How do you maintain a car battery?

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

By just keeping the battery disconnected in the car will this stop it getting flat/damaged? or should i take it into the house and keep it dry and warm (there is a 2 year garantee on it mind so I may just not bother... was just wondering :) )

 

The car is curently SORN so i'd not be starting her often you see

[robrado974 1]

get a trickle charger mate , keeps battery charged and reconditions as well :)

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

get a trickle charger mate , keeps battery charged and reconditions as well :)

My car is sat outside and i have no power so i'd need this... http://www.maplin.co.uk/solar-powered-1 ... 8&t=module

 

but then... Where do i stick it? The car is under a cover and i'd rather have that than a trickle charger in the window

[robrado974 1]

take it out and use it inside, seems the only option mate .

[RW1 0]

I use one of these outside, its waterproof. Meant for bikes, Charges a 63 amp battery OK.

 

Ring RSC4 Battery Charger

 

Ring SmarCharger RSC4.jpg[/attachment:t3dvpr7v]

.

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

I use one of these outside, its waterproof. Meant for bikes, Charges a 63 amp battery OK.

 

Ring RSC4 Battery Charger

 

Ring SmarCharger RSC4.jpg[/attachment:2xokcega]

.

That will only get nicked where i live mate... Also that one still needs to get plugged in doesn't it? :shrug:

 

If i take the battery inside and put on a trikle charger will that not "overcharge" the battery?

 

don't know about the chemistry of car batteries but with lithium rechargeables if you charge them too much over time they loose their "memory". You need to discharge and charge them on and off I thought...

 

although... if it's in the house i don't have to leave it onto charge all the time.. maybe just every now and again.

[RW1 0]

Trouble with the solar ones I've used is ...

 

a) not enough output current to keep the charge up over time especially if the battery is old.

 

b) unless its changed, most don't work through tinted windscreens, so have to be outside. The only one I found that did was a VW one used when storing VW New Beetles in the USA. Link Part No. 1C0 915 687D

 

Needed three unit though to combat the system discharge rate (ie, Battery + Clocks). They come with a cigarette lighter connector or 16 pin diagnostics socket connection.

 

.

[dr_mat 0]

Alex, sounds pretty much like your only choice is to take the battery out the car.

RW1 and myself have both confirmed that solar chargers are too pathetic in our british daylight to do anything but delay the inevitable flat (and damaged) battery on a Corrado (bloody VWs drain too much current), so you simply have no choice but to use a mains charger. If your car is near enough to the house, then you can get away with cables through windows etc etc, but if not and you're planning on leaving the car unused for some time you've no choice but to take the battery out and leave it on a trickle charger in the house. The point of trickle chargers is that they won't overcharge the battery.

And unlike Lithium Ion batteries Lead Acid batteries are BEST when stored fully charged. In fact you damage them by storing them partially charged.

[davidwort 0]

I thought a battery needed to be 'worked'

isn't it better to trickle charge up, then partially discharge with a leadlight or something at least every week or two?

I know there's been some discussion of battery maintainers on here before but I think they'll probably be as much as a new battery to buy

[dr_mat 0]

It depends on the chemistry of the battery. Lead Acid is best left fully charged and trickle topped up periodically (this is how they are stored before sale). LiIon is best left partially charged (about 40%) and NEVER USED (unfortunately, using it will inevitably shorten its lifetime..), NiMH, NiCd you have to use in full charge/discharge cycles.

 

Of course, buying a trickle charger is *slightly* more expensive than buying a normal charger. Which is slightly less expensive than buying a new battery. But that's the choice isn't it? New battery every few years (£50, £60, £70 as the price of Lead increases) vs one-off trickle charger purchase which means in principle you never replace a battery again.

Most people have at least one charger anyway (it's pretty much a requirement when you own a Corrado), so if you have the means to hook it up that way that one charger may as well be a trickle charger that saves you hassle and money in the long term..

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

If your car is near enough to the house, then you can get away with cables through windows etc etc

That's just silly... :?

 

I thought a battery needed to be 'worked'

That's what i thought! Didn't want the hassle of having to run the battery all the time just to keep it fresh! might as well let it go flat and then get a new one before the 2 year grantee runs out!

 

Lead Acid is best left fully charged and trickle topped up periodically (this is how they are stored before sale)

Right that's it then, I'll remove the battery, get a trickle charger and top it up every few weeks for a day or so?

Thanks!

 

however.. no one answered the question about leaving the battery in the car but disconnected. Does the battery drain even when not connected to anything?

[RW1 0]

Ihowever.. no one answered the question about leaving the battery in the car but disconnected. Does the battery drain even when not connected to anything?

[/quote:3fihb4gh]

 

Take the earth connection off and put it in something like a thick plastic bag to insulate. Leave the positive connected. Check the voltage once a week. When it hits 12 volts (25% charged) while not connected, charge up.

 

The battery goes down in charge very slowly due to self-discharge, just as they do in a shop selling batteries. That self-discharge to 12 volts is dependant on age and condition of the battery. Only weekly checks ensures you catch it early. Its not weekly but more a few of months at least for a fully charged new battery. A battery at the end of ists useful life it may discharge inside a month.

 

The negative to this is ....

 

- the battery is still in the Corrado, so with it being outside, its easier to nick as the alarm etc is not working. And the battery can re-connected very easily.

 

- As the battery becomes more discharged, given its outside, then its more prone at the lower charge state to freezing. Probably fine still at 0'C to -3'C but given prolonged weather recent at -15'C, most likely could freeze if low charge state is coincident with a spell of extreme cold weather.

 

.

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

- the battery is still in the Corrado, so with it being outside, its easier to nick as the alarm etc is not working. And the battery can re-connected very easily.

.

 

Sorry dude, you must be unaware of what state my carrado is in! There is no alarm, no immobilizer, no power steering, no brakes, no seats... etc! :lol:

 

I'd love to see someone try and nick it! :grin:

 

I also have about £100 disposable income every month so I can't afford a garage/lockup just now. (or to fix the rado for that matter!)

 

This talk about the battery freezing though is incentive enough to bring it in I reckon. Being in Dundee and all it wont do it any good outside i suppose!

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

BTW...

 

BARGAIN

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plug-Volt-Trick ... =8-2-spell

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Take it out of the car, stick it inside on a peice of cardboard, charge it up. Done.

[dr_mat 0]

If your car is near enough to the house, then you can get away with cables through windows etc etc

That's just silly... :?

[/quote:1a8hlj5h]

 

..or use the car more regularly and convert petrol to 4000 Ah of energy so you can put 30 Ah of electricity into the battery!! :D

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

 

..or use the car more regularly and convert petrol to 4000 Ah of energy so you can put 30 Ah of electricity into the battery!! :D

Sorry dude, you must be unaware of what state my carrado is in! There is no alarm, no immobilizer, no power steering, no brakes, no seats... etc! :lol:

 

I WISH i could! :(