Weekend car- battery keeps dying

Weekend car- battery keeps dying

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Discussion

Patch888

Original Poster:

701 posts

127 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I'm after a little help to prevent my car battery from dying, only really gets used on weekends, however after being left for 6 days my 2 month old battery is dead again. I've seen the trickle chargers and was after a bit of advice as to how other people avoid their battery draining so quickly.

paintman

7,669 posts

189 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
If disconnecting the battery wouldn't need umpteen electrical items resetting then just fit a battery isolator switch.
If there's lots of electronics that would get upset then use a smart type charger that you can leave connected when the car isn't in use.
You might also want to check for a parasitic battery drain as your battery isn't lasting very long.
And don't forget that the battery might be defective, regardless of how old it is. Fully charge it with a battery charger & see how long it lasts.

Edited by paintman on Thursday 24th July 18:54

Salesy

850 posts

128 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I had the same problem on my Eunos, Purchased a new Bosch S4 battery and thought nothing of it.

3 months later the battery was having trouble starting the car, Checked for parasitic drains and nothing. Battery back to ECP and they swapped it no quibbles.
Back on the car it has been faultless even when left for a couple of weeks with no use.


Patch888

Original Poster:

701 posts

127 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
So maybe it is the battery then, surely shouldn't be going flat so fast.

How do you install an isolator switch?

rovermorris999

5,195 posts

188 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I have several of these:
http://www.carbuildersolutions.com/uk/12v-smart-ba...

Work as described and much cheaper than the others you can buy.

Bungleaio

6,324 posts

201 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I had the same issue. I bought a ctek charger http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00E5VS58Y along with the extension lead http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00ADIHUV... and this quite nifty thing so that I don't need to keep using the crocodile clips directly onto the battery http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002OHXX60/

I've had no issues with the battery since i started using it. It's so simple to use too, plug it in switch it on, i highly recommend it.

Who me ?

7,455 posts

211 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Two solutions -either battery isn't holding a charge ,or it's getting drained. Suggest you fully charge it after last use for a few days and don't connect it till you next want to use car. Car starts OK- drain problem . Doesn't start - battery possibly borked. Back to dealer ,to get battery tested.

Patch888

Original Poster:

701 posts

127 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for all your help and replies, battery is under warranty with euro car parts so can exchange for a new one at the weekend. I think I'll take a look at a few of the products you guys have recommended and see what looks good. Want a nice simple easy solution.

woodypup59

612 posts

151 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Take the bulbs out of boot lights, glove box lights and bonnet lights.

SWITCH the interior light off - the fade-out electronics often remain active.

Turn the radio off, all heater controls to off ...

Patch888

Original Poster:

701 posts

127 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Will all that combined make a huge difference?

Also locking the door with the key rather than the fob that activates alarm and immobiliser should help as well?

Car is locked securely in a garage so not having alarm etc would be ok.

AndySpecD

436 posts

186 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
If by any chance you have a Lion Battery, I've had this same problem and so has someone else I know. He had ECP replace it for another and had the same trouble. I replaced mine (and paid the extra) for a Bosch and not had a problem since. My mate has now had to do the same.

Patch888

Original Poster:

701 posts

127 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Funny that....l it is a lion battery. Upgrade time.

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
To be honest I'd get a multimeter and have a look at the drain - that advice above is spot on. Find the cause of the drain and fix it, all cars should be able to sit for a week or two without any trouble. smile

BFG TERRANO

2,172 posts

147 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I bought a solar battery maintainer from maplin for twenty quid. Lay it on the dash, wires out the door under the bonnet and on the battery, job done. Does what it claims, maintains a good battery.

paintman

7,669 posts

189 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Patch888 said:
Funny that....l it is a lion battery. Upgrade time.
In which case my suspicion falls on the battery. I also had issues with them - died as soon as the weather got cold - with two replacements under warranty.
Comment from chap behind counter was that they get around 1/3 of them back within the warranty period! I'm trade & I rather think he thought it was for a customer, not my own car hence the unguarded comment.
If you have - or know someone who has - a Halfords trade card the discount on their batteries is large.

Edited by paintman on Thursday 24th July 23:43

Patch888

Original Poster:

701 posts

127 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
I'm exchanging the lion battery tommorow and paying the extra to upgrade to a bosch, chap on the phone wasn't to kind about the lion batteries either.

996TT02

3,308 posts

139 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Patch888 said:
I'm exchanging the lion battery tommorow and paying the extra to upgrade to a bosch, chap on the phone wasn't to kind about the lion batteries either.
You don't know whether the battery is the problem and you are replacing it.

If you have a drain (many modern Porsches and many "weekend" type cars do) you can have the best battery in the world and it will still go flat.

No mention of what car either?

InitialDave

11,854 posts

118 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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I have a couple of C-Tek battery conditioners, the smallest model (0.8A output). Works just fine for my cars.

Alucidnation

16,810 posts

169 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Another c-tek here.

Was just about to buy a new battery (current one around 3 years old with little use) and it was suggested i bought the 5.0

Reconditioned the battery and it was like brand new again.

It can also be connected and left for weeks as it monitors the battery voltage and squirts a bit of charge when it falls below a certain level. The kit comes with a quick connect lead that can be left permanently fixed to the battery so its plug and play!

Bloody brilliant.

Patch888

Original Poster:

701 posts

127 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
996TT02 said:
Patch888 said:
I'm exchanging the lion battery tommorow and paying the extra to upgrade to a bosch, chap on the phone wasn't to kind about the lion batteries either.
You don't know whether the battery is the problem and you are replacing it.

If you have a drain (many modern Porsches and many "weekend" type cars do) you can have the best battery in the world and it will still go flat.

No mention of what car either?
The car is a fiesta ST, mountune MR200.