Battery Charging...
Discussion
Unfortunately I don't have an electric socket where I park, so if I leave the car for too long without starting it, the battery will go flat (this hasn't happened and is obviously not good for the car/battery if it does)...
So I have limited options...
1) take the car out every few weeks to ensure the battery is maintained (not too much of a problem and the most enjoyable of the options available, although not always practical if away from home or a long winter etc.)
2) Start the car up and let it idle for 5 mins or so every now and then - is this wise, can it cause problems? If it is OK, how long would be necessary to charge the battery, is 5 mins enough?
3) Plug in a battery pack (powerpack) into the power socket in either boot or passenger footwell - this would mean recharging the power pack every so often and putting it back into the car - effectively this would act as a trickle charger? Would this even work?
Any ideas/comments would be appreciated!
Cheers
So I have limited options...
1) take the car out every few weeks to ensure the battery is maintained (not too much of a problem and the most enjoyable of the options available, although not always practical if away from home or a long winter etc.)
2) Start the car up and let it idle for 5 mins or so every now and then - is this wise, can it cause problems? If it is OK, how long would be necessary to charge the battery, is 5 mins enough?
3) Plug in a battery pack (powerpack) into the power socket in either boot or passenger footwell - this would mean recharging the power pack every so often and putting it back into the car - effectively this would act as a trickle charger? Would this even work?
Any ideas/comments would be appreciated!
Cheers
LordBretSinclair said:
Drive it !!!!!!
Ticking over for 5 minutes may charge the battery but it's not doing the rest of the car any good. A decent drive will get the engine properly warmed up and give the brakes and all the electrics etc a "work out".
yes, this is my thought! Ticking over for 5 minutes may charge the battery but it's not doing the rest of the car any good. A decent drive will get the engine properly warmed up and give the brakes and all the electrics etc a "work out".
- and 99% of the time this is the solution - it's just the odd couple of months a year when i'm not around as much that I need a solution...john ryan said:
The battery pack idea is a good one, but I think it will discharge along with the main battery, so it will be a bit longer until voltage falls below a useful level. How long it will last is a matter of trial. I presume you use the battery disconnect button?
Yes, the powerpack will definitely discharge as it won't be mains-powered, but will probably double the life of the car-battery? So I'm guessing would get a good month without needing to worry? What/where is the battery disconnect button??!
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