Accumate: Does the green light mean my battery's okay?
Discussion
I suspect the answer is "not necessarily"!
In recent weeks I've noticed that my diesel SEAT Ibiza has been a bit sluggish on the starter, and not surprisingly in the very cold weather in recent days it's been particularly bad. It is getting on for 8 years old, so I suppose it's entirely possible the battery is ferked.
Today, after I got back from a modest drive in the SEAT, I decided to unplug the TVR from its Accumate battery conditioner and plug the SEAT into it, and it has now gone green after maybe three or four hours. I was actually expecting it to take much longer than that. Does this indicate that the battery is okay, or merely that it's reached the right voltage?
If I can be arsed tomorrow then I'll go out and make some readings with a meter (but not right now because I'm in the grip of severe and potentially fatal man-flu).
Any suggestions of specific readings or tests I should do before condemning the battery?
In recent weeks I've noticed that my diesel SEAT Ibiza has been a bit sluggish on the starter, and not surprisingly in the very cold weather in recent days it's been particularly bad. It is getting on for 8 years old, so I suppose it's entirely possible the battery is ferked.
Today, after I got back from a modest drive in the SEAT, I decided to unplug the TVR from its Accumate battery conditioner and plug the SEAT into it, and it has now gone green after maybe three or four hours. I was actually expecting it to take much longer than that. Does this indicate that the battery is okay, or merely that it's reached the right voltage?
If I can be arsed tomorrow then I'll go out and make some readings with a meter (but not right now because I'm in the grip of severe and potentially fatal man-flu).
Any suggestions of specific readings or tests I should do before condemning the battery?
It means it's holding the charge doesn't mean anything else in very simple terms the accu charges for a set amount of time (say 15 mins) then measures the voltage drop after (15mins ) if its not dropped below x it goes green if it's dropped between x & y it starts charging for 15 mins if it's dropped to z voltage it goes red.
Voltage readings after 12 hours on the Accumate:
12.7 Volts at rest; 14.4 Volts with engine idling.... All seems reasonable.
After being disconnected from the Accumate for a few hours whilst we're at the pub, voltage had dropped to 12.4.
Hmmm... Not sure.
Do I just go ahead and replace it?
12.7 Volts at rest; 14.4 Volts with engine idling.... All seems reasonable.
After being disconnected from the Accumate for a few hours whilst we're at the pub, voltage had dropped to 12.4.
Hmmm... Not sure.
Do I just go ahead and replace it?
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