BEST WAY TO KEEP A CAR BATTERY CHARGED UP?

sevenhills

I put my charger on it this morning, it said 12.4v it was very cold. I will charge it, then get someone to look at it next week.

The battery is only a month old ish, I think it needs a new alternator, although there did seem to be a drain on the battery.

HillStreetBlues

I always use to disconnect battery before charging, but those were the days cars only needed for clock and interior light.
What's the guidance these days with charging with battery in situ?

born_again

sevenhills said:

I put my charger on it this morning, it said 12.4v it was very cold. I will charge it, then get someone to look at it next week.

The battery is only a month old ish, I think it needs a new alternator, although there did seem to be a drain on the battery.

So what does the battery read with the engine running?

motorguy

sevenhills said:

Bigwheels1111 said:

I purchased a battery tester a few years ago as was worried mine was on its way out.
Used it today to check mine.
As I only drive once or twice a week & my car is 7 years old.
Tests battery and alternator.
Basic ones are £18 on eBay.
Nice to have in the boot.
Plus you don’t have to rely on Halfords, Kwikfit etc to tell the truth.

You can buy battery testers on eBay for £5, they appear to do as much as the more expensive testers.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314950469179?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=20201210111314&meid=cf0cbec8d6f648d3a00fd433efd180bf&pid=101195&rk=3&rkt=12&sd=305076359117&itm=314950469179&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=4429486&algv=SimplAMLv11WebTrimmedV3MskuWithLambda85KnnRecallV1V2V4ItemNrtInQueryAndCassiniVisualRankerAndBertRecallWithVMEV3CPCAuto&brand=Unbranded&_trksid=p4429486.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum:314950469179cf0cbec8d6f648d3a00fd433efd180bf|enc:AQAIAAABYObhgc4Nk8%2BdtAwOww4FKLaj%2FQ5qqgDlQCuqZA43WcPFUWDERCUugbbOk7XQv0JXlBfqCg2xKF3WcPghxGMFw2oSlXvfExEaMYr7I7LmrHcP6czY1wIMt0ORyKiCWt95xldincyyBx3g%2BNDW%2B%2FhWUgTaBhK6xAm%2BJIbCOMehu%2BdwEnCV8inBbzpNeNbFEKyg9F%2BL8BTtlOq88cNK%2BDDRLK5IjZopI%2BwHc3lGr47pLBT5DXypY1ra0mS2M7Ph6GzCyyE72iTD2yU2x9fivOeELUiOt1LkjdXlPE3dCCpkjjYM3dQWznDHxlHZr5TD16Annnzx76wFXkCEErFCQHU27m2jEjWK2XeGevIidE6Yd5BnCsJkunJXltPMFtr17IEdZr9phaevMIfxGd0C4MONnELvP1I6yEC9%2B0YfiMBB0x8vbmBy29SXa6%2F7UZZ%2FLMeVyeoVwwzRycrYwsYEjjBTkKY%3D|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:4429486

Ordered one!  Thanks!  looks like a handy little thing to have about

motorguy

I know the media like to drum up hysteria with headlines of "extreme cold snaps" with added gravitas of library pictures of heavy snow, but the numbers being bandied about are not unusually cold for this time of year and are not in the realms of "extremely cold".

We had a spell some years back where we recorded -17 degrees.  THATS extremely cold.

As per other comments, if your car is being used several times a week then it shouldnt need charged.  If it does, then the battery is on its way out.

sevenhills

born_again said:

So what does the battery read with the engine running?

Around 13.5v to 14v, but it drops to 13-13.5v when lights/wipers/fan is on, which would imply it's charging, but I am confused.

It doesn't go above 14v

tedted

because you have a smart charging system

TUVOK

Thanks for all replies.
My battery is about a year old, my car sit's in a real hard frost pocket so I'm always a bit worried.
Interested in the two devices posted, the one at £4-80 seems excellent for the price, almost too cheap.
Any one used one or the dearer tool? 

HillStreetBlues

TUVOK said:

Thanks for all replies.
My battery is about a year old, my car sit's in a real hard frost pocket so I'm always a bit worried.
Interested in the two devices posted, the one at £4-80 seems excellent for the price, almost too cheap.
Any one used one or the dearer tool? 

£3.60 is even better.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314958813452

EnPointe

TUVOK said:

With this extremely cold weather and it's effect on car batteries, I was wondering which is the best way to keep the battery charged up?
I can give the car a slow charge via a battery charger for 4 hours minimum  a day or could take the car for a 20 mile run twice a week.
I don't use the car every day, some times 2 to 3 days just sat outside in the cold.

in that kind of use case ,if you have parking such as you safely run a mains lead to the vehicle, fitting a battery Conditioner is the answer