Bugger... Dead battery...

[The_Edge]

Got a slow charger integrated into the Cerb, which I thought was plugged in as usual to keep everything tip top, but someone (ahem - Mrs ) unplugged the extension because she didn't think it was doing anything, so the battery drained completely.

Reconnected everything in the hope and expectation that it would all be just hunky dorey again after a recharge, but no.

Charger reads "mediocre halfway house of amber". As soon as I open a door or boot, we're straight back down to red, and she's dead again

So a couple of things:

1. Is the battery likely to be completely shot now? I suspect yes. It's not a cheap one tho, so just checking there's nothing to try here...

2. Any suggestions on how to resolve from here? Recommendations of visiting/mobile battery fitters?! Or phone an indie who could pick her up I guess? Anyone got any experience with either? (in Kent if that makes any odds?)

Cheers

Edge

[TV8]

Not sure where the battery is kept in the Cerbera, but it cant be that much worse than an early Chimaera. I changed mine yesterday and it took 5 mins to get out and 15 to put back together. I am not known for my speed of work on cars, so provided you have a 13mm spanner and a local motor factors, you should get some change out of two hours including buying the battery!

[The_Edge]

TV8 said:

Not sure where the battery is kept in the Cerbera, but it cant be that much worse than an early Chimaera. I changed mine yesterday and it took 5 mins to get out and 15 to put back together. I am not known for my speed of work on cars, so provided you have a 13mm spanner and a local motor factors, you should get some change out of two hours including buying the battery!

Unfortunately, I think it's probably the worst

[Tanguero]

Most batteries really don't like being deep discharged (unless it is one of the optima types) so it quite possibly has knackered the battery. Changing the battery on the Cerb is a simple 5 minute job providing you find one that fits. Halfords changed the height of their 072 batteries a while ago and made them too tall, so its worth measuring up very carefully. Favorite (though pricy) is an Optima Red Top RTS 42 which will handle a deep discharge and gives much better cold starting performance, and most importantly will fit in the battery bay.

[Gazzab]

Battery in a 4.5 cerb is a slight pita to change.
Remove the panel cover, remove n/s air box, undo clamp, undo pos cable, slide battery forward, undo neg cable, remove battery, take it to a motor factor and get a matching one (size, terminals, cranking).

[neilus]

As mentioned by Tanguero and Gazzab is easy enough to change although a bit of pita.

I would add to Gazzab's instructions:

1. make sure you don't leave the keys in the car
2. leave the drivers door open

Changed mine earlier last year just went to the local autoparts store and got a replacement off the shelf, the CCA could have done with being a bit higher but so far it's been okay.

[TV8]

Sounds ok to fit but not sure what is involved in taking the air bits off.

No crawling about on the floor, lying on your side with your head in the footwell and trying to squeeze a battery in to a raised glassfibre box above the fuse board one handed and then finding a way of getting the heavy duty wiring in place, so that you can the cover on.

[C3BER]

Air bits = "A" key, screw driver eerrrr and that's it.

[Gazzab]

Be careful with airboxes as you don't want anything sucked into engine.

[QBee]

Have you actually tried a 24 hour charge with a proper charger? Or jump starting it and using the excuse to go for an hour or two drive?

I had a total pancake of a chimaera battery thanks to an immobiliser fault. Put it on charge overnight, started fine next day. Halfrauds can sell you a charger for £30. Buy it, try it, if it doesn't work take it back for a refund. You can chek opening times online, but I think they will still be open now

[The_Edge]

QBee said:

Have you actually tried a 24 hour charge with a proper charger? Or jump starting it and using the excuse to go for an hour or two drive?

I had a total pancake of a chimaera battery thanks to an immobiliser fault. Put it on charge overnight, started fine next day. Halfrauds can sell you a charger for £30. Buy it, try it, if it doesn't work take it back for a refund. You can chek opening times online, but I think they will still be open now

"Proper charger"?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

This kinda thing?

[QBee]

I just meant a battery charger rather than a trickle charger, but that looks a nice piece of kit

[Djdan]

How long did you leave the charger on? My accumate took 5 days to recharge my tuscan battery

[QBee]

Djdan said:

How long did you leave the charger on? My accumate took 5 days to recharge my tuscan battery

Accumate is a trickle charger. I stuck a basic £30 battery charger on it for less than 24 hours. Fired first time.

[Djdan]

I am aware of this was just making sure! Its a handy gadget for rescuing deeply flat batteries

[The_Edge]

Djdan said:

I am aware of this was just making sure! Its a handy gadget for rescuing deeply flat batteries

Sorry, what is? The accurate? That's instead and plugged in as we speak...

Or did you mean one of the others?

As far as I could tell that piece of kit from halfrauds would do it all?

[QBee]

I wasn't aware you could get a charger and jump starter for so relatively little money. It's on my shopping list. It's a must have.

[SimonPercy]

QBee said:

I wasn't aware you could get a charger and jump starter for so relatively little money. It's on my shopping list. It's a must have.

Is the jump starter powerful enough to start a spped 6 engine?

[QBee]

SimonPercy said:

QBee said:

I wasn't aware you could get a charger and jump starter for so relatively little money. It's on my shopping list. It's a must have.

Is the jump starter powerful enough to start a spped 6 engine?

HTFWIK? I will see if I can find out......