Battery Failure - Great AA

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

I wonder how much the AA are going to charge for a new battery. 

[TheBoy]

I'll have to do a few random late night, fast ninja runs in my Audi to charge it up until I decide which one to buy. 

Thats what the A418 was invented for...,.,.,

[B52]

........
The audi has not turned a wheel for 4 weeks, but the battery is in tip-top condition, as it has a "smart charger" connected to it for 48 hours  every 14 days. Modern cars with all the anti-theft devices and other stuff quickly run down a battery, .......

Whilst we are on the subject of batteries, any recommendations for a smart charger for AGM Start/Stop batteries. Mine doesn't go far now so I'm thinking it should get a little charge now and again. I was looking at the Halfords Smart Plus but no idea if it's any good or not. I have two of the standard battery chargers but they're no good for AGM type I believe.

Reference the AA and batteries, I drove over 300 miles in one go in the Omega, parked up, went to move it twenty minutes later and it was completely dead. Well, 8V actually, but may as well have been dead. The AA turned up, did the checks for parasitic drain and fitted a new battery. He was a pleasant guy who was only too happy to check for battery drain, so a thumbs up from me. 

+1 for Ctek - compact and charges in the best specific way for what battery its connected to. Can recognise and sometimes recover fully-discharged battery.

[Kevin Wood]

Take no notice of Jaime, he only has to look at something and it stops working/falls apart/explodes.

exactly

.. that applies only to the few things that actually make it as far as delivery to Brackley, of course.

[TheBoy]

Take no notice of Jaime, he only has to look at something and it stops working/falls apart/explodes.

exactly

.. that applies only to the few things that actually make it as far as delivery to Brackley, of course.

True. I cant pass comment on the shit that never arrives.

I think I have mentioned before that GPS doesn't even make it to my driveway, or any analogue station other than BBC radio.

[johnnydog]

I've had a Ctek 7.0 charger for years which I have used on my Audi this year as it was SORN'd during the last lockdown. I also have a Ring Smart charger, which from memory sounds like the one TB referred to, which tend to use on vehicles with standard batteries. Both have been great without any problems. I had an Aldi smart charger a few years ago - maybe I was unlucky but it gave up the ghost and knackered the battery it was attached to at the time. I'd recommend Ctek or Ring just on my experiences of them.
My local Audi dealer uses Ctek on the vehicles in their showroom which must be a reasonable recommendation too...

[Nick W]

I've had a Ctek 7.0 charger for years which I have used on my Audi this year as it was SORN'd during the last lockdown. I also have a Ring Smart charger, which from memory sounds like the one TB referred to, which tend to use on vehicles with standard batteries. Both have been great without any problems. I had an Aldi smart charger a few years ago - maybe I was unlucky but it gave up the ghost and knackered the battery it was attached to at the time. I'd recommend Ctek or Ring just on my experiences of them.
My local Audi dealer uses Ctek on the vehicles in their showroom which must be a reasonable recommendation too...

If you buy any of the expensive marques that are actually used as garage ornaments, their providers will happily sell you the basic Ctek charger with their badge stuck on for at least twice the original price.


I recovered 3 Ferraris, a Lamborghini  and lots Porsches back to their dealers several times with flat batteries, all of which were cured with a smart charger and and supplied quick connect wiring.


My own Ctek is still good after about 15 years.

[YZ250]

.........
I'd recommend Ctek or Ring just on my experiences of them.
........

Hmm, another recommendation for Ctek. 

If you buy any of the expensive marques that are actually used as garage ornaments, their providers will happily sell you the basic Ctek charger with their badge stuck on for at least twice the original price.
.....

Cynical, sarcastic mode head on:
But .... but .... that can't be right ..... because the bloke on YouTube assured the viewers that the Ctek is no good, but the charger identical to the Ctek but with a Bmw/Audi/Ferrari logo on it was great. He said they are not to be confused as being one and the same. That's why they are more expensive. It must be true because the bloke on YouTube said it was. 

Well I'm glad that's sorted then. 

[STEMO]

Who'd have thought, among such a group of accomplished car enthusiasts, there'd be so much discussion over something as basic as a battery charger.
I've got an orange one, no idea of the make, the poxy croc clip keeps falling off the end of the inadequately thin wire. And yet, after approximately ten years, it works when my neighbour borrows it.

[Nick W]

Who'd have thought, among such a group of accomplished car enthusiasts, there'd be so much discussion over something as basic as a battery charger.
I've got an orange one, no idea of the make, the poxy croc clip keeps falling off the end of the inadequately thin wire. And yet, after approximately ten years, it works when my neighbour borrows it.

Got one of those too, that Dad bought at Savacentre many years ago. It's still, just about, in its original cardboard box to protect it 

[STEMO]

Who'd have thought, among such a group of accomplished car enthusiasts, there'd be so much discussion over something as basic as a battery charger.
I've got an orange one, no idea of the make, the poxy croc clip keeps falling off the end of the inadequately thin wire. And yet, after approximately ten years, it works when my neighbour borrows it.

Got one of those too, that Dad bought at Savacentre many years ago. It's still, just about, in its original cardboard box to protect it 

Box? Boxes are for wimps 

[BazaJT]

He'll be reading the instructions next

[johnnydog]

.........
I'd recommend Ctek or Ring just on my experiences of them.
........

Hmm, another recommendation for Ctek. 

If you buy any of the expensive marques that are actually used as garage ornaments, their providers will happily sell you the basic Ctek charger with their badge stuck on for at least twice the original price.
.....

Cynical, sarcastic mode head on:
But .... but .... that can't be right ..... because the bloke on YouTube assured the viewers that the Ctek is no good, but the charger identical to the Ctek but with a Bmw/Audi/Ferrari logo on it was great. He said they are not to be confused as being one and the same. That's why they are more expensive. It must be true because the bloke on YouTube said it was. 

Well I'm glad that's sorted then. 

The Ctek chargers in the Audi showroom strangly say 'Ctek' on them... That was the reason I decided to buy my own having seen them on Audis vehicles in the showroom.

[Nick W]

Who'd have thought, among such a group of accomplished car enthusiasts, there'd be so much discussion over something as basic as a battery charger.
I've got an orange one, no idea of the make, the poxy croc clip keeps falling off the end of the inadequately thin wire. And yet, after approximately ten years, it works when my neighbour borrows it.

Got one of those too, that Dad bought at Savacentre many years ago. It's still, just about, in its original cardboard box to protect it 

Box? Boxes are for wimps 

I know, but it isn't mine. And it has lived in the box for over forty years.


I can't see the point of keeping things that have a hard case and no extra parts in a cardboard box, but I'm also the only Wheeler who doesn't hoard stacks of empty containers

[STEMO]

Mine lives in my cold, damp shed. You really shouldn't keep electrical goods in those conditions