Battery Charger

nava

Hi

Sorry if it's a stupid question but not good at the mechanic stuff.

We want to get a battery charger for Nissan Micra 01 1L we have the reason is that if we don't use the car for a few days the battery goes dead and we need to call the Road side to get it recharge.

Last year we change the alternator and battery but still the same problem.

I was looking at getting the charger from Lidl on Thursday or maybe something a bit better from Argos. Maybe the RAC or Black & Decker.

If I understand correctly:

The Lidl you take the battery out and plug it for a few hours and that will charger it.

Argos Item number 740/2058? does it work by connecting it to the cigarette after a while switch the engine on?

Argos Item number 740/2168 is that the same as the Lidl, take battery out and plug it in to charge?

Is the above correct? How long will they take to charge? Any recommendations from the above or others?

Thanks in advance.

DublinDilbert

would it not be better to get the car fixed so its not draining the battery? shouldn't be too hard to figure it out...

Its no harm having a battery charger, but its not a solution to your problem...

L1011

The ones from Argos are unlikely to be any 'better'. You've got them accurate in how the work with your descriptions though.

I've found 'booster' packs to be utterly ineffectual from experience, though.

nava

DublinDilbert wrote: »

would it not be better to get the car fixed so its not draining the battery? shouldn't be too hard to figure it out...

Its no harm having a battery charger, but its not a solution to your problem...

I agree with you and that's why we change the battery and alternator but still the same, we think it might be caused by the Alarm as nothing else is left on (radio, lights, etc)

MYOB wrote: »

The ones from Argos are unlikely to be any 'better'. You've got them accurate in how the work with your descriptions though.

I've found 'booster' packs to be utterly ineffectual from experience, though.

As is not urgent when it happens we might go for the cheaper option if urgent we can call a recovery or jump leads.

L1011

Weird one, but you haven't got a car kit in it have you?

My mothers car was draining in 4-5 days until we took the Nokia kit out of it. Hence the knowledge of Halfrauds and Argos 'booster packs'!

nava

MYOB wrote: »

Weird one, but you haven't got a car kit in it have you?

My mothers car was draining in 4-5 days until we took the Nokia kit out of it. Hence the knowledge of Halfrauds and Argos 'booster packs'!

No car kit or anything else like that.

DublinDilbert

someone with a cheap multi meter would be able to measure the quiescent current of the vehicle and see if it is above normal...

if it is above normal start disconnecting things till it drops..

BrianD3

Is the car used much? If it is used for short journeys and then left sit idle for a few days that won't do the battery much good. Sulphation will probably have occured which will have reduced the performance and lifespan of the battery. The fact that it has been discharged enough that you couldn't start the car means even more sulphation will have occured and this signals the beginning of the end for your battery IMO.

I have seen batteries last for 10+ years on cars that were driven long journey most days. I have also seen batteries last less than a year on cars that were used less often and for short journeys

nava

BrianD3 wrote: »

Is the car used much? If it is used for short journeys and then left sit idle for a few days that won't do the battery much good. Sulphation will probably have occured which will have reduced the performance and lifespan of the battery. The fact that it has been discharged enough that you couldn't start the car means even more sulphation will have occured and this signals the beginning of the end for your battery IMO.

I have seen batteries last for 10+ years on cars that were driven long journey most days. I have also seen batteries last less than a year on cars that were used less often and for short journeys

No is not used much, maybe a couple of hours each week and some weeks nothing at all, so yes it could be the reason. We will get them to check it on the next service.

Ferris

Three solutions

-You could just park it on top of a hill and jump start it if there is a little juice left in the battery.

-You could get a mechanic to fix the problem

-You could disconnect the battery negative terminal everytime you leave the car. To get a mechanic to put an isolator switch on your battery lead would also do the trick as well as serve as an anti theft device.

BrianD3

nava wrote: »

No is not used much, maybe a couple of hours each week and some weeks nothing at all, so yes it could be the reason. We will get them to check it on the next service.

If the couple of hours driving is composed of one start and a continuous journey then it shouldn't be too bad, still not ideal for the battery though. If the two hours includes starting and stopping the car a few times and possibly letting the engine cool down between starts then that is going to be very hard on the battery.

re: disconnecting the battery from possible drains, if the battery has already sulphated this may not make much difference. If you drove the car for a few continuous hours, immediately disconnected the battery afterwards then reconnected it a week later, chances are it would not start the car.