New Battery (vs) Booster Pack

[Phil_Edge]

10 days sleeping in a comfy, covered, warm, underground carpark and teh battery's given up the ghost...

I'm off (with a little luck!) to see Carl Baker tomorrow, so have the morning to resolve the issue!!! Your thoughts and experiences would be welcome as to the best way forward.

At the end of day it's a relatively minor problem, but with a couple of solutions:

1. New battery - so where? Halfords? KwikFit? Suggestions welcome... and any advice which might keep me from going too far wrong. An 072 is it?

2. Portable Power Pack - Halfords again. £75 at the end of the day... but is it just a short term fix? After which I'll maybe need to get a new battery any way?

I'm probably tending toward the battery, but having read about the potential fitting problems, would be keen to try and get the vendor to fit it...

Thoughts?

Thanks - Phil.

[markh1]

If I leave my cerb for a week or so my battery also dies, however a jump start usually solves the problem. However it is very irritating. What batteries do people use to get over this problem?

p.s. sorry for hijacking the thread

[FUBAR]

markh1 said:

What batteries do people use to get over this problem?

Accumate or similar if you have power nearby

[ro_butler]

Get an optimate (or similar) if you can. Car batteries don't seem to like being 'deep cycled' and fail if you constantly run them flat.

My current car is fine if left but my old one wasn't as good.
I've also noticed the starter on my new one seems less powerful than on my old car
(turns the car over less quickly) so it could simply be that the lower power starter demands less current hence is easier for a depleted battery?

Anyhow, changing the battery is a pain so get someone else to do it!

[julian64]

Me thinks even a half decent batter would survive a week without any problem.

If I can suggest you have a car with poor earths and that its likely that you have a standing current draw as your problem.

With your car all closed and alarmed but with the bonnet open remove the nearest battery terminal while keeping an ammeter connected to both the lead and the disconnected terminal and tell us what the current reading is.

[marcus1970]

I did both.

New battery from Halfords £80'ish with 3 year new for old guarantee - 072.

Battery booster from halfords £60'ish - charge from mains - comes with jump leads, light, tyre inflator with guage and plug socket etc - very handy.

Car is much more reliable with a nice new battery.

MB

[Phil_Edge]

julian64 said:

Me thinks even a half decent batter would survive a week without any problem.

If I can suggest you have a car with poor earths and that its likely that you have a standing current draw as your problem.

With your car all closed and alarmed but with the bonnet open remove the nearest battery terminal while keeping an ammeter connected to both the lead and the disconnected terminal and tell us what the current reading is.

Update: Jumped first time with very little effort. Been starting fine since, after a reasonable run.

Agree - a week should be, and used to be, no problem. So could well be earth and/or battery condition...

Unfortunately don't have the array of tinkering tools that most people have I'm afraid, so might be worth getting her down to someone to have a look at the earths as you suggest, as a preventative precaution.

Andy @ APM? Or more someone else's domain on the electrical side?

Thanks,

Phil.

(I have the "plug in the boot" all installed, but no power close by unfortunately)

[FUBAR]

Id be tempted to let Carl Baker have a look at the electrics side of things. He knows his onions

[julian64]

Phil_Edge said:

julian64 said:

Me thinks even a half decent batter would survive a week without any problem.

If I can suggest you have a car with poor earths and that its likely that you have a standing current draw as your problem.

With your car all closed and alarmed but with the bonnet open remove the nearest battery terminal while keeping an ammeter connected to both the lead and the disconnected terminal and tell us what the current reading is.

Update: Jumped first time with very little effort. Been starting fine since, after a reasonable run.

Agree - a week should be, and used to be, no problem. So could well be earth and/or battery condition...

Unfortunately don't have the array of tinkering tools that most people have I'm afraid, so might be worth getting her down to someone to have a look at the earths as you suggest, as a preventative precaution.

Andy @ APM? Or more someone else's domain on the electrical side?

