Expected life of a car battery?

[Bonefishblues]

Hmmm, and then there's the whole "keep it dry" mullarky too - because a silver reflective car cover isn't going to be terribly helpful in allowing light through for charging. Oh and it getting nicked off the car.

You know when you have a good idea that's not?

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Bonefishblues

Hmmm, and then there's the whole "keep it dry" mullarky too - because a silver reflective car cover isn't going to be terribly helpful in allowing light through for charging. Oh and it getting nicked off the car.

You know when you have a good idea that's not?

Keeping it dry is relatively easy in comparison to making it safe from the local Five-Finger-Discounters. You know the vacuum bags you can buy for clothes, food and similar stuff? One of those would make it fairly waterproof but then where do you put it so it's safe?

Do you have a driveway and if so, is it south facing? Got a couple of ideas if so.

[Bonefishblues]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Keeping it dry is relatively easy in comparison to making it safe from the local Five-Finger-Discounters. You know the vacuum bags you can buy for clothes, food and similar stuff? One of those would make it fairly waterproof but then where do you put it so it's safe?

Do you have a driveway and if so, is it south facing? Got a couple of ideas if so.

I do, it's pretty much due North... Oh and on a decline away from the sun. OTOH I do have ready access to an electric socket so assume there's mileage there.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Bonefishblues

I do, it's pretty much due North... Oh and on a decline away from the sun. OTOH I do have ready access to an electric socket so assume there's mileage there.

I think the answer is a plug in trickle charger in that case. There are a few options but this one seems a good bet for a long-term lay-up:

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clar...y-chargermain/

The other option is :

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clar...ickle-charger/

which would probably do the job but the first one in the description it actually mentions it can be left connected long term to maintain a battery.

[827Roverman]

Originally Posted by Bonefishblues

Tell more please - esp as I am sorning one vehicle in winter and one in summer. I'd thought about this via a OBD-port kit, but didn't get around to it before I covered the C70.

This one, in fact:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154205536086

Worth doing?

The panel I'm getting is ebay item 124284263601 its a 10w so a bit more power from it. David.

[Laney760]

I am returning home in a few days time and the first thing I will do is put the Bosch on charge over the weekend using my old fashioned trickle charge battery charger as oppose to my new style fast charging one so I can get through next week at work whilst I sort out a new battery. My Dad wants one of the old fashioned trickle chargers like mine, mine is not one that you can use on/in the vehicle, I remove my battery and leave it charging indoors for a couple of days. Do they still sell these anywhere, all the trickle chargers I look at say intelligent and fast which is not a slow trickle charger!

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Laney760

I am returning home in a few days time and the first thing I will do is put the Bosch on charge over the weekend using my old fashioned trickle charge battery charger as oppose to my new style fast charging one so I can get through next week at work whilst I sort out a new battery. My Dad wants one of the old fashioned trickle chargers like mine, mine is not one that you can use on/in the vehicle, I remove my battery and leave it charging indoors for a couple of days. Do they still sell these anywhere, all the trickle chargers I look at say intelligent and fast which is not a slow trickle charger!

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/010314104/

I think that's a "fick" one Ellie, no mention of microprocessor control or anything silly like that so should be what you're after. There are other options as well but they're a bit dearer :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maypole-B...2/333636278560

I know that one is a "fick" one as i bought one to replace an older one i picked up 30+ years ago from a car boot sale for 50p and fixed with an old trick for nothing. It eventually gave up the ghost so bought the same type to replace it with as i needed one that would give an output without a battery connected (the "intelligent" ones don't usually) and it gives Normal (trickle) and Fast charge rates with switch selection. Also possible to switch between 6V and 12V but not many 6V batteries around these days, even on motorbikes!

[lnparry]

Interested to read the discussion on solar powered chargers.

I have an MGF in a lock up with no power. The car will stand being left for 4 to 6 weeks when not in use during the winter before the battery will not start the car. I have often wondered about a solar powered charger. I could fix one on the garage roof and keep it dry as Dave suggests.

However, a friend of mine tried this with an MX5 a few years ago but there was just not enough sun to keep the battery charged over time. Given that technology improves with time, has anyone had success with a solar charger keeping the battery topped up for long periods on a car left standing?

Cheers,
LeeP

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by lnparry

Interested to read the discussion on solar powered chargers.

I have an MGF in a lock up with no power. The car will stand being left for 4 to 6 weeks when not in use during the winter before the battery will not start the car. I have often wondered about a solar powered charger. I could fix one on the garage roof and keep it dry as Dave suggests.

However, a friend of mine tried this with an MX5 a few years ago but there was just not enough sun to keep the battery charged over time. Given that technology improves with time, has anyone had success with a solar charger keeping the battery topped up for long periods on a car left standing?

Cheers,
LeeP

You'd need at least a 10W solar panel Lee, just to cover in the winter. That's for the basics - clock, ECUs etc but if you have an alarm, tracker or anything else non-standard you'd need more. In winter you have at best 6 hours of daylight - to get charge you also need sunlight so a 10W is a conservative estimate as well.
It also needs to be angled to face the sun for the best effect which this time of the year means it will be near vertical.

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/010314104/

I think that's a "fick" one Ellie, no mention of microprocessor control or anything silly like that so should be what you're after. There are other options as well but they're a bit dearer :

Cheers Dave, I ordered my Dad one of these last week.

I haven't yet dug out the receipt for my Bosch battery since I returned home but I put the battery on the trickle charger on Saturday morning and it was reading (does that mean taking?) 3 amps, very shortly thereafter 2 amps and by Sunday morning just after 1 amp. Put it back on the car on Sunday afternoon and it is a lot better now. So all in all my sometimes tricky starting has been caused by the lazy iacv valve and the battery. If I didn't get the starting just right and there wasn't much left in the battery things started to get tricky! Out of interest, what sort of shape does it sound like the battery is in, going by the amps on the charger please?