Flat Battery

[Naughty Cal]

Ok i admit this isnt on the boat its on the XR4i.

 

The insurance renewal has just been paid which has started a bit of a flurry of activity to get it back on the road again after a break of nearly two years.

 

It had a new Varta starter battery installed just before it was put to sleep last time but as you would expect this has gone flat whilst the car has been stood. We know we should have charged it in the meantime but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

So we have took it off the car and left in on a trickle charge for a couple of days. Last night the charger insisted that the battery couldnt take any more charge so we turned it off and are going to leave it standing over the weekend.

 

So the question is just what is the chance of this battery surviving its ordeal? Are we just clutching at straws?

 

Should we try it on the car next week or turn the charger on again and give it another charge?

[Beaker]

I dare bet it's knackered after two years, especially if it's gradually discharged over that time (clock etc.)

[Ray T]

I believe perceived wisdom when a boat is winterised is to keep the batteries fully charged, so would a car battery be different?

 

We bought a "spare" battery for the boat and didn't use it for 18 months, when we did try to use it, it was knacked.

 

My track day toy doesn't get much day to day use and a new battery only lasted a year because it was not regularly charged.

 

That's my experience with batteries.

[alan_fincher]

You may get away with it, you may not.

 

When I was ill we certainly did nothing with the boat for well over a year, with no attempt made to charge the batteries, and they all went on to give quite a bit more service.

 

Has the car been outside, or in a garage?

 

I don't think you will achieve much by trying further charging on it though - if it doesn't work reliably enough after the charger thinks it has done its best now, I would probably say it isn't worth trying a whole heap more.

 

Of course to some extent it depends how serious it is to you if the car will not start without bother. Generally I need a car to start if I need it, without question, but if you for example only use this one for "playing" you might be less bothered if it started letting you down, perhaps?

[pete.i]

Ok i admit this isnt on the boat its on the XR4i.

 

The insurance renewal has just been paid which has started a bit of a flurry of activity to get it back on the road again after a break of nearly two years.

 

It had a new Varta starter battery installed just before it was put to sleep last time but as you would expect this has gone flat whilst the car has been stood. We know we should have charged it in the meantime but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

So we have took it off the car and left in on a trickle charge for a couple of days. Last night the charger insisted that the battery couldnt take any more charge so we turned it off and are going to leave it standing over the weekend.

 

So the question is just what is the chance of this battery surviving its ordeal? Are we just clutching at straws?

 

Should we try it on the car next week or turn the charger on again and give it another charge?

 

 

Surely it's all a bit of a non-question. Charge it, try it. If it works good on you you saved the price of a new battery. If it doesn't work then buy a new one. I know that everyone is going to say that "well it could fail at a critical time blaah blah blah" but so (and they do) could a new one fail.

 

Pete

[Tony Brooks]

 

 

Surely it's all a bit of a non-question. Charge it, try it. If it works good on you you saved the price of a new battery. If it doesn't work then buy a new one. I know that everyone is going to say that "well it could fail at a critical time blaah blah blah" but so (and they do) could a new one fail.

 

Pete

 

 

Yes, but its unlikely to. The number of cycles it has been subjected to will be low so any problem is far more likely to be sulphation. As long as the sulphation does not rub through the separators it should last, be it at a reduced capacity. As long a sit works keep using it.

[matty40s]

Scrap it, you can get quite a bit for them.

 

 

oh, and the battery too, thats another tenner.

[bottle]

I would be more worried about the engine, if not set up for that long a term of non use.

[Naughty Cal]

You may get away with it, you may not.

 

When I was ill we certainly did nothing with the boat for well over a year, with no attempt made to charge the batteries, and they all went on to give quite a bit more service.

 

Has the car been outside, or in a garage?

 

I don't think you will achieve much by trying further charging on it though - if it doesn't work reliably enough after the charger thinks it has done its best now, I would probably say it isn't worth trying a whole heap more.

 

Of course to some extent it depends how serious it is to you if the car will not start without bother. Generally I need a car to start if I need it, without question, but if you for example only use this one for "playing" you might be less bothered if it started letting you down, perhaps?

The car has been sat in the garage. Battery flattened by misc items such as clock, stereo and alarm.

 

It isn't the end of the world if the car doesn't start whilst we are at home but it would be nice to think that if we take it out it will get us home again!

 

Will give it a go on the car next week see if it works or not. The one positive is that the car always fires first turn of the key. If it starts it's off to the petrol station to fill it up and jet wash it. Looks like a barn find at the minute covered in dust! Then MOT time!

I would be more worried about the engine, if not set up for that long a term of non use.

