How to charge MGB 6V batteries?

[MGgeordie]

Apologies for appearing to be dumb, but I just want to make sure before I do this. I need to charge the 2 six volt batteries on my MGB. I am planning to leave them in situ in the car. My charger is a 12V charger. If I connect the negative to one battery & the positive to the other battery and switch the charger on then will this be ok? I assume the batteries are in series so charging from one negative and the opposite battery positive with a 12V charger should be fine....

Is this right?

Cheers.

[redchina]

Short answer - yes.

Long answer... And to be sure.
Take a multimeter and go across both batteries, this will give you close to 12V confirming the voltage and the connection.

Then charge using the points that you used with the multimeter, till you get to >12.5V

[MGgeordie]

Great, cheers. just wanted to make 100% sure before I switched the charger on!!!

[williredale]

You'll be fine. I used a 12V jump start pack on them for ages after I ruined one of the batteries. I replaced them with one 12V battery which was much cheaper and better at starting.

[nta16]

as you'll charging the batteries with the positive and earth leads discounted it would also be a good time to clean and inspect the battery post clamps and the leads and connections at the other ends

and before charging, cleaning and checking the lead and post clamps that joins the two batteries together, then putting back on knowing the joining lead, clamps battery posts are all clean and in good condition

also check the electrolyte (distilled water) level

batteries in good condition and good charge help a car no end and batteries in poor condition and/or poor charge can hinder a car no end

Edited by nta16 on Tuesday 10th December 19:10

[MGgeordie]

Cheers, I will do. The batteries are fairly new, less than 6 months old. I drained them trying to start the car (it has a starting issue which I need to address!). I should have stopped trying the moment I knew it wasnt going to play.

The starting issues are :

The starter keeps turning after the engine has fired so you need to knock the battery cut off switch off and back on again quickly to stop it. I assume either the starter is goosed or the solenoid is the culprit?

The choke cable is snapped so I think the previous owner has set it to run really rich to get it to start. It has always fired previously but I reckon if it is set to run rich then the plugs are now fouled.

As I have no electric in my garage (must get some connected), then these dark nights means Im not getting the jobs done that I need too....roll on March (or some electric!!)

[Skyedriver]

MGgeordie said:

Cheers, I will do. The batteries are fairly new, less than 6 months old. I drained them trying to start the car (it has a starting issue which I need to address!). I should have stopped trying the moment I knew it wasnt going to play.

The starting issues are :

The starter keeps turning after the engine has fired so you need to knock the battery cut off switch off and back on again quickly to stop it. I assume either the starter is goosed or the solenoid is the culprit?

The choke cable is snapped so I think the previous owner has set it to run really rich to get it to start. It has always fired previously but I reckon if it is set to run rich then the plugs are now fouled.

As I have no electric in my garage (must get some connected), then these dark nights means Im not getting the jobs done that I need too....roll on March (or some electric!!)

And they are a PITA to get at and lift out 1972 MGB Roadster(1977 -1979)

[nta16]

MGgeordie said:

Cheers, I will do. The batteries are fairly new, less than 6 months old.

IIRC this car is new to you, are you sure the batteries are only 6 months old, if so they shouldn't take much charging

MGgeordie said:

The starting issues are :

The starter keeps turning after the engine has fired so you need to knock the battery cut off switch off and back on again quickly to stop it. I assume either the starter is goosed or the solenoid is the culprit?

never assume, do step by step diagnostic checks to find the cause - is everything wired correctly, are there any non-factory additions wired to the car (such as cut-out)

MGgeordie said:

The choke cable is snapped so I think the previous owner has set it to run really rich to get it to start. It has always fired previously but I reckon if it is set to run rich then the plugs are now fouled.

again don't assume, look at the carb jet position, take the plugs out to see what they look like and that they are the correct type, if they are take a photo of them as they are as someone here (not me) might be able to tell things from the photo - then clean and check the gap

MGgeordie said:

As I have no electric in my garage (must get some connected), then these dark nights means Im not getting the jobs done that I need too....roll on March (or some electric!!)

could you not do some of the simple service work that doesn't require the engine running from cleaning and lubricating, if only oiling hinges, cleaning electric connections, etc.