Low mileage battery problems

AdrianC

Does it turn fully off?

Or does it remain in a lower-power-draw "parking mode", waiting for a nudge to pop into life again?

A multimeter would be a big help, or simply pull the fuse/plug for the dashcam while parked and monitor it for a while to see if that makes a difference.

ripplyuk

AdrianC wrote: »

Does it turn fully off?

Or does it remain in a lower-power-draw "parking mode", waiting for a nudge to pop into life again?

A multimeter would be a big help, or simply pull the fuse/plug for the dashcam while parked and monitor it for a while to see if that makes a difference.

It turns off fully. It won’t come on if the car gets hit when it’s parked. Which is annoying, but leaving it in parking mode might cause more problems.

I don’t know where the fuse/plug for it is, or what that looks like. If I just unplug the dashcam when parked, would that help? Or would the hard-wiring still be a problem?

Farway

gaz_moose wrote: »

it does sound like you need a new battery. just go to your local halfords and they will supply and fit one with a decent amount of warranty, then keep the receipt. their battery's are decent enough.
in the winter months cars tend to be more power hungry as people have heated screens/lights/heaters/stereos blasting. plus cold seems to kill car battery's.


its a good habbit to start the engine before you switch the lights/heaters etc.. on as it will provide more cold cranking amps to the starter motor. then just leave it running when you scrape all the ice off it.

solar chargers that plug into the lighter socket are a bit of a waste of time.

Agreed, as OP is unsure and wary, just go to local Halfords, they should also ensure any programmed anti theft devices, in radio for instance, are maintained during the fitting

AdrianC

ripplyuk wrote: »

If I just unplug the dashcam when parked, would that help? Or would the hard-wiring still be a problem?

No. It's just a bit of wire. I meant the plug on the back of the cam.

couriervanman

ripplyuk wrote: »

I think it must depend on the car model too. My elderly neighbour takes hers out once or maybe twice a week at most. In total about 14 miles. She never seems to have any battery problems and her car is a year younger than mine.

Different car different spec.......We still have a 10 yr old Astra Design on original Battery,every winter i expect a new battery needed but fingers crossed its still holding up after being tested again last month

facade

Those solar chargers are useless, I have one. Putting it inside the car means the light is cut down massively by the glass, and the angle to the Sun is wrong 99% of the time, so they don't generate enough power, especially in Winter, with the low sun and short days.


I use a battery tender and plug it into a hardwired plug that I have poking out from the edge of the bonnet.


Something like this will do the job


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maypole-7423A-Battery-Charger-Electronic/dp/B009A83P1E


You get the battery connector wired in by an electrician (it isn't hard to do yourself though) and use an extension lead like

https://www.amazon.co.uk/KUNCAN-Extension-Battery-Disconnect-Connectors/dp/B01N7CEV00


so the charger stays in the house, you could have the lead come out under the dash, or in the glovebox, I have mine on the outside so I can connect without going to find the keys..


The lead needs to be "in the way" enough that you don't forget to disconnect it before you drive off.


I "top up" the battery on my car once a week or so, and leave it connected if I'm not using it for a couple of weeks. My journey to work is 14 miles each way, in slow traffic, and I might nip out a couple of miles to the shops once or twice, so it doesn't really get properly charged in the Winter.

EdGasketTheSecond

There's something wrong if you need to keep charging your battery from an external source. I've had plenty of cars that have mostly only done short journeys and not had any problem. Assuming car starts on the first try then the battery energy is replaced after about 10 mins of the engine running.

facade

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

There's something wrong if you need to keep charging your battery from an external source. I've had plenty of cars that have mostly only done short journeys and not had any problem. Assuming car starts on the first try then the battery energy is replaced after about 10 mins of the engine running.

No, nothing wrong, just modern, with electric everything, even the steering. I only drive to work once a week, and as you say, a mile to the shops won't even replace what it uses to start it for those trips.



I could probably get away without topping it up, but I have the optimate already, might as well get my money's worth out of it and be sure of starting in this minus 20 that the Daily Fail keeps promising.

Robisere

If I am going into town, I don't drive into town: I go around the bypass, which has 2 roundabouts and 2 good 60 MPH straights in between. Going into town looks shorter, but there are several traffic lights, 30 MPH limits and slow traffic. The 60 run keeps the battery charging at a greater rate.

As you sound quite sensible and able to look after your car, please note some of my earlier advice. Ask a friend or neighbour to stand directly in front of your car on level ground, Start the engine switch on headlights, slowly rev up and watch the light on the friend's clothing in front of the car. If the light dims, even slightly, there may be an alternator fault. If it brightens slightly, the alternator is fine and that is what charges your battery whilst the engine is running. Consequently, the battery is faulty.

Ganga

I used to drive an old ford transit and eventualy it started being a pig to start in the winter,it was a diesel and the battery was tested and ok,i fitted a second battery after buying another battery mount at the scrap yard,wired them in in parallel and hey presto,double the starting amps and no problems in the winter.