David Jenkins
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| posted on 25/3/17 at 07:40 PM |
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Buggrit!
Took the toy car for its MOT last week... started easily, drove to the garage, turned on my headlights, etc, everything fine - but then I tried to
start the engine so I could get it off the ramp and into the brake test rollers - no go, all I got was a clunk. Got it going again by bump-starting
on the rollers, then left it running while I paid my dues and went home. Tested it today after charging the battery, and turning the headlights on
for a minute or two was enough to knock the battery voltage right down (and the voltage stayed down when the lights were turned off again). Took the
battery to the place I bought it from, and their tester showed that it was knackered (as all the evidence suggested).
Why "buggrit"? Because the battery had a 3-year guarantee, which ran out 2 weeks ago! Soddit... but at least the car passed, which is
good...
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loggyboy
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| posted on 25/3/17 at 07:50 PM |
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Argue the toss over 2 Weeks. Sales of goods act is on your side, its not just a final countdown.
Mistral Motorsport
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 25/3/17 at 09:16 PM |
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I couldn't be bothered to argue - they're nice people anyway, and they've been good to me in the past on quite a few occasions. This
was actually a battery swapped under guarantee after the last one died at 2.5 years, and they replaced that without whingeing. My batteries seem to
last about 3 years on this car, despite being on a maintenance charger when the car's not in use; this sounds ideal, but in reality I
don't think it's the best way to treat a battery in the long term.
It wasn't a premium battery - just a general-purpose one - but not the cheapest budget one either. I must say that the manufacturer was pretty
good at matching the warranty to the battery life... 
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907
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| posted on 26/3/17 at 09:05 AM |
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I would look at that as; the battery that you payed for has lasted 5.5 years; but then my glass is half full, not half empty.
I am also one of the 5% (ish) of people that wouldn't use a maintenance charger. (ducks for cover)
I am of the belief that batteries are made to use their stored energy, then be charged.
Constantly being kept at 105% charge doesn't prolong a batteries life, quite the opposite IMHO.
In general I also think that car owners are anal about batteries running down. They'll do a short run with AC, fans blowing,
their heated front & rear screens, mirrors, four headlights blazing, plus fog lights.....................
and yet refuse to switch on a couple of LED parking lights, which use 4/5ths of FA, when they come to a standstill.
Now it seems that if you hit an unlit car on a pitch black foggy night it's your fault.
Sorry, I'm bored. Just spent a week recovering from pneumonia and now my hands and feet are itching.
Paul G
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SJ
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| posted on 26/3/17 at 09:47 AM |
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I'm interested to know why you need a maintenance charger?
Mine just has a normal car battery but I only need to give it a top up charge maybe a couple of times a year. I use my car very infrequently and it
will quite happily sit for 3-4 months and start without a charge.
I do isolate the battery when left though.
Stu
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 26/3/17 at 12:23 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by 907
I would look at that as; the battery that you payed for has lasted 5.5 years; but then my glass is half full, not half empty.
I am also one of the 5% (ish) of people that wouldn't use a maintenance charger. (ducks for cover)
I am of the belief that batteries are made to use their stored energy, then be charged.
Constantly being kept at 105% charge doesn't prolong a batteries life, quite the opposite IMHO.
The 5.5 years life was the way I looked at it - I reckon that in the end I'd got a good deal. I cheerfully paid up for the new battery, and
made a few jokes with them about the just-expired guarantee.
You may be right about keeping the battery charged all the time - although the normal car battery has quite a high lower limit (no less than around
90%, I believe). If you want to go lower then a deep-discharge battery is required - but they're not as good for starting engines. I might
just let it rest between drives and check it every so often.
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907
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| posted on 26/3/17 at 06:48 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
quote:
Originally posted by 907
I would look at that as; the battery that you payed for has lasted 5.5 years; but then my glass is half full, not half empty.
I am also one of the 5% (ish) of people that wouldn't use a maintenance charger. (ducks for cover)
I am of the belief that batteries are made to use their stored energy, then be charged.
Constantly being kept at 105% charge doesn't prolong a batteries life, quite the opposite IMHO.
The 5.5 years life was the way I looked at it - I reckon that in the end I'd got a good deal. I cheerfully paid up for the new battery, and
made a few jokes with them about the just-expired guarantee.
You may be right about keeping the battery charged all the time - although the normal car battery has quite a high lower limit (no less than around
90%, I believe). If you want to go lower then a deep-discharge battery is required - but they're not as good for starting engines. I might
just let it rest between drives and check it every so often.
I have a Bosch silver that comes with a 3year warranty. There's a bronze (1y) or a gold, (5y) and the price reflected this.
The car has never failed to start but in the past has never spun over with any enthusiasm. Now I go further afield with the car
I felt perhaps the starter motor could be the problem. Research into this revealed it to be a common problem according to
Lotus forums and all recommended a geared starter.
Careful de-rusting of the snap closure on my wallet and an order was placed with Wosp and three days later the 907 was
leaping into action upon first turn of the key.
Cheers
Paul G
 
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pewe
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| posted on 27/3/17 at 09:44 AM |
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In a previous life I did business with battery companies.
One of their techies reckon to connect a 12v, low watt bulb across the terminals and when that dimmed it was time to re-charge.
Suspect that still applies, though that advice was in the days of simple lead-acid batteries.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe10 
[Edited on 27/3/17 by pewe]
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