Battery drain?
 

Hi all
I've had to jump start my car the last three days in the morning. It then starts ok in the afternoon.
The battery is only about six months old, so should be ok. Ive checked the alternator (it's about 9 months old) and it is fine.

Since the lockdown I only use the car twice a day to take the dogs out (about a mile each way)
So..........
Have I got a battery drain going on, or are the short trips doing this? I don't have satnav. Would appreciate some advice before I get involved with an auto electrician and the costs involved.

Thanks
Geoff

Yes Geoff, :D exacerbated by the freezing temperatures.

Get hold of a smart charger immediately and leave it connected for at least 24 hours and you might just save your battery. C-tek (a Swedish company) are compact and well made but there are other choices.

Simon

I have been having similar problems especially with my wife's 25, I have an easy 10 mile 'round the block' trip which helps once every 10 days or so.

Interestingly I had to buy a new leisure battery for my caravan and the supplier, a specialist battery stockist specifically state that they do not honour stated warranty on car batteries where the vehicle averages less than 30 miles a week!!
In the same vein I called an independent auto electrician about the 25 who said he wouldn't waste my money by coming out to the car, he spent many years working for a large auto electrical company before they closed up and he said Rover 25's & 45's were 'regulars' for parasite drain checks and in practically all cases it was due to the cars lack of use.
I guess we all take our batteries for granted but current times are making us take a closer look and as Simon says the current low temperatures are not helping.

I've had a similar problem, and I'm sure we're not alone. It's worth making sure you switch the radio off before the ignition, otherwise it can drain power even though it appears to be off.

I have recently bought a trickle charger to address this problem, but am curious to note that the instructions recommend attaching the neutral lead to a body-part well away from the battery. If connecting to a battery outside the car, they recommend using a long lead between the neutral battery post and the crocodile clip from the charger. Is it not safe to attach both crocodile clips to the battery posts? If not, why not?

In my experience Charles it is perfectly safe to use the battery posts. I believe that the recommendation you have read comes from the extremely unlikely possibility that a spark jumping from the post to crocodile clip may be enough to ignite any hydrogen which happens to be being emitted from the battery. The charger should, of course, remain switched off until all connections are secure; then there will be no sparks.
You don't need to worry about that Charles. It makes no difference whether the radio is switched off using its own controls or via the ignition key. If the radio has an internal rechargeable battery to maintain the preset station memory (or if it is powered directly by a permanent feed), the current required could be compared to taking a thimble full of water out of an Olympic swimming pool. :D
The best way to look after your battery is to:

• Switch off the automatic activation of the HRW if it's not required.
• Not start the car to move it a few yards or use it for frequent very short journeys.
• Use a smart maintenance charger during lockdown.

Simon

Thanks for that, Simon. I have always connected my "ordinary" battery charger to the battery posts (after disconnecting the neutral lead) and have never had a problem, which is why I was surprised by the instructions which came with the trickle-charger.

My advice about switching off the radio came from Honest John in the Daily Telegraph, but it is aimed at people leaving a car for a long time, eg at an airport car-park. I agree it shouldn't make any difference when parking for a few minutes.

I also agree your three bulleted tips. A useful hint I once read was, having started the car from cold, do not switch off the engine until the needle on the temperature gauge has moved off the minimum mark. Not only does it help to avoid battery drain, it also helps to avoid leaving the carburettor full of a rich mix which can make it difficult to start again.

Just a lapse on the part of one who grew up when all cars had them! The fact remains, though, that if I start my car from cold and switch off after just a minute or two, it is very difficult to re-start, just as it would be with a flooded carburettor.

I know exactly what you mean Charles. To get around this, depress the accelerator pedal fully to allow maximum air into the engine before operating the starter motor. :D

Simon