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06-04-2020, 10:34 PM
21

Re: Not used for a couple of weeks = Flat Battery

I do start mine up every few days and do a couple of laps of the car park. 10mph seems fast now.
zuludog
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18-04-2020, 08:59 AM
22

Re: Not used for a couple of weeks = Flat Battery

I was going to start a Thread about a flat battery, but I see that I'm not the only one in a similar position

My car is a 2005 Ford Fiesta Flame; generally in good condition, low mileage, only about 29,000 miles. I like it; it does all I want, and I plan on keeping it for the forseeable future
I've had it about 5 years, with the same battery that it came with, so that's obviously at least 5 years old

It started every time until this last winter, about early March
A combination of a long bout of flu and the bad weather meant I had hardly driven it, just to the supermarket
One morning it wouldn't start
My local garage is a friendly independent one, only a street away so we pushed it round. They recharged the battery, checked it, and there were no problems till yesterday

Thanks to the lockdown and my self isolation I hadn't driven it for 6 days, but then got a flat battery again
And my garage is closed, as part of the lockdown

I could get a push start or help from my neighbours - I have jump leads - and try to nurse it for a while longer, and in normal circumstances with longer and regular journeys that would be enough.
But it's obvious that the battery is on it's way out, and i wouldn't like to be stuck again

So I could shop around, get the car started somehow, and drive round to a supplier
Typical prices for a battery are about £70 or £80

However I've seen that The AA have a scheme called 'Battery Assist'; you don't have to be a member
They will come round to your house; check the battery; and replace it if necessary - which in my case it probably would be; and check the system

Price for that is about £130 to £150, depending on the battery
So I'm thinking - Why not just get it done?

Any comments?
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18-04-2020, 10:14 AM
23

Re: Not used for a couple of weeks = Flat Battery

Perhaps you should have had a new battery fitted in the first place Zulu, especially if you don't know it's history; Chances are that it was the original battery and it has lasted well.

A good guide to identifying a deceased battery; If you can remove the plastic covers on the top that gives access to the cells full of acid and distilled water, shine a torch down each, and the cell that has failed will be cloudy, discoloured and brown looking. The rest of the cells will contain crystal clear fluid..

It only takes one cell to fail and it will short out the rest, resulting in a steady discharge over time.
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18-04-2020, 10:24 AM
24

Re: Not used for a couple of weeks = Flat Battery

Originally Posted by zuludog ->
So I could shop around, get the car started somehow, and drive round to a supplier
Typical prices for a battery are about £70 or £80

However I've seen that The AA have a scheme called 'Battery Assist'; you don't have to be a member
They will come round to your house; check the battery; and replace it if necessary - which in my case it probably would be; and check the system

Price for that is about £130 to £150, depending on the battery
So I'm thinking - Why not just get it done?

Any comments?
If you can afford it, use the AA - job done within minutes and you'll have peace of mind for the rest of the lockdown.

You may be charged extra for battery disposal.
zuludog
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18-04-2020, 10:27 AM
25

Re: Not used for a couple of weeks = Flat Battery

OGF - When I bought the car it was in excellent condition, low mileage, and a service history, and it started and ran well till this recent problem
That's why I stayed with the same battery

But it obviously needs replacing; I'll probably go with the AA Battery Assist unless I hear otherwise
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18-04-2020, 10:38 AM
26

Re: Not used for a couple of weeks = Flat Battery

Originally Posted by Percy Vere ->
I'm with you there, Bruce. I thought it was the old dynamo system that needed the engine running at more than 1500 rpm to charge the battery.
That's absolutely right, the old DC generators with electro-mechanical regulators could not charge at idle - sometimes the electrical indicator light used to flicker showing that the engine was only just providing barely .enough energy to run itself.

With modern alternators the voltage regulator will merely raise the field current to increase the output voltage. If you have a volt meter attached to the battery terminals you can watch this happen.

Before you start the engine a good battery will read say 12.5v (depends on load when ignition is turned on), when the starter motor operated the voltage will drop to say 10volts for a very short time. With the engine idling you will see the battery voltage rise to about 14 volts as the regulator winds the output of the alternator up. You might be able to hear the engine note change with the extra load.

Anything over 13.8v will charge the battery to the point of gassing slightly, I think when the engine is driving the car (say 2000revs or more) the output of the alternator will be limited to about 14.4v and smart alternators are likely to stop charging the battery when it is near full (as I understand it)

Those figures are from memory and approximate but won't be too far out - they might vary by a decimal point or so.
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18-04-2020, 12:02 PM
27

Re: Not used for a couple of weeks = Flat Battery

Originally Posted by zuludog ->
OGF - When I bought the car it was in excellent condition, low mileage, and a service history, and it started and ran well till this recent problem
That's why I stayed with the same battery

But it obviously needs replacing; I'll probably go with the AA Battery Assist unless I hear otherwise
Yep good choice Zulu, my daughters battery failed to start her car as it had been stood a couple of weeks. It was ten years old so I decided to fit her a new one. I purchased one from the local garage who does all our testing and servicing. He asked me if he would like him to fit it; I said no thanks as I have fitted more batteries than he had hot dinners...... He said just ring if you need help...

I couldn't get the old battery off! It was surrounded by electronic stuff.....
So I cut a large slice of humble pie and the garage bloke came out and fitted it for us.... So yes! A good choice to get the AA out to fit a new one Zulu.....

How things have changed under the bonnet since my days of wielding a spanner...
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18-04-2020, 12:05 PM
28

Re: Not used for a couple of weeks = Flat Battery

Originally Posted by Bruce ->
That's absolutely right, the old DC generators with electro-mechanical regulators could not charge at idle - sometimes the electrical indicator light used to flicker showing that the engine was only just providing barely .enough energy to run itself.

With modern alternators the voltage regulator will merely raise the field current to increase the output voltage. If you have a volt meter attached to the battery terminals you can watch this happen.

Before you start the engine a good battery will read say 12.5v (depends on load when ignition is turned on), when the starter motor operated the voltage will drop to say 10volts for a very short time. With the engine idling you will see the battery voltage rise to about 14 volts as the regulator winds the output of the alternator up. You might be able to hear the engine note change with the extra load.

Anything over 13.8v will charge the battery to the point of gassing slightly, I think when the engine is driving the car (say 2000revs or more) the output of the alternator will be limited to about 14.4v and smart alternators are likely to stop charging the battery when it is near full (as I understand it)

Those figures are from memory and approximate but won't be too far out - they might vary by a decimal point or so.
Very interesting Bruce, I've coppied it down for future reference.
I did realise that the greater the load the less the voltage, but I didn't know the exact figures...
Thanks...
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18-04-2020, 12:17 PM
29

Re: Not used for a couple of weeks = Flat Battery

Originally Posted by OldGreyFox ->
How things have changed under the bonnet since my days of wielding a spanner...
When the AA restarted my car recently their mechanic checked the battery and declared it good to go, adding that it would have cost £270 for a replacement since the advent of stop-start systems has meant a massive increase in power requirement from batteries, which have been substantially upgraded to cope with thousands of starts a year .....

Blimey - no more the £49.99 battery .....
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18-04-2020, 12:28 PM
30

Re: Not used for a couple of weeks = Flat Battery

Originally Posted by Omah ->
When the AA restarted my car recently their mechanic checked the battery and declared it good to go, adding that it would have cost £270 for a replacement since the advent of stop-start systems has meant a massive increase in power requirement from batteries, which have been substantially upgraded to cope with thousands of starts a year .....

Blimey - no more the £49.99 battery .....
False economy in my opinion Omah......Might be good for the planet, but shocking on the pocket.....
 
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