Bugger - Flat battery...

[hughjayteens]

Went to take my Chim out for a spin in yesterday's sunshine and it wouldn't start .

Turned over very slowly and then laughed at me. Ended up jump starting it off the Clio and it ran fine. Went for a 50 mile+ drive (in traffic and on M Way) and then got home. Tried it and it started fine, so went for another 10 miles blat, and then it was flat again this morning.

I did 100 miles+ on Sunday, so it has not been stood for any length of time, and in the past it has been stood for a week and started fine.

Does this sound like a duff battery? The fact that it started fine after the 50 mile run suggests to me that the alternator is supplying charge, but does the fact that it is flat 2 hours later mean that the battery is duff????

I didn't even put the alarm on as I thought this could be the reason.



I have only had the car 3 months, done 2500 miles and to be honest, I am getting pretty peed off with it .

Any suggestions before I send her off to the doctors?

[manek]

I had a similar problem recently. I ended up buying a spare battery (doesn't need to be TVR spec so only about £40), ensured it was fully charged and hooked it up in parallel with the original. This both ensured I had enough juice to start the car and kept the charge on the original topped up (I took the spare battery indoors for a recharge after every time I used the car) and after a few days of this the problem went away.

What seems to happen is that a nearly discharged battery gets 'sticky' and doesn't want to recharge unless given a gentle charge over a relatively long period.

One alternative you might be able to do if you have a garage or hard standing outside your house (I have neither) is leave it on charge using an intelligent charger for a 2-3 days.

Good luck.

[duncan m]

quote:

Leave it on charge using an intelligent charger for a 2-3 days.

Had the same problem last year - left the car for a month without driving it (was working away and having to drive hire cars, Puntos and the like ). Dead as a doornail or what, when I came to try to start it when I got home!!!

Solution, I now have a charger that plugs into the ciggie-lighter and can be left on all the time, keeping the battery in tip-top condition. I bought the charger from a TVR dealer (well over priced at £70 as I have since seen them cheaper on the net), but even at that price it was money well spent. The bu@@er of trying having to dive into the footwell to attach jump leads, or replace the battery is really not worth it!

Try www.leventechnology.co.uk/ as I think they do them...

Duncan

[MikeyT]

quote:

I have only had the car 3 months, done 2500 miles and to be honest, I am getting pretty peed off with it

Hugh, sounds like the battery – in the words of David Soul – 'don't give up on it baby'.

[hughjayteens]

I hope it is just the battery - It is in for it's 24k service very soon so I;ll get it changed....

I have agreed to give it at least 6 months before making any decisions on whether or not to keep the car - On sunday when I was driving through Oxfordshire with the roof down I was the happiest man alive, and then 3 days later it won't start....

In all fairness, it has been hassle free up to now, but just very expensive to maintain......

All part of the 'fun' I suppose!!!

[SpikesTVR]

Sounds like the same issue I had when I bought my car last Oct. Ended up knowing all the local RAC blokes after they kept visiting to start the car for me. I bought a new battery and have had no problems since even after not using car for 2 weeks with the alarm switched on. Best £50 I spent, especially now that we are getting a few nice weather days.

[hughjayteens]

I am off to Dave Batty's on Monday to get the battery checked and replaced if necessary so hopefully next week will be more fun!