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Flat Battery
Comments
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Strider590 wrote: »Your quite lucky the thing didn't explode on you...... I can only assume there was a reasonable delay between removing the charger and trying to start the car!
Dead batteries produce a lot of hydrogen gas when forced to take a charge, it sits in the top of the cells and in the vent covers, one decent spark (either internally or from the terminal posts) and it's battery acid shower for you and half the street.
Seeing as your ok
im just saying this for the benefit of anyone who comes searching through this thread in future.
Know where you are coming from, and it's a situation people need to be aware of, but I think in the case of a sulphated battery, there will be very little gas generated, but SOME will be.
The warning maybe should be, don't check the electrolyte levels in an unlit shed / garage using a cigarette lighter etc.
Did an experiment one time, where a Bedford van was filled with hydrogen gas, and detonated. It spread that Bedford all over the local area. (A field)
(Electric vehicle development tests)0 -
Know where you are coming from, and it's a situation people need to be aware of, but I think in the case of a sulphated battery, there will be very little gas generated, but SOME will be.
The warning maybe should be, don't check the electrolyte levels in an unlit shed / garage using a cigarette lighter etc.
Did an experiment one time, where a Bedford van was filled with hydrogen gas, and detonated. It spread that Bedford all over the local area. (A field)
(Electric vehicle development tests)
Im making the point because I find it quite scary how many people try to save a few £ and unknowingly risk serious injury doing so.
It's in built into driver culture now too, passed on down generations from the days when car batteries had vent plugs that had to be removed for charging.
It's all different now, they're nearly all maintenance free, which means by the very name that you shouldn't f**k with them.
People try to save money in places where they really shouldn't and yet they spend silly money on things they really don't need.....
We'll happily pay double the going rate to get brake pads changed (when they probably didn't even need changing), but we're reluctant to spend £50 on replacing a 6 year old battery.“I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”
<><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><> Don't forget to like and subscribe \/ \/ \/0 -
Strider590 wrote: »People try to save money in places where they really shouldn't and yet they spend silly money on things they really don't need.....
We'll happily pay double the going rate to get brake pads changed (when they probably didn't even need changing), but we're reluctant to spend £50 on replacing a 6 year old battery.
I'd worry more about a driver that held off getting brakes changed than a battery - if they can't start the car they can't drive into me
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Strider590 wrote: »Im making the point because I find it quite scary how many people try to save a few £ and unknowingly risk serious injury doing so.
It's in built into driver culture now too, passed on down generations from the days when car batteries had vent plugs that had to be removed for charging.
It's all different now, they're nearly all maintenance free, which means by the very name that you shouldn't f**k with them.
People try to save money in places where they really shouldn't and yet they spend silly money on things they really don't need.....
We'll happily pay double the going rate to get brake pads changed (when they probably didn't even need changing), but we're reluctant to spend £50 on replacing a 6 year old battery.
Don't let the "Maintainence Free" worry you. It's exactly the same battery, but there is more calcium in the plates. This gasses less, and so displaces less electroyte, so need no topping up with distilled water.
The ones to watch out for, are gel batteries (small. motorcycles etc.) these are a swine to manage, and won't take high charge currents, and are charged at a lower voltage. (14.2v if memory recalls correctly. 14.7v for lead acid batteries.)
For people following this thread, a lead acid battery is dead flat, when it reaches 10.5v on load, but will still be 12v when the load is removed. Batteries taken below 10.5v on load, will deteriorate within a couple of days if not recharged.
Never store a battery in a discharged state.
A fully charged battery will have an acid specific gravity of 1.270 sg or close to that. (variables come in here, so maybe higher on some.)0 -
Strider590 wrote: »Im making the point because I find it quite scary how many people try to save a few £ and unknowingly risk serious injury doing so.
It's in built into driver culture now too, passed on down generations from the days when car batteries had vent plugs that had to be removed for charging.
It's all different now, they're nearly all maintenance free, which means by the very name that you shouldn't f**k with them.
People try to save money in places where they really shouldn't and yet they spend silly money on things they really don't need.....
We'll happily pay double the going rate to get brake pads changed (when they probably didn't even need changing), but we're reluctant to spend £50 on replacing a 6 year old battery.
Me charging my battery up has got nothing to do with saving a few pounds. I had already ordered one online at the same time as charging it.0 -
My motorbike chucked it today out a run.
Cut out whilst changing gear, bump started, but then started running like a coo before dying completely. Clock reset to midnight and it wouldnt turn over.
So I'm off to stick it on charge in the garage overnight and we'll see how it goes in the morning.
If it starts ok, I'll discount the fuel I put in 20 miles before it happened then start diagnosing.0 -
yes also note that if it has run flat a few times it will fail when you least expect it, get your garage to test the charging systemDeleted_User wrote: »I had a CD on in the car for 20 minutes while washing the car today. Now the battery is flat.
I had a lot of trouble with the battery last winter when we had the cold and snow but it has been fine since.
Is this a sign that the battery should be replaced for a new one once and for all?
Currently got it on charge again.0 -
As a quick check for the alternator why not put a multimeter across the battery with the engine running and all lights + heated rear window on? Should see 13-14 volts. Much lower and alternator is struggling.
If this test showed it to be at 13-14 volts, therefore the alternator being fine. Could there be any other reason, e.g. a corroded earth cable or something?
I've got the new battery installed but the battery light on the dash still comes on when the key is in the ignition without the engine started.0 -
thats normal it goes off when stated it letting you know that the alternator is not charging0
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