Battery Performance

[CMR]

Quick question re: battery. My battery was dead (car had been left standing over the xmas period and for several weeks after) and so I trickled charged it with a CTEK. Even though I had left the charger on for constant 25 hours plus the full battery indicator (on the charger) did not light up. My question is: having just read an article that states should your battery go dead it will never regain full charge, I wonder if this is the case, and if so, has the battery life been shortened as a result? (The battery was new and only 6-8 months old) Or should I have left the charger on for longer? (The car did start OK though). Many thanks for any thoughts...

 

[television]

I do not know your charger, does it have an ammeter or an indication of the charge rate.
if the battery was totally dead, a trickle charge would not even start it to charge as the voltage would be too low. It would need to be on the highest charge to start it off, then backed off as the charge current increased.

Batteries can be re cycled by charging then dis charging,then charging again, it needs something like a headlamp bulb to discharge it at 4 amps.

What ever you do,you must dis connect from the car as damage will be incurred if you try and charge at a higher rate,owing to the high voltage.

Malcolm

 

[kid-jensen]

CMR,
Whatever the charge indicators say, if you can start the car in january and then do it again the next day there's not a lot wrong with it.
The capacity may have been compromised by the full discharge, but the world of batteries is a strange and mystrerious one, where there are no absolutes...
Go ahead and enjoy it (and look-out that receipt!)

 

[puter]

CTEK is a Swedish company and produce some very nice chargers. Much info is available from their web page: http://www.ctek.com/en/home.asp

 

[television]

CTEK is a Swedish company and produce some very nice chargers. Much info is available from their web page: http://www.ctek.com/en/home.asp

Yes they are nice chargers, but all automatic,since many of these require a voltage to get going so will not charge a totally flat battery.

Malcolm

 

[CMR]

Thanks for replies... I tried starting today and started fine (I really dont drive that much being in London!) but looks like the battery hadn't fully charged since the 'undervoltage' sign came back on whilst doing a short trip today. I've already had this a few times when doing short journeys in the past, but after 10-15 mins of the the warning sign staying on the centre panel was FLASHING RED - "Alternator/Battery Visit Workshop!" The battery was new (with 3 years warrenty) when I bought the car 2nd hand (last July) so I hope it is not the alternator? Ive only done about 2,000 miles since owning it. Am I looking at something costly? What should I do now? ask for a alternator/battery test first from the workshop?

 

[television]

I looks like battery problems, alternators are not designed for charging flat batteries,I would get it changed under the guarantee,if further problems arise then change the reg pack on the rear of the alternator,they are held on with two screws and cost £18 from any car parts or Bosch agent.

malcolm

 

[greenfingers]

What type of battery is it?

A standard 'lead acid' battery will not necessarily be ruined after being discharged.
However, a 'calcium' (sealed, low maintenance) battery will almost certainly be knackered if it has completely discharged even once for a short period.

The voltage can give you an idea of the state of charge, but if the battery has lost its storage capacity, then the voltage will quickly diminish (knackered).

I heard that these calcium batteries are being fitted more by motor manufacturers now, because they can hold a charge for longer (which gives their new cars a greater chance of starting after being shipped abroad, hence reducing the risk of consequential problems through jump starting etc). The downside is having to replace them if they run flat.

Any decent battery should last at least a few weeks with the car's alarm, immobiliser and clock running. Before risking another one, I would check for a drain or short that may have caused the problem in the first place.

 

[Pipemaster]

Optimate charger

If it's of use I use an Optimate automatic charger which is designed to recover deeply discharged batteries which I have used very successfully on my motorcycles and my boat which generally sits there month after month doing nothing and has a 1.8 turbo diesel lump in it.
You can get them at most motorcycle dealers and cost about £40 but they are worth it as they have connectors on the charging leads which means you can easily reattatch it (leave the "tails" of the lead on the battery) should you be leaving the car standing for a period and it will automatically keep the battery healthy (I suppose so long as you don't park in the street)

 

[CMR]

Thanks for all your replies... unfortunately the charger option is out (live in a flat) though I am looking at perhaps a solar panel at some point. Greenfingers I know the battery is a Bosch and I beleive is a low maintainence type so thanks for info re this - maybe I left the car standing too long!. Malcolm what is a reg pack (I presume this means regulator? but what is its function and what causes failure?).

I will go and get the batt/alternator tested/checked.

Just another quickie, where do I stand with the battery warrenty? The previous owner had this put in with a service just before I bought the car from an independant. Does the warrenty lie with the product - Battery (or original purchaser)? and does the manufacturer honour the replacement or the original garage? Thanks for any help...

 

[D3Less]

I would give the indy / battery supplier a ring and just say you think you have a faulty battery. Hopefully they will just swap it under warranty and then you can monitor the situation after that.

