Battery advice
06 April 2018, 08:02 PM
#1
Battery advice
So I've taken the car off the road and won't be using it for at least 6 month.
I fitted a yuasa battery a couple of month ago and don't want to kill it.
Can I start the car up and let it idle to keep it charged or should I be taking it off the car?
Edit: car is on the drive with a cover,so not garaged.
I fitted a yuasa battery a couple of month ago and don't want to kill it.
Can I start the car up and let it idle to keep it charged or should I be taking it off the car?
Edit: car is on the drive with a cover,so not garaged.
Last edited by ossett2k2; 06 April 2018 at 08:07 PM.
06 April 2018, 08:21 PM
#2
Scooby Regular
I always take negative lead off and handbrake down when covers on
06 April 2018, 08:22 PM
#3
Either. As you elude to, so long as it never drains below where it would struggle to crank the engine over. That said, disconnecting the -ve cable would be better.
However, can't you not run a CTEK conditioner from the house to keep the battery topped?
However, can't you not run a CTEK conditioner from the house to keep the battery topped?
Last edited by joz8968; 06 April 2018 at 08:27 PM.
06 April 2018, 08:36 PM
#4
Handbrake is off Zany,don't want to leave the alarm off tbh,tho this won't be a big problem,I might just take the battery off and run it on a slow charge/conditioner.
Joz I was looking at the CTEK but I would need to run a wire from the garage if I keep it on the car.
Would a full charged new battery die if left for months without any charging? (Off the car)
Joz I was looking at the CTEK but I would need to run a wire from the garage if I keep it on the car.
Would a full charged new battery die if left for months without any charging? (Off the car)
06 April 2018, 09:06 PM
#7
What's your Ah rating? Most are between around 60 and 70Ah.
So, 6 months is 180 days, therefore 4320 hours! So divide the Ah - let's say 70Ah - by 4320h = a discharge rate of just 0.016 Amps per hour, to become fully discharged!
So, as above, it's pretty much a dead cert. that (even) a disconnected battery will fully discharge over that length of time!
That said though, I have absolutely no idea how many amps - or indeed fractions of an amp - a disconnected battery discharges per hour....
So, 6 months is 180 days, therefore 4320 hours! So divide the Ah - let's say 70Ah - by 4320h = a discharge rate of just 0.016 Amps per hour, to become fully discharged!
So, as above, it's pretty much a dead cert. that (even) a disconnected battery will fully discharge over that length of time!
That said though, I have absolutely no idea how many amps - or indeed fractions of an amp - a disconnected battery discharges per hour....
Last edited by joz8968; 06 April 2018 at 09:18 PM.
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06 April 2018, 11:16 PM
#10
My battery lasts a few weeks at best, i thought my Bosch was bad, but bought a cheapo ebay job with 4 year warranty, packs in after 3 months, company said i have to send battery back to have it tested, took 2 months for them to arrange courier, i'm now down another £12 and still no replacement battery.
07 April 2018, 11:47 AM
#13
I know jay,yuasa are a good battery but I paid over the odds,not much if a choice tho as I broke down out near halfrauds.
Turns out it was a dodgy alternator tho so probably didn't even need a battery lol
I shall order a conditioner today,just looking at options.
Turns out it was a dodgy alternator tho so probably didn't even need a battery lol
I shall order a conditioner today,just looking at options.
07 April 2018, 12:19 PM
#14
This thread is relevant to my own circumstance.
I live in a flat with off-road parking, so cannot run a conditioner out to the car. So, every Xmas, I effectively kill my battery over the 11-day holiday...what with the extended time period and how cold it is.
I simply cannot be arsed to take the battery out and condition it indoors. So, over the previous 3 years or so, have wasted money on buying a replacement, every year!
As a result, if the weather is cold(ish) and the car is left over the weekend without driving it, the now less-than-perfect battery can - but not always - lose just enough charge for it to not be able to crank over the engine, on the Monday morning.
As you can imagine, I'm fed up with this, so got one of those (relatively) compact battery chargers (which I charge up over the weekend).
It works... But not if it's REALLY cold, and/or if the car is left undriven for an extended period. For these scenarios, I use one of the two legacy batteries that I 'killed' previously (which gets charged up over the weekend, also)... As they still have enough charging capacity in them to be able to act as 'works every time'-boosters.
Basically, I'm a lazy **** and stuff.
I live in a flat with off-road parking, so cannot run a conditioner out to the car. So, every Xmas, I effectively kill my battery over the 11-day holiday...what with the extended time period and how cold it is.
I simply cannot be arsed to take the battery out and condition it indoors. So, over the previous 3 years or so, have wasted money on buying a replacement, every year!
As a result, if the weather is cold(ish) and the car is left over the weekend without driving it, the now less-than-perfect battery can - but not always - lose just enough charge for it to not be able to crank over the engine, on the Monday morning.
As you can imagine, I'm fed up with this, so got one of those (relatively) compact battery chargers (which I charge up over the weekend).
It works... But not if it's REALLY cold, and/or if the car is left undriven for an extended period. For these scenarios, I use one of the two legacy batteries that I 'killed' previously (which gets charged up over the weekend, also)... As they still have enough charging capacity in them to be able to act as 'works every time'-boosters.
Basically, I'm a lazy **** and stuff.
Last edited by joz8968; 07 April 2018 at 06:58 PM.
07 April 2018, 01:00 PM
#16
Originally Posted by ossett2k2
Lol joz
I'm also a lazy tw@t but I think I'll take the bugger of...
