Battery issues

[Wiz]

First of all - Happy new Year to all you Zedders' out there.

I purchased a new battery for my Z3 in July 2017. The battery charge is now very low and will not start the Z3.
I have managed to jump start the car several times with a jump unit. The car is garaged for the winter period and I like to give it a buzz every few weeks. After reading all the threads I now understand that there will be a steady discharge of the battery overtime due to the car alarm and alternator diodes etc... I have therefore purchased an intelligent battery charger (1.5A). This has now been connected overnight and the battery is still not fully charged. However after reading up on these trickle chargers several people quote that it may take possibly 3 days to fully charge. Has any other Zedder used such a trickle charger and if so is the 3 day estimation to fully charge the battery somewhere near the mark.

Regards Wiz

 

[smiffy]

I'd suggest jump starting the car, and taking it for a run to recharge using the alternator first.

Trickle charger does exactly that "trickle".

They are designed to keep a charged battery topped up, not recharge a flat battery.

 

[Jjim]

All of my Zeds will have dead batteries within 10 days if I don't drive them.

I have a battery charger (Halfords) for flat batteries and an AA battery maintainer / trickle charger for when the car is not in use.

Over the summer the cars get driven often so no problems. As soon as they start gritting the roads, I cover them up for the winter and remove the batteries. I have 3 batteries and just rotate the trickle charger on each of them every week. Keeps them all topped up.

I wouldn't use a trickle charger to charge a dead battery.

 

[t-tony]

I was given one of these for Christmas and it will charge a flat battery and maintain batteries too.

Works a treat.

Tony.

 

[t-tony]

Just by coincidence I had to replace the battery on my car yesterday. The car was a little lazy turning over recently and it was making the starter motor struggle as bad batteries do. On test the news was what I expected.

New Yuasa battery installed.

And all my treasures replaced I re tested and this was better.

This battery also had a point to connect the "gas" pipe to.

Cost me £78 Inc. Vat.

Tony.

 

[andyglym]

It's several weeks at a time before I get to start mine, the battery is normally pretty flat when I get home so I pop my CTEK on overnight and it's full by morning. Normally takes about 8-10 hours from 1/2 lights to the full 7.

 

[mrscalex]

My Ctek trickle charger/conditioner won't charge a very flat battery. It just spits it out as bad. So I have to put it on a old fashioned basic charger to get it started.

 

[Steve Medlock]

Just a thought but I take it that none of those solar panel thingys are any good for trickle charging?

 

[t-tony]

I know a man who installed one in his daughter's Zafira Steve and it worked ok.

Tony.

 

[Mnbrennan]

I bought one of these last week as the battery on the coupe was dead (wouldn't even operate the central locking)

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...goryId=255205&productId=1076991&storeId=10001

I'm very impressed with it. It can charge (up to 12A), trickle charge and test a battery. It has several charging modes to safely charge your battery.

I put it on the coupe battery and after about 3 hours it was at 60% and rising.

I did look at a trickle charger but they do as said, charge at a low amperage

 

[Mnbrennan]

Here it is on the coupe battery. Going to try and connect to the under bonnet connections on Sunday while the smurf gets a brake upgrade

You can see the battery is reading 'Lo', so to protect the battery it charges at 1.2A. When the battery reads over 12v it begins to ramp up the amperage

 

[Wiz]

The beast is laid dormant now for the winter months. The car has been previously jumped off with no issues. I am now going to leave the trickle charger on until the battery is fully charged as long as it may take. The battery wasn't totally dead and was only purchased in July and has a 3 year warranty so if the battery is goosed, and I don't believe it is, this should be replaced at no cost. I will keep you all updated on my progress. Thank you all.

