Battery charging

Zebster · Sep 17th, 2019, 16:02

While most of my journeys are fairly lengthy the Volvo often sits around inbetween trips for several days. Because of this - and maybe also because it's still on the original battery - the stop/start is rarely active, plus the infotainment usually shuts itself down after a minute or two if the engine isn't started straightaway.

Following several occasions of infotainment system shutdown happening whilst entering satnav destinations I decided to buy a charger suitable for this EFB battery, specifically a Hyundai HYSC-4000M... https://thepowersite.co.uk/hyundai-h...y-charger-220v

I can find nothing whatsoever in the Owner's Manual regarding safe charging instructions. Is it reasonable to assume that that the battery can be safely charge in situ while still connected?

Chrisv60 · Sep 17th, 2019, 23:30

My car sits around quite a lot and after I while I find the stop start no longer works due to 'electrical system'.

So, particularly in winter, I charge mine quite frequently with an ALDI smart charger which gets the stop start working again for a while.

I've never disconnected the battery. I'm sure I read somewhere to only connect the red lead to the positive terminal and the black lead to a separate earth point, not only for safety, but also so as not to upset the battery monitoring module. By doing this, it takes into account the charge going back in to the battery.

HDAV · Sep 17th, 2019, 23:38

Too late now but eother Lidl’s or Aldi units for £15 or a ctek with dedicated fixed connector is what I would go with....... ctek means plug and play and don’t even need to open the bonnet.....

Or if you have a towbar can charge via the electric connection ...
https://www.disco3.co.uk/shop/tow-el...e-etc-p45.html

Zebster · Sep 18th, 2019, 08:15

So I left it on charge overnight and the charger now tells me that my battery is fully-charged (well it would say that, wouldn't it!). I'll see what happens with the stop/start availability when I go out later.

I was surprised to see that the battery was an EFB type, rather than AGM. Do any models get the AGM version?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisv60

My car sits around quite a lot and after I while I find the stop start no longer works due to 'electrical system'.

So, particularly in winter, I charge mine quite frequently with an ALDI smart charger which gets the stop start working again for a while.

I've never disconnected the battery. I'm sure I read somewhere to only connect the red lead to the positive terminal and the black lead to a separate earth point, not only for safety, but also so as not to upset the battery monitoring module. By doing this, it takes into account the charge going back in to the battery.

When I drill down into the Sensus e-drive menu options the stop/start being inactive is almost always because the battery 'is charging or is cold'.

Didn't know about the monitoring module. Will follow your advice next time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDAV

Too late now but eother Lidl’s or Aldi units for £15 or a ctek with dedicated fixed connector is what I would go with....... ctek means plug and play and don’t even need to open the bonnet.....

Or if you have a towbar can charge via the electric connection ...
https://www.disco3.co.uk/shop/tow-el...e-etc-p45.html

Charging via the towbar socket would be a real bonus, unfortunately mine doesn't have one.

I'm not sure how a CTEK charger would connect to my car? The two power sockets in the passenger compartment both switch off, I don't have a power socket in the load compartment and there's no way I'd want to charge the battery via the diagnostic port. Neither would I be completely relaxed about leaving high-powered electronic equipment powered up inside the car overnight due to the fire risk (made worse by presumably having to crush the mains cable in a door/tailgate seal?).

rafikield · Sep 18th, 2019, 08:26

As I found in manual for XC60, vehicles with manual transmission are fitted with EFB type battery, while those with automatic transmission have AGM type.
Not sure why it matters, though...
BR

Chrisv60 · Sep 18th, 2019, 08:42

It also says in the manual:-

If the following instruction is not observed then the energy saving function for info- tainment may be temporarily disengaged, and/or the message in the information dis- play about the main battery's state of charge may be temporarily inapplicable, following the connection of an external battery or battery charger:

• The negative battery terminal on the car's starter battery must never be used for connecting an external bat- tery or battery charger - only the car chassis may be used as the ground- ing point.
See Jump starting with battery (p. 279) for a description of how the cable clamps must be attached.

I thought I'd seen it somewhere.

Zebster · Sep 18th, 2019, 09:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisv60

It also says in the manual:-

If the following instruction is not observed then the energy saving function for info- tainment may be temporarily disengaged, and/or the message in the information dis- play about the main battery's state of charge may be temporarily inapplicable, following the connection of an external battery or battery charger:...

So now I'll probably have a fully-charged battery but the car will continue to believe that there's a problem... this means that my little experiment has been rendered null and void!

I wish I knew how to properly scale my concerns about the battery charge issues. Is my battery going to let me down when winter bites, or is the car just super-sensitive (over-sensitive?) to the battery being slightly less than perfect?

Craig S · Sep 18th, 2019, 09:39

Zebster,

I found that initially my car had no start/stop, then after a couple of months I got the warning that the battery was undercharged. And when i checked with a multi meter the battery was reading 12.1v (which is virtually discharged)

I tried charging the battery and it made a difference for a few days but then the start stop wouldn't operate, and before long the warning light came back on.

I bit the bullet and changed the battery and it has been fine ever since. If memory serves the main dealer charged around £80 to replace the battery, which was cheaper than any battery I could find online.