Thanks,

Phil.

(I have the "plug in the boot" all installed, but no power close by unfortunately)

An avometer costs £3 last time I bought one from maplins. At that price I tend to buy a few and leave them in the back of the cars next to the tyre inflating gunk.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN AVO YOU ARE ONLY HALF A MAN!

[Phil_Edge]

julian64 said:

Phil_Edge said:

julian64 said:

Me thinks even a half decent batter would survive a week without any problem.

If I can suggest you have a car with poor earths and that its likely that you have a standing current draw as your problem.

With your car all closed and alarmed but with the bonnet open remove the nearest battery terminal while keeping an ammeter connected to both the lead and the disconnected terminal and tell us what the current reading is.

Update: Jumped first time with very little effort. Been starting fine since, after a reasonable run.

Agree - a week should be, and used to be, no problem. So could well be earth and/or battery condition...

Unfortunately don't have the array of tinkering tools that most people have I'm afraid, so might be worth getting her down to someone to have a look at the earths as you suggest, as a preventative precaution.

Andy @ APM? Or more someone else's domain on the electrical side?

Thanks,

Phil.

(I have the "plug in the boot" all installed, but no power close by unfortunately)

An avometer costs £3 last time I bought one from maplins. At that price I tend to buy a few and leave them in the back of the cars next to the tyre inflating gunk.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN AVO YOU ARE ONLY HALF A MAN!

On order.

Can we say 75% now then?

[julian64]

Phil_Edge said:

julian64 said:

Phil_Edge said:

julian64 said:

Me thinks even a half decent batter would survive a week without any problem.

If I can suggest you have a car with poor earths and that its likely that you have a standing current draw as your problem.

With your car all closed and alarmed but with the bonnet open remove the nearest battery terminal while keeping an ammeter connected to both the lead and the disconnected terminal and tell us what the current reading is.

Update: Jumped first time with very little effort. Been starting fine since, after a reasonable run.

Agree - a week should be, and used to be, no problem. So could well be earth and/or battery condition...

Unfortunately don't have the array of tinkering tools that most people have I'm afraid, so might be worth getting her down to someone to have a look at the earths as you suggest, as a preventative precaution.

Andy @ APM? Or more someone else's domain on the electrical side?

Thanks,

Phil.

(I have the "plug in the boot" all installed, but no power close by unfortunately)

An avometer costs £3 last time I bought one from maplins. At that price I tend to buy a few and leave them in the back of the cars next to the tyre inflating gunk.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN AVO YOU ARE ONLY HALF A MAN!

On order.

Can we say 75% now then?

Methinks you will save the cost of that particular item many times over.

P.S. 75% might be a bit high. Currently, the directness of you reply has raised you from a 50 to between 50 and 75. Remember its what you do with it that counts.

[FUBAR]

julian64 said:

[. Remember its what you do with it that counts.

Mrs Fubes said that to me last night?

[julian64]

FUBAR said:

julian64 said:

[. Remember its what you do with it that counts.

Mrs Fubes said that to me last night?

Always nice to have someone explain the innuendo

Thanks.

[ro_butler]

Talking of alll this battery stuff.....

Does anybody know where you can get some extension leads that clip onto the battery and stay there so you dont' have to keep removing the 'inner bonnet' to get at the battery connections? I know you can use the cigarette lighter attachments but I don't fancy leaving the doors open (or ruining the door seals) when trickle charging.

Thanks

[JensenA]

You dont have to remove the top engine cover - attatch the positive of the jumper lead to the positive on your battery, and the negative lead to front metal an air box bracket.

[southendpier]

^^^^what he said. Before I got the alternator changed I mucked about with charging, new 072 battery, built in mains charger AND portable booster.

Sometimes you've just got to bite the bullet and check the alternator, and get it replaced - they get pretty cooked. Since then, I have not had to jump/boost/charge the battery and it will stand over a week of non use.