Playing Music with Engine off? For How Long?

Even though most of us enjoy listening to music in the car, doing so with the engine off may drain the battery. It is interesting to learn how all that works in order not to get stranded because of a dead battery.

Is it Ok to Play Music with Engine Off?

Of course. Car stereo systems are designed to be used even with the engine is turned off. In that case, all you have to do is set the ignition to accessory mode, then turn on the stereo and set it to whatever you want to listen to.

The only negative consequence is that, since the engine is not working at the moment, the stereo and any other functions being used draw energy from the battery. Therefore, the driver must pay attention in order not to let it die completely.

Also read: Why Does Car Battery Die when not Used? (The Facts)

How Does Radio Drain Your Battery?

The radio is connected to the car’s electrical system, which is primarily powered by the engine. Once the engine is turned off, the car immediately begins to draw energy from the battery.

Following that train of thought, we can also say that connecting more items to the stereo helps drain the battery more quickly. Amplifier, subwoofer, tweeters, more speakers… each additional item represents a new source of energy consumption from the very same source.

The equalizer is another important source of energy consumption because it acts as a filter, modifying the participation of each frequency in order to change how the overall sound is perceived by us. Leaving it on is a sure way to consume more energy from the battery.

Another important issue to keep in mind is the parasitic drain. When an electrical installation is poorly grounded, it creates a parasitic connection that continuously draws energy – it is only noticeable when the engine is off. It is important to take care of that because such continuous waste affects the battery’s life in the short term and its capacity to hold new charges in the future.

Does Higher Volume Increase Battery Usage?

Yes, it does. In short, playing music at a higher volume implies that the system must work more intensely. As a result, all components (speakers, subwoofer etc.) demand more power to do the job and battery usage rises.

Speakers, for example, work by physically pushing and pulling air. Unfortunately, their energy usage is increased because part of it is wasted at heating the moving coil, which is inevitable.

The higher you set the volume, the more intensely the system must perform all those operations, so it is natural that it demands more energy. The same battery will surely keep it running for a shorter time if the volume is turned up.

Also read: Can a Car Engine Explode? How to Prevent it?

How Long Can You Listen to Radio with Engine Off?

A standard car stereo using energy from a battery in good conditions may be used for hours, and the battery will still have enough energy to start the car when you need it. Assuming 5 hours, for example, we can say that each hour of music consumes less than 20% of its capacity.

As you can see, this answer depends on some variables. The rule of thumb is that the more parts you attach to the system, the more demands for energy there will be. Amplifiers, subwoofers, extra speakers, tweeters, LCD screens, everything contributes to draining the battery more quickly.

Parallel to that, you have to check the battery’s condition as well. If your battery dies in a matter of minutes while the stereo works for hours in other cars at similar usage conditions, the most probable explanation is that your battery needs to be replaced. That is important because aging batteries may not hold enough energy to start the car.

Also read: Can a Car Battery Die while Driving? How to Prevent it?

How to Listen to Music to Save as Much Battery as Possible?

Since everything in a car stereo consumes energy, the primary guideline here is to try and use it by activating as few components as possible. This way, there will be fewer demands of energy and the battery should last longer.

Starting with the simple tips, you should keep the volume low and turn off the equalizer and, considering a modern car, any LCD screens it might have (for the infotainment central, instrument cluster, etc.). Parallel to that, it goes without saying that any lights should be turned off as well.

Another important tip is to pay attention to the media you are using. Most people use streaming services nowadays, but they require a continuous Internet connection. If possible, you could stream music from your phone and only send it to the car stereo, preferably from a USB connection rather than Bluetooth.

Now, if you really need to maximize usage time, it is advisable to disconnect non-essential components such as the amplifier or the subwoofer. They represent a huge increase in the sound quality but are additional sources of consumption as well. Besides, since you are supposedly using low volume, the quality drop will be more difficult to notice.

What Type of Music Drains the Battery the Most?

When it comes to music per se, low frequencies usually consume more energy than high ones. Now, if we are talking about music sources, streaming services are responsible for the highest energy consumption.

It is difficult to work on the frequency item because it means you would have to choose only songs where high frequencies are predominant. In theory, it would be possible to get some help on that from the equalizer but, then again, activating the equalizer is an additional energy drain itself.

The music source is much easier to manage. Streaming services take up a lot of energy, primarily because they require a continuous Internet connection. Besides, they usually offer music at very high quality, so the service requires more data from beginning to end. If that is your only option, you could try downloading songs for offline use or streaming them from your phone via a USB cable.

CDs and flash drives remove the Internet connection issue but deal with digital formats as well; you would have to load them with low-quality files. Radio is probably the most energy-efficient option but is not considered if you are in a region with bad reception, such as a beach or on the road.

Also read: Can a Car Run without a Catalytic Converter? Is it legal?

Can You Turn On the Engine to Charge the Battery?

Yes, that is the simplest way to recharge the battery. The general recommendation is to leave the engine running for at least 30 minutes in order to have enough energy to start the car next time you need. Another possibility is to use a charger, especially if you are at home.

When the engine is running, the car activates the alternator. This component converts mechanical energy from the crankshaft into electrical energy, which is used for everything that demands it in the car. Therefore, as soon as the engine starts running again, it will provide energy to recharge the battery. But there are different ways to do that.

Leaving the engine idling is enough to get the alternator working. However, revving the engine up whether stopped or starting to drive creates a higher demand from the alternator, which begins to work faster. That effect increases the generation of energy and should recharge the battery faster.

Here, what you have to keep in mind is how much energy you are spending to generate the energy to recharge the battery. Simply revving up the engine consumes more fuel, let alone driving for some blocks, so that recharge will become somewhat more expensive for you.

Besides, in case you start driving because you need to, turning off the stereo and the A/C will reduce fuel consumption and recharge the battery faster at once. The reason is that the alternator will be operating at a higher pace without having other components to power as well.