Going away for two weeks

Going away for two weeks

Author
Discussion

knight

Original Poster:

5,207 posts

279 months

Tuesday 20th May 2014
quotequote all
Off on my hols in a few days and was wondering how best to leave the 7. Do I connect it to a trickle charger or just turn off with the battery isolator handle?

framerateuk

2,733 posts

184 months

Tuesday 20th May 2014
quotequote all
knight said:
Off on my hols in a few days and was wondering how best to leave the 7. Do I connect it to a trickle charger or just turn off with the battery isolator handle?
Depends on the individual car and battery. If I don't use the car for over a week I tend to put the trickle charger on (buy a proper one, I use a CTEK and it's been great). For less than a fortnight it'll probably be fine though, even without the battery isolator turned. If you're going away I'd probably just flick the switch off.

I've had no battery problems though, so don't tend to worry that much. Has your battery been reliable? Have you not left it more than a couple of weeks without using it?

davidball

731 posts

202 months

Tuesday 20th May 2014
quotequote all
I have a CTEK trickle charger and they are good. I would turn the battery isolator off and connect the CTEK.

knight

Original Poster:

5,207 posts

279 months

Tuesday 20th May 2014
quotequote all
Only had the car since the 1st May so it's not been left for more than a few days. I have an optimate charger so I might just connect that up.

Agent Orange

2,194 posts

246 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
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It's only a short time but I'd hook it up to a decent charger. For what it's worth I have a CTEK MXS 3.6.

I have literally just started the car an hour or so ago for the first time since October last year. Fired up first time on the button and into a perfect idle instantly. smile

knight

Original Poster:

5,207 posts

279 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
Just took it for a quick run then tucked it back up in the garage and put the optimate on smile I've left the bonnet on the garage floor but sitting on a couple of pieces of wood, I guess this is the done thing?

Agent Orange

2,194 posts

246 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
Any reason why the bonnet needs to be off the car? It probably won't but more likely to be damaged on the floor than it is on the car.

I just drop the charger cables through the bottom of the chassis.

ghibbett

1,901 posts

185 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
knight said:
I've left the bonnet on the garage floor but sitting on a couple of pieces of wood,
You need one of these biggrin





framerateuk

2,733 posts

184 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
I just used to not clip the bonnet back on and leave the cables coming out between it and the side panel...

Ended up buying a 12v connector the CTEK charger though, so now I just plug it into the 12v charger on the dash.

Agent Orange

2,194 posts

246 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
ghibbett said:
You need one of these biggrin



You know what I had no idea that I did - but you're right. I do NEED one! biggrin

knight

Original Poster:

5,207 posts

279 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
Agent Orange said:
ghibbett said:
You need one of these biggrin



You know what I had no idea that I did - but you're right. I do NEED one! biggrin
I'm thinking exactly the same smile

knight

Original Poster:

5,207 posts

279 months

Wednesday 21st May 2014
quotequote all
Agent Orange said:
Any reason why the bonnet needs to be off the car? It probably won't but more likely to be damaged on the floor than it is on the car.

I just drop the charger cables through the bottom of the chassis.
I don't know really, didn't want the cable being pulled by the bonnet I guess, but upon thinking about it and having another look, the cable doesn't interfere with the bonnet so it's back on the car smile

one eyed mick

1,189 posts

161 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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In my honest opinion if a car wont start on its own battery after two weeks said car has a battery problem!! don't care whether it's a caterthing or a rolls you have a problem, my RH will start after winter lay up ,upto 6 months with no extra charge ! ,cure disable the immobiliser I know it works

Krismuss

92 posts

187 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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I can vouch that the battery in Knights car is two years old tops and the car always started after a long lay off without any charging (though I used to after the winter as a precaution)!

smile

Mostro

727 posts

207 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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Depends what engine - if you have a K-series with the Rover immobiliser, that can drain your battery in a couple of weeks. Also depends on the battery - you don't want to completely flatten something like a Powervamp because it could kill it for good.

I always connect to the CTEK when the car is in the garage as I have both of these, unless I know I'm going to use it again in a few days. Connects via the 12v socket under the dash so no messing with the bonnet. It also conditions the battery via a cycle of pulses which is good for its longevity and takes away that uncertainty of will it/won't it start after a lay up. Again mine starts instantly every time no matter how long it's been left.

Edited by Mostro on Thursday 22 May 21:25