- Thread starter robwizard
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premmington
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8ob
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I don`t know what battery manufacturers do these days but their products are not a patch on batteries made thirty years ago, leave a modern battery flat for a month or two and its scrap. I bought a truck that had been parked in a field for over ten years off a guy, he said he would take the batteries off , stick them on charge and get it running ( me thinking no chance). It was a pair of those really old Exide batteries with the external links on top, despite being sat flat for years they not only took a charge but they stayed on it for years after and never went down. 
Bob
Bob
slim_boy_fat
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You can rejuvenate old-style wet cell batteries, but the jel cell ones are, as said, scrap if they go completely flat.
The trend of having systems drawing power for complex alarms etc is partly to blame when a vehicle is left for any length of time.
The trend of having systems drawing power for complex alarms etc is partly to blame when a vehicle is left for any length of time.
If you can get it started with jump leads then measure the voltage at the battery, if the alternator is working then it could be 13.5-15.0V. If that is the case then personally I would get that battery replaced as there is nothing worse than a non starting vehicle on a cold morning. On a cold morning the battery will be less affective, add that to the oil being thicker and then large loads after you've started often a battery will never recover if you only do short journeys.
Even battery testers can give a false reading. I've got a Snap On unit that can even test a battery that is low but I've had it give a good reading on a knackered battery on vehicle I bought. In hindsight the signs were all there, the guys was quite specific about times to view and collect as he worked shifts, I suspect now he was charging it just before I arrived.
Even battery testers can give a false reading. I've got a Snap On unit that can even test a battery that is low but I've had it give a good reading on a knackered battery on vehicle I bought. In hindsight the signs were all there, the guys was quite specific about times to view and collect as he worked shifts, I suspect now he was charging it just before I arrived.
angellonewolf
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also put the clutch down to lighten the load on the engine
ajlelectronics
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I have just changed the battery (1 of 2) in our 2003 Transit. Stunned to see that it was the original build battery, fitted 2003.
brightspark
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wifes battery just jacked after 12 years. jumped car off and down to the garage get a new one ifu haven't left the lights on and it goes flat bin it
Spark plug
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I find if you buy a good quality battery from a reputable brand like Exide, Bosch or Varta they last mutch longer than cheeper brand you usually find in the local motor factors.
Varta are by far my favourite especially for things that don’t get used often as they seem to keep their charge for a very long time.
Varta are by far my favourite especially for things that don’t get used often as they seem to keep their charge for a very long time.
Ashley Burton
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Bosch & Varta are the same batteries just to let you know. They're made by Johnson Controls
Spark plug
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That makes sense, so no point paying a premium for one over the other.
I understood that anything under 10v when being cranked your battery is shot.
OK I will take your word for it. I use a cheap Sealey load tester at work, and if it goes into the red, when charged, the battery gets replaced. Incidentally it is a lot cheaper than most of those that people were sending links to, has lasted over ten years and has tested hundreds of batteries.
I used to be a motorway commuter, and bought an Exide to replace the battery on a Metro, 20 years back, it failed within 12 months, so got it replaced under warranty, that failed after 12 months too. Never bought Exide since.
I used to be a motorway commuter, and bought an Exide to replace the battery on a Metro, 20 years back, it failed within 12 months, so got it replaced under warranty, that failed after 12 months too. Never bought Exide since.
OK so a little update. Jump started it off our other car and started no problem, drove it round for ten minutes and then checked with a multimeter. Shows 12.3v without the engine running and 14.3v with it running, so without the ability to test the amps it would seem that both the battery and the alternator are functioning to some degree? The battery is a Mitsubishi one so is probably at least ten years old.. probably wants replacing anyway to be fair but I'm not sure that's the problem.
It hasn't had any kind of service in a long time but would changing oil, filters etc have any impact on the ability to start?
I'm also going to try checking the voltage at the lighter as someone suggested and also look into the ECU thing. I also found it had a new starter fitted a few years ago..
Cheers
It hasn't had any kind of service in a long time but would changing oil, filters etc have any impact on the ability to start?
I'm also going to try checking the voltage at the lighter as someone suggested and also look into the ECU thing. I also found it had a new starter fitted a few years ago..
Cheers
ajlelectronics
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30 minutes after charging, you need to be seeing 12.6V. Any less and you have a cell down.
@ajlelectronics I'll check it again shortly and see how it reads.
Can anyone suggest a means of testing the starter motor? Someone mentioned that approximately 9v is required to turn the engine over, is that 9v at the battery terminals or somewhere else?
Cheers
Can anyone suggest a means of testing the starter motor? Someone mentioned that approximately 9v is required to turn the engine over, is that 9v at the battery terminals or somewhere else?
Cheers
But it does not show a europe supplier...
My battery has finally given up the Ghost. Its been playing up for 9 months. Little things like leaving the boot open flattened it.
Its a diesel and if i charged the battery it would start and run well. If it was not charged it ran lumpy.
Having just fitted a new Alternator some months back and it remained the same we suspected the battery was tired.....well it went flat the other day.
So i charged it up again i dont go far just short trips to school and inlaws so alternator was not replacing the draw of starting.
So.......its possible to have a battery that will charge and start and stay charged long enough if you do long journeys, but short journeys are their enemy. (Oh and they HATE cold)
Strange thing is once charge the car started 15 times in a row without going flat.
I have always turned the lights on for a period and then tried starting to test if its battery or alternator but its not scientific . Lol