I'm also a lazy tw@t but I think I'll take the bugger of...
Can we convert our usual screw-clamp battery terminals to some kind of snap-on/off quick-release system?
Surely, there must be something available out there...?
07 April 2018, 01:07 PM
#17
Originally Posted by joz8968
Can we convert our usual screw-clamp battery terminals to some kind of snap-on/off quick-release system?
Surely, there must be something available out there...?
Surely, there must be something available out there...?
https://m.cafago.com/en/p-k4153.html...gaAv7YEALw_wcB
I'm guessing they're not a good idea, though... As surely 'everyone' would be fitting them?
Last edited by joz8968; 07 April 2018 at 01:08 PM.
07 April 2018, 04:33 PM
#20
Originally Posted by jaygsi
Joz every year? That's insane. Why does the winter kill your battery? Why not just get one with a long guaranty? Then take it back when goes naff.
Well, looking at it logically, there 'MUST' be a parasitic drain somewhere... But I have no idea why/where. The only thing (that at least I'm aware of) which draws current, is the small flashing red light on the immobiliser. But surely it can't be that, as why wouldn't other cars suffer the same...
My alternator is healthy, putting out 14.5V, no worn bearing noises, etc.
I know Halfords do a free check, using that LED lights indicator thing... Do you reckon they'll find the problem? A work colleague had a similar situation, and Halfords did indeed suss it (to a boot light that didn't turn off when the boot was shut).
Last edited by joz8968; 07 April 2018 at 06:46 PM.
07 April 2018, 08:00 PM
#21
Still shouldn't knacker the battery up. Will it not hold its charge after? If not i'd take it back. Thats just crazy. Still trying get this ebay company to send me a new battery out. They said if no fault is found with it i would need to pay another £12 to get it back, but it won't hold a charge.
07 April 2018, 08:10 PM
#22
It does charge up and holds (enough of) its charge 90% of the time, no issues.
Just that when its cold AND it hasn't by been driven for about 60 hrs, it loses enough charge for it not to be able to crank the engine. And that has been brought about because of the Xmas period and not driving it for the c.11 days over said period - thus irrevocably depleting the battery's ability to hold charge, thereafter. (<<< 'My' definition of a 'killed' battery).
But even then, it's surely highly unusual for a battery to go flat after only those 11 days of the Xmas holidays (cold or not)?! Which is the crux of your line of questioning... And I agree with you!
This is what leads me to assume that there surely is some kind of parasitic drain somewhere...
Just that when its cold AND it hasn't by been driven for about 60 hrs, it loses enough charge for it not to be able to crank the engine. And that has been brought about because of the Xmas period and not driving it for the c.11 days over said period - thus irrevocably depleting the battery's ability to hold charge, thereafter. (<<< 'My' definition of a 'killed' battery).
But even then, it's surely highly unusual for a battery to go flat after only those 11 days of the Xmas holidays (cold or not)?! Which is the crux of your line of questioning... And I agree with you!
This is what leads me to assume that there surely is some kind of parasitic drain somewhere...
Last edited by joz8968; 07 April 2018 at 08:23 PM.
07 April 2018, 08:28 PM
#25
So you replace your battery instead of recharging it?
Wow can i have your old batters. Save me aload of money.
Had same with my car aswell, few weeks off the road and battery is flat, i blame aftermarket alarm. Just needs recharging. But this cheapo one i bought won't even work after recharging. Bosch one lasted about 2 years. Still no good.
Wow can i have your old batters. Save me aload of money.
Had same with my car aswell, few weeks off the road and battery is flat, i blame aftermarket alarm. Just needs recharging. But this cheapo one i bought won't even work after recharging. Bosch one lasted about 2 years. Still no good.
It does charge up and holds (enough of) its charge 90% of the time, no issues.
Just that when its cold AND it hasn't by been driven for about 60 hrs, it loses enough charge for it not to be able to crank the engine. And that has been brought about because of the Xmas period and not driving it for the c.11 days over said period - thus irrevocably depleting the battery's ability to hold charge, thereafter. (<<< 'My' definition of a 'killed' battery).
But even then, it's surely highly unusual for a battery to go flat after only 11 days (cold or not)?! Which is the crux of your line of questioning... And I agree with you!
This is what leads me to believe that there surely is some kind of parasitic drain somewhere...
Just that when its cold AND it hasn't by been driven for about 60 hrs, it loses enough charge for it not to be able to crank the engine. And that has been brought about because of the Xmas period and not driving it for the c.11 days over said period - thus irrevocably depleting the battery's ability to hold charge, thereafter. (<<< 'My' definition of a 'killed' battery).
But even then, it's surely highly unusual for a battery to go flat after only 11 days (cold or not)?! Which is the crux of your line of questioning... And I agree with you!
This is what leads me to believe that there surely is some kind of parasitic drain somewhere...
07 April 2018, 08:34 PM
#27
Originally Posted by jaygsi
So you replace your battery instead of recharging it?
I did. For the previous three years (2015, 2016, 2017) in each January, IIRC.
But got fed up doing that and of the obvious expense involved. So I now use a modern compact battery charger...or one of the old batteries as a booster (dependent on how much the battery on the car has discharged)
Last edited by joz8968; 07 April 2018 at 09:44 PM.
12 April 2018, 12:16 PM
#29
Scooby Regular
Back in days when I had my wrx classic shape I took a wire off which was located in the fuse box under the bonnet when I left it anywhere this cut all electrics off and made a good immobiliser easier than taking battery leads of for sure
it was a M Reg wrx
it was a M Reg wrx
