Lockdown Bad For Batteries

Heddy · 5th April 2020, 16:44

Had to change my battery today, after seven and a half years. It was a Yuasa Silver with a 5 yr guarantee. Mine was end of life but many will just go flat due to short trips. Would be interesting to know how many miles are required to put back the power used to start the car, answers on a sanitised postcard.

Dawn · 5th April 2020, 16:49

My battery was fried on my Toyota Friday. I'd hoped it could be saved but alas not. I have a solar charger I used on my Rover when I had my op that plugs into the lighter, but via the lighter the Toyota wont take it. I've got a different direct to battery lead for it now, so will be using that after I've done my shopping this week. I think a lot of people are going to have issues with this.

In answer to how many miles to put some power back, wouldn't that depend how charged the battery was in the first place? We probably need Marinabrian for this question hehe!

coolguy · 5th April 2020, 17:27

My mechanic reckons about 20 miles or 45 minutes stationary on tickover. I can see a lot of folk finding out the hard way if they have no way of charging or trickle charging because they are on the street.

T-Cut · 5th April 2020, 17:29

Only one mile in first gear, three miles in third or five to ten in top,depending on how fast you go.
TC

BoroRover · 5th April 2020, 18:09

I buy my provisions in bits and bobs, so I do a 10 mile round trip to the supermarket every day bar Sunday. Seems to do the business, plus, I really enjoy driving the 75.

FLYING BANANA · 5th April 2020, 18:13

I’m running both of mine every other week.

SCP440 · 5th April 2020, 18:52

As far as how long it takes to put charge back in I know on a BMW 316. A friends wife had a job that was 1.2 miles from there house and the battery would need topping up in the winter every couple of weeks or it would not enough power to start the car. She swapped her job for another 2 miles from there house and now it is fine.

As a buy the way we fitted a new Bosch battery the first time it would not start and this made no difference. The alternator was putting out its full voltage.

So somewhere between 1.2 an 2 miles is the answer.

COLVERT · 7th December 2021, 20:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Cut

Only one mile in first gear, three miles in third or five to ten in top, depending on how fast you go.
TC

Won't make any difference really as the output of the alternator is regulated and will remain constant no matter how much you rev the engine.--

MarkS · 6th April 2020, 10:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawn

I have a solar charger I used on my Rover when I had my op that plugs into the lighter, but via the lighter the Toyota wont take it.

I've just done a mod to the in-car fusebox, so the cigar lighter socket on a Pre-project-drive car can be used, without the ignition key, for charging by solar panel.

A 4W panel from Old Maplins (sitting on the dashboard, facing south) is giving me up to 190mA, for ~ 6-8 hours a day for the foreseeable fortnight. That should keep the battery happy.

wraymond · 6th April 2020, 11:18

My car gets a 10/15 mile run once a week, for shopping, the roads around me being major dual carriageways so a variety of speeds can be an advantage.
When the car is parked it is on my driveway behind gates that are tricky to open so the alarm is live only at night for about 8 hours - not much current I know but every little helps. I have for years also carried a starter/charger in the boot for emergencies. Also in the boot there is now a carrier bag with two others in it for obvious purposes.

5th April 2020, 16:44	#1
Heddy This is my second home None Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: None Posts: 5,556 Thanks: 465 Thanked 1,161 Times in 924 Posts	Lockdown Bad For Batteries Had to change my battery today, after seven and a half years. It was a Yuasa Silver with a 5 yr guarantee. Mine was end of life but many will just go flat due to short trips. Would be interesting to know how many miles are required to put back the power used to start the car, answers on a sanitised postcard.

5th April 2020, 18:13	#6
FLYING BANANA Moderator/Club Shop MG ZT 1.8t+. No.3 of 4 in Sunspot Yellow & Ford Fiesta in Black. Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Rattler Farm Posts: 22,568 Thanks: 9,270 Thanked 15,645 Times in 6,806 Posts	I’m running both of mine every other week. __________________ 233,431. That’s our second meet done, no.3 next weekend. onen hag oll

6th April 2020, 11:18	#10
wraymond This is my second home 75 Auto 2.5 SE Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Westcliff on Sea Posts: 5,195 Thanks: 423 Thanked 1,680 Times in 1,014 Posts	My car gets a 10/15 mile run once a week, for shopping, the roads around me being major dual carriageways so a variety of speeds can be an advantage. When the car is parked it is on my driveway behind gates that are tricky to open so the alarm is live only at night for about 8 hours - not much current I know but every little helps. I have for years also carried a starter/charger in the boot for emergencies. Also in the boot there is now a carrier bag with two others in it for obvious purposes. __________________ member no. 235

5th April 2020, 16:49	#2
Dawn I really should get out more....... MG ZT 180+ auto Join Date: May 2016 Location: Ilkeston, Derbys Posts: 2,743 Thanks: 285 Thanked 1,128 Times in 504 Posts	My battery was fried on my Toyota Friday. I'd hoped it could be saved but alas not. I have a solar charger I used on my Rover when I had my op that plugs into the lighter, but via the lighter the Toyota wont take it. I've got a different direct to battery lead for it now, so will be using that after I've done my shopping this week. I think a lot of people are going to have issues with this. In answer to how many miles to put some power back, wouldn't that depend how charged the battery was in the first place? We probably need Marinabrian for this question hehe!

5th April 2020, 17:27	#3
coolguy Coolguy Rover 75 CDT Tourer Auto, Rover 75 2.0 Connoisseur Auto, MG ZT 2.5 Auto and MG ZT Cdti Auto (Monogra Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Finedon Posts: 1,897 Thanks: 933 Thanked 638 Times in 430 Posts	My mechanic reckons about 20 miles or 45 minutes stationary on tickover. I can see a lot of folk finding out the hard way if they have no way of charging or trickle charging because they are on the street.

5th April 2020, 17:29	#4
T-Cut This is my second home Rover75 and Mreg Corsa. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sumweer onat mote o'dust (Sagin) Posts: 21,753 Thanks: 341 Thanked 3,660 Times in 2,924 Posts	Only one mile in first gear, three miles in third or five to ten in top,depending on how fast you go. TC

5th April 2020, 18:09	#5
BoroRover Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Middlesbrough Posts: 1,518 Thanks: 1,861 Thanked 723 Times in 471 Posts	I buy my provisions in bits and bobs, so I do a 10 mile round trip to the supermarket every day bar Sunday. Seems to do the business, plus, I really enjoy driving the 75.

5th April 2020, 18:52	#7
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,504 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	As far as how long it takes to put charge back in I know on a BMW 316. A friends wife had a job that was 1.2 miles from there house and the battery would need topping up in the winter every couple of weeks or it would not enough power to start the car. She swapped her job for another 2 miles from there house and now it is fine. As a buy the way we fitted a new Bosch battery the first time it would not start and this made no difference. The alternator was putting out its full voltage. So somewhere between 1.2 an 2 miles is the answer.