IIRC my 2014 D4 has 2 batteries. The primary battery (which is the one that failed) and the secondary battery which is the one that deals with powering all of the other systems. It is very rarely the secondary battery that fails.

jasmith44 · Sep 18th, 2019, 09:40

If in doubt change the battery for a new one.End of concern for the winter.

Clan · Sep 18th, 2019, 11:58

these new generation batteries charge up to 80% fairly quickly , however it take a long long time to get the last 20% ... i would leave it on for at least 24 hours preferably longer with a small home charger ... It will rejuvinate the battery .
Another point , if they have been left dead flat for even a full day it can ruin them and they will never recover .

Sep 17th, 2019, 16:02	#1
Zebster Upstanding Member Last Online: Sep 12th, 2023 11:29 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Ludlow	Battery charging While most of my journeys are fairly lengthy the Volvo often sits around inbetween trips for several days. Because of this - and maybe also because it's still on the original battery - the stop/start is rarely active, plus the infotainment usually shuts itself down after a minute or two if the engine isn't started straightaway. Following several occasions of infotainment system shutdown happening whilst entering satnav destinations I decided to buy a charger suitable for this EFB battery, specifically a Hyundai HYSC-4000M... https://thepowersite.co.uk/hyundai-h...y-charger-220v I can find nothing whatsoever in the Owner's Manual regarding safe charging instructions. Is it reasonable to assume that that the battery can be safely charge in situ while still connected? __________________ GONE: 2015 V60 D4 181 (VEA) R-Design Lux Nav manual in black

Sep 17th, 2019, 23:30	#2
Chrisv60 Senior Member Last Online: Yesterday 22:56 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Home	My car sits around quite a lot and after I while I find the stop start no longer works due to 'electrical system'. So, particularly in winter, I charge mine quite frequently with an ALDI smart charger which gets the stop start working again for a while. I've never disconnected the battery. I'm sure I read somewhere to only connect the red lead to the positive terminal and the black lead to a separate earth point, not only for safety, but also so as not to upset the battery monitoring module. By doing this, it takes into account the charge going back in to the battery. __________________ V60 D4 SE Lux MY15 Savile Grey. Gone but not forgotten.

Sep 18th, 2019, 08:42	#6
Chrisv60 Senior Member Last Online: Yesterday 22:56 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Home	It also says in the manual:- If the following instruction is not observed then the energy saving function for info- tainment may be temporarily disengaged, and/or the message in the information dis- play about the main battery's state of charge may be temporarily inapplicable, following the connection of an external battery or battery charger: • The negative battery terminal on the car's starter battery must never be used for connecting an external bat- tery or battery charger - only the car chassis may be used as the ground- ing point. See Jump starting with battery (p. 279) for a description of how the cable clamps must be attached. I thought I'd seen it somewhere. __________________ V60 D4 SE Lux MY15 Savile Grey. Gone but not forgotten.

Sep 18th, 2019, 09:40	#9
jasmith44 jasmith44 Last Online: Yesterday 16:30 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: burnley	If in doubt change the battery for a new one.End of concern for the winter. __________________ 244 / 460 / 440 /850x2/ s40x2 / s80 / s60 2.0t/ S60 ES T3. Current 2008 S80 2.5 SE T A.

Sep 18th, 2019, 11:58	#10
Clan Experienced Member Last Online: Yesterday 23:47 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: L/H side	these new generation batteries charge up to 80% fairly quickly , however it take a long long time to get the last 20% ... i would leave it on for at least 24 hours preferably longer with a small home charger ... It will rejuvinate the battery . Another point , if they have been left dead flat for even a full day it can ruin them and they will never recover . __________________ My comments are only based on my opinions and vast experience .

Sep 17th, 2019, 23:38	#3
HDAV Master Member Last Online: Jan 21st, 2024 14:21 Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: End of the valley	Too late now but eother Lidl’s or Aldi units for £15 or a ctek with dedicated fixed connector is what I would go with....... ctek means plug and play and don’t even need to open the bonnet..... Or if you have a towbar can charge via the electric connection ... https://www.disco3.co.uk/shop/tow-el...e-etc-p45.html

Sep 18th, 2019, 08:26	#5
rafikield Junior Member Last Online: Yesterday 16:04 Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Beograd	As I found in manual for XC60, vehicles with manual transmission are fitted with EFB type battery, while those with automatic transmission have AGM type. Not sure why it matters, though... BR

Sep 18th, 2019, 09:39	#8
Craig S Member Last Online: Jun 28th, 2023 11:06 Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Newcastle	Zebster, I found that initially my car had no start/stop, then after a couple of months I got the warning that the battery was undercharged. And when i checked with a multi meter the battery was reading 12.1v (which is virtually discharged) I tried charging the battery and it made a difference for a few days but then the start stop wouldn't operate, and before long the warning light came back on. I bit the bullet and changed the battery and it has been fine ever since. If memory serves the main dealer charged around £80 to replace the battery, which was cheaper than any battery I could find online. IIRC my 2014 D4 has 2 batteries. The primary battery (which is the one that failed) and the secondary battery which is the one that deals with powering all of the other systems. It is very rarely the secondary battery that fails.

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