charging the battery

[RoyDavis]

So ive just had a nightmare night where my battery decided to go flat leaving me stuck in a car park! I was very worried about jump starting it but managed to do it alright, the strange thing is that once i got it started i left it running for a few minutes with everything else off i.e lights, stereo etc and it decided to cut out! so i tried starting it again and jump starting it again with no success this time so had to call out the recovery, once he arrived, in very good time i might ad, it started straight away first time!! He did a test and seems like the alternator is fine but where the problem lays is how i drive it, i dont use it during the day and when i do use it at night its always on short journeys with climate control on, lights, stereo etc so its not getting the chance to charge up!

So my question is whats the safest way to charge it? my dad's got a charger so do i just link that up to the battery and leave it on for the day? i dont really want to fry any electronics on the car!

 

[foof1]

Roy

How old is the battery?

 

[turnipsock]

out of the car on the charger.

too many jump starts will kill it.

Turn off as much as you don't need when driving and don't turn on the lights unless you need them (it will also save you fuel)

 

[RoyDavis]

I have no idea how old the battery is, ive had the car a year. Its got an mot very soon so i'll get the battery checked out at the same time.

Why would the engine cut out once i'd jump started it and got it running?

 

[television]

I have no idea how old the battery is, ive had the car a year. Its got an mot very soon so i'll get the battery checked out at the same time.

Why would the engine cut out once i'd jump started it and got it running?

That is too hard to answer Roy,, owing to the problems that can occur on a 203 by disconnecting the battery you would be better off charging it on the car but at low current and for a longer time. Do you know what type of charger your friend has, though if your battery is now almost up to starting the car, any small auto charger should be safe, and it needs to be charged long enough for the charging indicator is at min

 

[Rappey69]

there are "optimiser" type chargers which can be left on all year as they have intelligent monitoring.
I would say that if your journeys are that short that its killing your battery then they must be short enough to walk?. lol? constant short journeys like that will kill your engine. Like the oil adds say, 95% of engine wear occurs on a cold engine.
A typical lead acid battery should never be discharged below 75% of its full capacity. Each time it is "flattened" you can count that as 1 point. collect 12 points and the battery will only be fit for the recyclers.

 

[Iain the gadget]

Personally I would bite the bullet and get a new battery. Apparently £95 from the stealers which seems quite good, although I bought a 100amp Bosch silver for mine before crimbo at a cost of £57 from Costco (membership only).
At least you can draw a line under under the problem and start from fresh as you don't know the age of the current accumulator!

 

[RoyDavis]

Well this is the first problem ive had with the battery, i put it on charge this morning and left it while i went off to work so its been on all day. I really only drive it two or three evenings a week and probably 20min journeys max and then i drive it a bit on the weekends but just running about really but i guess with the auto lights on and the climate control, stereo and that it just takes its toll on the battery and not allowing it to charge.

Ive just got in from the gym and it cut out on me while i was at some lights, its came up on the dash in red Battery/Alternator visit workshop! So after being on charge all day could it be the alternator?

 

[Cole@MBS]

Its more like the regulator pack in the alternator, or as you say, it could be the alternator itself!

 

[Cole@MBS]

60 in the link
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GM=716.667&CT=F&cat=69J&SID=54&SGR=026&SGN=03

 

[RoyDavis]

This has seriously pi**ed me off, i just had to get towed home again because it cut out while i was driving along and wouldn't start again. Im going to have to get a local merc specialist to look at it, if it is the alternator which seems probable what kind of figure am i going to be looking at? Or are there any other suggestions of what the problem might be?

 

[foof1]

Sorry to read about this. Got similar probs with my other half's 440 Volvo. Thought it was the battery and replaced, but not to be. The alternator is only delivering 12.8V so when on load, battery aint getting sufficient charge. Auto elecs?

 

[television]

This has seriously pi**ed me off, i just had to get towed home again because it cut out while i was driving along and wouldn't start again. Im going to have to get a local merc specialist to look at it, if it is the alternator which seems probable what kind of figure am i going to be looking at? Or are there any other suggestions of what the problem might be?

You can get recon alternators from any Bosch Service center, and they fit them to for a good price,½ that of MB

 

[television]

Sorry to read about this. Got similar probs with my other half's 440 Volvo. Thought it was the battery and replaced, but not to be. The alternator is only delivering 12.8V so when on load, battery aint getting sufficient charge. Auto elecs?

Thats a simple circuit on the 440 change the brush pack on the rear,,brush pack from Bosch Service centers all over the UK around £11

 

[RoyDavis]

Thanks Malcolm, ive done a quick search to find my nearest Bosch Service center, am i right in assuming these are normal garages also? My MOT is due next week so wondering if i can kill 2 birds with one stone.

 

[television]

Thanks Malcolm, ive done a quick search to find my nearest Bosch Service center, am i right in assuming these are normal garages also? My MOT is due next week so wondering if i can kill 2 birds with one stone.

Yes Roy they are special appointed garages with all of the test gear, cant answer on the MOT bit, they work fast and just do this type of thing all day long

 

[RoyDavis]

Thanks again Malcolm, im just weighing up my options at the minute its come at the worst time possible with the tax, insurance, mot and service all due at the same time!

 

[television]

Thanks again Malcolm, im just weighing up my options at the minute its come at the worst time possible with the tax, insurance, mot and service all due at the same time!

Yours could be the brush pack also, its on the rear of the alternator

 

[RoyDavis]

I had a guy test the alternator today, all he deals with is batterys and alternators and he said its not the alternator and its putting out enough to be able to have everything going etc he seems to think its the battery, so im thinking maybe i should get a new battery anyway seeing as its probably the original on there which is now 8 years old and then get it plugged into a star machine and see what they can find

 

[delboy777]

I had a guy test the alternator today, all he deals with is batterys and alternators and he said its not the alternator and its putting out enough to be able to have everything going etc he seems to think its the battery, so im thinking maybe i should get a new battery anyway seeing as its probably the original on there which is now 8 years old and then get it plugged into a star machine and see what they can find

Think thats what you should have done the first time it happened, it happened to me just before xmas and a new batt sorted it out right away, it was the original 7 years old