Charging the battery

[ChimBungee]

looks like my battery is a gonner.
Got jumstarted by the RAC and gave her a good run (1 hour) but still dead when I got back.

I have booked it in tommorow but currently charge it so I make it to the garage.

Question is: how long can I charge it without overcharging and killing it completely?

[2 Smokin Barrels]

ChimBungee said:

looks like my battery is a gonner. Got jumstarted by the RAC and gave her a good run (1 hour) but still dead when I got back. I have booked it in tommorow but currently charge it so I make it to the garage. Question is: how long can I charge it without overcharging and killing it completely?

Any decent charger should cut off when done.

(otherwise, it's over done when it goes bang )

[hut49]

Don't waste your time - it's a gonner. Been there and fooled myself that when it started in the morning my problem was over. An hour later I turned the ignition off and was instantly immobile 60 miles from home waiting for the nice RAC man to come and get me (again).

[ChimBungee]

hut49 said:

Don't waste your time - it's a gonner. Been there and fooled myself that when it started in the morning my problem was over. An hour later I turned the ignition off and was instantly immobile 60 miles from home waiting for the nice RAC man to come and get me (again).

It's going to be replaced tomorrow, that's for sure - just want to be able to make it to the garage on own steam (I already have undergone the initiation rite of every TVR owner: seeing his car go on a trailer )

And yes, the bugger has fooled me too, and yes, the RAC guys are nice, the one today told me that he was lucky not to see a later model with the battery access in the wheel arch.

That made me philosophise about TVR engineering: what engineer would but a battery in a box, bolt the box to the floor, in the most inaccessible part in the car?
Dr. Evil? Pinky and the Brain?

"what are we going to do tomorrow?"
"what we do every day, take over the world by placing batteries in weird places"

But I'm sure, there's even more inaccesible places...

[parrot of doom]

2 Smokin Barrels said:

Any decent charger should cut off when done. (otherwise, it's over done when it goes bang )

Don't lead acid batteries top out as their capacity reaches maximum?

In other words, they can't be overcharged?

[2 Smokin Barrels]

parrot of doom said:

2 Smokin Barrels said: Any decent charger should cut off when done. (otherwise, it's over done when it goes bang ) Don't lead acid batteries top out as their capacity reaches maximum? In other words, they can't be overcharged?

[spend]

ChimBungee said:

That made me philosophise about TVR engineering: what engineer would but a battery in a box, bolt the box to the floor, in the most inaccessible part in the car? Dr. Evil? Pinky and the Brain? "what are we going to do tomorrow?" "what we do every day, take over the world by placing batteries in weird places" But I'm sure, there's even more inaccesible places...

Look at F348/355: Remove road wheel, remove complete inner wheel arch to access battery. Even the later TVRs' have an access panel..... Would you be so quick to criticise the Modena engineers?

Dave

[parrot of doom]

2 Smokin Barrels said:

parrot of doom said: 2 Smokin Barrels said: Any decent charger should cut off when done. (otherwise, it's over done when it goes bang ) Don't lead acid batteries top out as their capacity reaches maximum? In other words, they can't be overcharged?

Well, if the battery is being trickle-charged, you could leave the charger plugged in for 30 years and it wouldn't do anything harmful. I'm presuming that a quick charger will automatically detect the battery voltage, and shut off appropriately.

[ChimBungee]

spend said:

Look at F348/355: Remove road wheel, remove complete inner wheel arch to access battery. Even the later TVRs' have an access panel..... Would you be so quick to criticise the Modena engineers? Dave

yes

[richb]

From my experience you will be lucky to get enough charge into the dead battery to start the car! Rich...

[ChimBungee]

richb said:

From my experience you will be lucky to get enough charge into the dead battery to start the car! Rich...

I was lucky this morning, it started and I dropped it at the garage

Hope a new battery will sort the problem.