Regards Wiz

 

[t-tony]

Just by coincidence I had to replace the battery on my car yesterday. The car was a little lazy turning over recently and it was making the starter motor struggle as bad batteries do. On test the news was what I expected.
View attachment 71411 View attachment 71414 View attachment 71418
New Yuasa battery installed.
View attachment 71410
And all my treasures replaced I re tested and this was better.View attachment 71416
View attachment 71415
This battery also had a point to connect the "gas" pipe to.
View attachment 71417
Cost me £78 Inc. Vat.

Tony.

Adrian, @Synclare ??

Tony.

 

[Synclare]

Not personally had any problem on my 2002 1.9 Z3. Have left it up to 2 plus months with battery still connected and it still starts first turn of the key. Not a new battery either. Admittedly I don't bother setting the alarm. Try connecting an ammeter in series and measure current draw.

 

[t-tony]

Not personally had any problem on my 2002 1.9 Z3. Have left it up to 2 plus months with battery still connected and it still starts first turn of the key. Not a new battery either. Admittedly I don't bother setting the alarm. Try connecting an ammeter in series

I was wondering what you found to disagree with in my post #5 mate?

Tony.

 

[t-tony]

Here it is on the coupe battery. Going to try and connect to the under bonnet connections on Sunday while the smurf gets a brake upgrade

View attachment 71432

You can see the battery is reading 'Lo', so to protect the battery it charges at 1.2A. When the battery reads over 12v it begins to ramp up the amperage

Here is my "fleet" of battery testing/charging gear.
My very first battery charger I ever bought, back in the late 70's.

Basically just a trickle charger and you cannot be in a hurry.
About five years ago when I had my Z3 I got this one, another "Ring" product which does slow and fast charge up to 20A and a starter facility at 80A.

A really good bit of kit which is probably a bit OTT for most people.
This Christmas I received this little beauty which will hopefully cover most of my battery charging needs.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOCHE-4AMP-6V-12V-INTELLIGENT-AUTO-CAR-BIKE-SMART-BATTERY-CHARGER-MICROPROCESSOR/272514468296?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

When you have a battery re charged you can test them to see what life they have left. I use this, again probably not for your average DIYer.

Last but not least, to test alternator output you need a Volt meter of some sort, I have this at home and another more upmarket one at work.

Tony.

 

[andyglym]

Here is my "fleet" of battery testing/charging gear.
My very first battery charger I ever bought, back in the late 70's.
View attachment 71489 View attachment 71490
Basically just a trickle charger and you cannot be in a hurry.
About five years ago when I had my Z3 I got this one, another "Ring" product which does slow and fast charge up to 20A and a starter facility at 80A.
View attachment 71494 View attachment 71495 View attachment 71496 View attachment 71497
A really good bit of kit which probably a bit OTT for most people.
This Christmas I received this little beauty which will hopefully cover most of my battery charging needs.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOCHE-4AMP-6V-12V-INTELLIGENT-AUTO-CAR-BIKE-SMART-BATTERY-CHARGER-MICROPROCESSOR/272514468296?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

When you have a battery re charged you can test them to see what life they have left. I use this, again probably not for your average DIYer.
View attachment 71491 View attachment 71492
Last but not least, to test alternator output you need a Volt meter of some sort, I have this at home and another more upmarket one at work.
View attachment 71498

Tony.

A bit behind mate, CTEK and volt meter. Last time I checked the battery and alternater both where fine.

 

[t-tony]

A bit behind mate, CTEK and volt meter. Last time I checked the battery and alternater bot where fine.

Yep, but really all you need Andy. I bought that booster/starter model simply because I sometimes get cars left here which won't start, and just love that

Tony.

 

[Wiz]

Update, battery now fully charged up via trickle charger, green battery full light illuminated. Disconnected trickle charger and tried to start the beast. Started immediately with no issues. Hard wired trickle charger to battery now so nice and easy to connect same. It took approximately 5 days to slowly top up the battery but well worth the wait to hear the beast roar into action once again. Image of charger used attached below. Regards Wiz.

 

[Steve Medlock]

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/Non-Food-Offers.htm?articleId=9575