The engine will be fine. It was freshly serviced before it was driven into the garage. We will spin it over a few times to get the oil round it before firing it up.

 

It always fires first turn of the key, well when the battery is charged!

Scrap it, you can get quite a bit for them.

 

 

oh, and the battery too, thats another tenner.

It's worth a bit more as a car then scrap value.........

[MtB]

The car has been sat in the garage. Battery flattened by misc items such as clock, stereo and alarm.

 

These items will flatten the battery in my hobby Scooby in about two weeks. Consequently I had a battery isolator switch fitted so there is no drain on it when the car is parked up. Works well provided I remember to turn it OFF.

 

If I forget, then jump starting the car after three months (say) seems to work fine and the battery recovers despite being drained utterly flat.

 

MtB

.

[harve90]

Use it or loose it, that is the way with batteries.

[Naughty Cal]

 

These items will flatten the battery in my hobby Scooby in about two weeks. Consequently I had a battery isolator switch fitted so there is no drain on it when the car is parked up. Works well provided I remember to turn it OFF.

 

If I forget, then jump starting the car after three months (say) seems to work fine and the battery recovers despite being drained utterly flat.

 

MtB

.

Now that's not a bad idea.

[Beaker]

I would be more worried about the engine, if not set up for that long a term of non use.

 

I would check the tyres are OK too, if it's been stood in one position for that long.

[Naughty Cal]

 

I would check the tyres are OK too, if it's been stood in one position for that long.

Hopefully they are as it had four brand new yokohama's fitted just before it was put to bed!

[Ex- Member]

You can revive lead acid batteries, I've done a few now, the first one I did was for our forklift truck, it's still going now must be 2 years on and originally wouldn't hold a charge.

 

You need to check each cell first, if any cell is dead sling it, it's unlikely it can be restored. If cells are ok though there a pretty simple process to restore them, Epsom Salts are used to de-sulphate and a couple of slow charges.

 

There's lots of u tube tutorials, the one I used was really good but can't find it, but many other tutorials are the same.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlSJ-g_xftY

[Naughty Cal]

It's a sealed battery!

[Guest]

We had this once when we laid up a Renault Clio for over a year.

 

We charged it up when we brought it out of hibernation and it was actually fine for many weeks afterwards until we traded it in.

 

You might be lucky.

[Ex- Member]

It's a sealed battery!

 

It can be done with many sealed as well, but it's a lot more difficult as you'll need to prise open the casing,

[Guest]

Hopefully they are as it had four brand new yokohama's fitted just before it was put to bed!

 

it's an interesting point raised by Beaker as ideally a car so stored should ideally be off it's wheels on axle stands.

 

We noticed our Clio had a very slight but noticeable 'wobble' to the ride after it had been stored for so long. On taking it to a local tyre dealer who we trust not to rip us off they advised changing all four. Luckily they were well worn anyway so it was no real hardship, it is worth checking though.

[Naughty Cal]

Will check them as well as the brakes which were also new!

[smileypete]

Don't you have a friend in the trade who can give you a good deal on a new one? I doubt the 'smart' charger you have will do a lot of good, but you never know.

 

Some careful EQ from a basic charger worked for me with a car unused over a year, but only in a limited way; started fine the first time but then struggled and wouldn't start after that, so something inside the batt must have gone pear shaped.

 

So if it does start try waiting overnight then starting again just in case.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited November 22, 2013 by smileypete

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

We'll,as it had already been suggested try it,& let us know.

Good luck,

See you down Halfords !.

[Naughty Cal]

Don't you have a friend in the trade who can give you a good deal on a new one? I doubt the 'smart' charger you have will do a lot of good, but you never know.

 

Some careful EQ from a basic charger worked for me with a car unused over a year, but only in a limited way; started fine the first time but then struggled and wouldn't start after that, so something inside the batt must have gone pear shaped.

 

So if it does start try waiting overnight then starting again just in case.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

We do indeed have a friend in the trade which is where this battery came from in the first instance. Want to give it a go at charging though before we go cap in hand for a new one

We'll,as it had already been suggested try it,& let us know.

Good luck,

See you down Halfords !.

We never go to Halfrauds

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

We do indeed have a friend in the trade which is where this battery came from in the first instance. Want to give it a go at charging though before we go cap in hand for a new one:lol:

We never go to Halfrauds

Actually,,yours IS a much better name I think..

I suppose its like anything,you pay for convenience.

[Higgs]

Will check them as well as the brakes which were also new!

 

 

With the weight of the car, the tyres can develope a 'flat spot' if not rolled into a different position occasionally when not used.