cables that can charge our phones while we are on the go. Because of knowledge and technology, the kinds of batteries that serve the market are progressively changing, making it possible to have more options. More recently, solar-powered batteries have been developed, giving us the chance to be able to easily recharge our phones and even use cells as storage for power. To commemorate such innovation for humankind, National Battery Day is being celebrated all over the United States.

You can observe the National Battery Day by replacing all the batteries in your devices with new ones. The new sets could either be of the same brand or different, but the bottom line is that replacing your batteries would achieve much in commemoration of this day. Once replaced, you can continue that celebration by properly recycling your old batteries. Remember, it is best not to just toss batteries of any kind into the landfill. 
Rolf’s Import Auto Service would like to join in on the celebration of National Battery Day by offering free battery checks at either of our service locations. In general, your car will usually need a new battery after three to four years. Replacing your car battery is another part of routine maintenance. Getting your battery checked and inspected is standard for your service visits after three years, even if you haven’t needed it replaced yet. If you can’t remember when your battery was last inspected, it’s probably a good idea to bring it in.