 

[Myros]

I got one of those solar chargers from Maplins

and when it's very sunny, it's very good, giving out about 19 volts and not many milliamps, which is what you need from a solar trickle charger. Sadly, in this weather, even in strong sunshine, the voltage is not good enough to keep my SL battery trickled up. A lot depends on where you park and what the shading is like. Mine's on the drive, and the intervening buildings and trees pretty much do for it unless the sun is right overhead, at noon.
In summertime though, there is more than enough light to top the battery up. Shame , as that's when I'm ususlly driving the car and don't need it.

 

[puter]

If it's of use I use an Optimate automatic charger which is designed to recover deeply discharged batteries which I have used very successfully on my motorcycles and my boat which generally sits there month after month doing nothing and has a 1.8 turbo diesel lump in it.
You can get them at most motorcycle dealers and cost about £40 but they are worth it as they have connectors on the charging leads which means you can easily reattatch it (leave the "tails" of the lead on the battery) should you be leaving the car standing for a period and it will automatically keep the battery healthy (I suppose so long as you don't park in the street)

Interested to note your use of an Optimate charger. This is one I don’t know so would be interested to learn of your experience. I have looked at their web site and note they are aimed at the lower capacity market. Have you used it on a totally discharged battery and what success did you have. You mention m/c and boat batteries, have you tried it on a larger one?

Please forgive the inquisition but I’ve always found our poor relation the battery fascinating.

Alec.

 

[Blobcat]

Interested to note your use of an Optimate charger. This is one I don’t know so would be interested to learn of your experience. I have looked at their web site and note they are aimed at the lower capacity market. Have you used it on a totally discharged battery and what success did you have. You mention m/c and boat batteries, have you tried it on a larger one?

Please forgive the inquisition but I’ve always found our poor relation the battery fascinating.

Alec.

I have optimates on both bikes and they work very very well. No issues on leaving them for months at a time. Without the optimate the batteries would go flat within a month and at ~£80 for a new battery the optimate is a cheap method of keeping them going. My CBR is on it's second battery which is coming up 13 yrs old, the first was replaced by Honda after 12 months under warranty.

 

[television]

Automatic chargers cant charge a totaly dead battery, the sensor on the charger cant be triggered if the battery is empty, as its just looking into a hagh resistant load, therefore it would not know what to do. Get the battery replaced,then see how it goes,if that one becomes discharged the look at the alternator,though if this was faulty the indicator would show on the dash.

MB do a kit for a cigar lighter charge point in the boot,this could be hooked up to a solar panel and would more than off set the drain by the alarm.

Malcolm

 

[puter]

I have optimates on both bikes and they work very very well. No issues on leaving them for months at a time. Without the optimate the batteries would go flat within a month and at ~£80 for a new battery the optimate is a cheap method of keeping them going. My CBR is on it's second battery which is coming up 13 yrs old, the first was replaced by Honda after 12 months under warranty.

A man after my own heart. I have an electric start 350cc P/E generator with a M/C battery going strong after many years and my SL500 whose battery is now 11 years young. Prepared you are willing to go to a little bit of trouble, there is no reason in my experience why a battery ought not to last for many years. The real killer is starting your car from a not fully charged battery.

Wish you would remove your bike sig. Sold my Ducati 900SS and Vincent Black Shadow prior to my return to UK. Idiot man!

Alec

 

[Chas]

Quick question re: battery. My battery was dead (car had been left standing over the xmas period and for several weeks after) and so I trickled charged it with a CTEK. Even though I had left the charger on for constant 25 hours plus the full battery indicator (on the charger) did not light up. My question is: having just read an article that states should your battery go dead it will never regain full charge, I wonder if this is the case, and if so, has the battery life been shortened as a result? (The battery was new and only 6-8 months old) Or should I have left the charger on for longer? (The car did start OK though). Many thanks for any thoughts...

My car has the following battery
extract from VIN readout:
Utilization of residual engine heat and high-capacity battery for countries having lower temperatures

673 high-capacity battery (с 01.01.1964)

is this standard battery? If not it might help you in furure :idea:

Chas

 

[television]

My car has the following battery
extract from VIN readout:
Utilization of residual engine heat and high-capacity battery for countries having lower temperatures

673 high-capacity battery (с 01.01.1964)

is this standard battery? If not it might help you in furure :idea:

Chas

May be wrong but your battery could be a AGM type owing to the high electrics on yours.

Malcolm

 

[mattkh]

solar trickle charger

and when it's very sunny, it's very good, giving out about 19 volts and not many milliamps, which is what you need from a solar trickle charger.

Hi

Does this solar charger plug into the cigarette lighter?

If so, how come the 19V does not blow the electronics in the car ?

 

[television]

Hi

Does this solar charger plug into the cigarette lighter?

If so, how come the 19V does not blow the electronics in the car ?

You cant charge a MB without the boot fitted socket,there is a kit for this,
the one in the cab is off with the key.

A solar panel may give out 19volt no load, as soon as it is joined to the battery,it will drop to the battery voltage, the current is too small to do any harm.

malcolm