Flat Battery every Morning !!

DGJsaver

cheers man in the street !

Strider590

DGJsaver wrote: »

The AA bloke , said it was showing 12.5v and that a sidelight being on would only be 0.8v so battery fine...?!

Was the engine running when he measured?

12.5v with ingition off = normal battery voltage

13.5v-13.8v with engine running = normal battery voltage + the float charge from the alternator

The alternator could theoretically be faulty but on a VX (or any car) id much rather pay £40 for a new battery than £150+ for an alternator

DGJsaver

engine was running i think...a mate of mine is going to get his multimeter to work at the weekend for me ...

the_big_fact_hunt

dont ask halfords to test it, it will be anything they think of, starting with the battery.
It needs load testing, 10:1 its the battery

skiddlydiddly

Doing any different journeys lately?Maybe you aren't driving far enough to charge the battery back up again.I used to get this problem every now and again because my journey to work is so short.Especially on cold mornings.

Inactive

My money is on a new battery required.;)

DGJsaver

well chaps and chappesses , i charged it last night for a good 45 minutes , disconnected the battery , reconnected this morning , and no luck , didnt start , without another jump start....
but i did hear the CD radio base unit (the face is off) going a bit haywire , but that doesnt help with the battery being flat first thing....

DGJsaver

skiddlydiddly wrote: »

Doing any different journeys lately?Maybe you aren't driving far enough to charge the battery back up again.I used to get this problem every now and again because my journey to work is so short.Especially on cold mornings.

Lats week i did 800 miles to Cornwall and back !

Strider590

DGJ is really isn't worth all the hassle, if the battery is +3 years old just replace it.

I've had a battery explode through trying to save money by not buying a new battery.
I charged it from flat over night (7 hours is the proper charge time for a flat car battery), when I reconnected it and tried to start the car, the plates sparked (low electrolyte levels) and ignited the nitrogen gas (which is generated through charging) and the battery then exploded, it sounded like a bomb going off and covering my engine bay and front wings in battery acid, the financial damage was a new battery at £40 + £250 in paint repairs.....

£290 just because I tried to avoid replacing a 6 year old battery, but I learnt my lesson.

DGJsaver

i hear you strider , im just trying make sure it isnt the alternator or somehting more sinister...........almost certainly will be buying the battery on saturday !