Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Varche]

My car has been stood for a few weeks while I get another gearbox. The battery is flat( - nearly turns the engine over).

I am getting a jump start later. How long should I leave it ticking over to get it charged up again?

Is it best to put say the sidelights on to get more charging from the alternator?

varche

[TheBoy]

Probably better off removing battery and giving it a good trickle charge, rather than using jumpstarter

[tmx]

aye a trickle charge is much better you will end up with a nearly fully charged battery then!

jump starting can wear the plates out and cause electrical damage sometimes!!!

[Dave DND]

Agree fully, remove the battery and charge it properly - apart from the damage to the battery caused by jump starting, the voltage surges and spikes can often play havoc with the rest of teh vehicle electrics.

Oh, and in answer to your earlier question, although no definitive answer I was always led to beleive that it took around 20 minutes of driving to put pack into the battery what had been taken out by starting normally.

[Lazydocker]

As above... Trickle charge is best but if you have to jump it then run it for around 20 minutes or so... You don't have to drive it anywhere, it can just idle, but obviously driving it will at least give a bit of enjoyment whilst burning the go-go juice

As for putting the lights on... No need, the alternator will still put out enough

[Varche]

while I get another gearbox Can't drive it at all!

Well that went well.

The guy turned up, got my leads out and a clamp fell off. No time to effect a repair. Will strip all cables and solder clamps back on properly.

I am going to send off for a solar trickle charger off EBay.co.uk unless warned off them. At least we get plenty of sun......

varche

[Jimbob]

while I get another gearbox Can't drive it at all!

Well that went well.

The guy turned up, got my leads out and a clamp fell off. No time to effect a repair. Will strip all cables and solder clamps back on properly.

I am going to send off for a solar trickle charger off EBay.co.uk unless warned off them. At least we get plenty of sun......

varche

Those chargers normally plug into the cigartte lighter...which isnt perm live.

So you will need an alternative way of wiring it in.

[Ian_D]

Going for a drive is better than leaving it sat ticking over. Often the alternators only put a little charge back in the battery if the engine has a low idle speed. If the car can't be driven, turn on the Air Con, as that will put the engine rpm up slightly.

Best is if you can put the battery on charge over night.

[Ian_D]

while I get another gearbox Can't drive it at all!

Well that went well.

The guy turned up, got my leads out and a clamp fell off. No time to effect a repair. Will strip all cables and solder clamps back on properly.

I am going to send off for a solar trickle charger off EBay.co.uk unless warned off them. At least we get plenty of sun......

varche

They wont change the battery enough to start the car... it will bearly put out enough power to maintain the alarm / clock, let alone the battery!

[Kevin Wood]

I would take the battery out and put it on a charger overnight. I can't see a solar charger recovering a totally discharged battery.

Kevin

[Dave DND]

I had a solar charger wired up to my bike in Mallorca, and it struggled to keep that small battery alive over three months of it sitting outside in the sun, so not convinced it would keep a car battery topped up unless you looked at the much larger touring panels as used by the motorhomes and RV`s

[Lazydocker]

while I get another gearbox Can't drive it at all!

Well that went well.

The guy turned up, got my leads out and a clamp fell off. No time to effect a repair. Will strip all cables and solder clamps back on properly.

I am going to send off for a solar trickle charger off EBay.co.uk unless warned off them. At least we get plenty of sun......

varche

Sorry varche... Didn't read the post properly!

Get a trickle charger and take the battery off... It's by far the best way to charge it!

[tmx]

hmm glad to hear it went well

i have a halfords car battery trickle charger it used to charge mrs tmx's old rover battery up very well! cost £25