How do you use this?

_Whimsical_

Does anyone know how you use something like this :
http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/2827_7912.htm

I'm looking for something that's easy to use to start a car that regularly has a flat battery. It has to be something very simple to use.

I realise it's ridiculous to start a thread on something when you don't even really know what it is but I don't know anyone who knows anything about cars
Much thanks to anyone who takes the time to reply

3ps

I have one (a CTEK 3600 Multi XS). You hook it up to your battery terminals and plug it in. Mine can be left on indefinately. It keeps the battery in tip top condition.

If your battery is flat is will be able to do a fast charge overnight.

You might be looking for a booster pack though? This is basically a pack you hook up with jumpleads and then start your car and it draws power from it. You can recharge it afterwards.

That Aldi thing is cheap. Not sure how good it will be but might do the job.

Sids Not

Going to sound harsh here, but just buy a new battery.....if it still goes flat you have a charging problem.....

peanuthead

Sids Not wrote: »

Going to sound harsh here, but just buy a new battery.....if it still goes flat you have a charging problem.....

+1

You will find yourself spending a fortune on stuff to revive your old battery, only to end up having to buy a new one anyway. And ye know, a new battery is hardly going to break the bank now, is it?

Mycroft H

Eventually it will come to a stage where it will hold its power for a couple of hours or it just takes one really cold night to kill a battery..... For 40 to 90 (dependin on make and engine size) you can hav the piece of mind that yer car will start in the mornin and you wont be left stranded.....

_Whimsical_

Thanks a million for taking the time to reply everyone.

I hear you on the new battery but the thing is that this IS a new battery.It's probably a bigger problem with the car alright but atm the car fixing piggy bank is not going to strecth beyond a short term cheap-ish measure. :(It may be just that the car isn't driven enough atm either...and I know that sounds easily remedied but just now it's not.

3ps wrote: »

I have one (a CTEK 3600 Multi XS). You hook it up to your battery terminals and plug it in. Mine can be left on indefinately. It keeps the battery in tip top condition.

If your battery is flat is will be able to do a fast charge overnight.

.

That sounds good. Another stupid question though :
What do you plug it into exactly?Is it like jump leads where you need to have another car to plug it into?Would it be suitable in a situation where a car may not be driven enough?

Esel

It's a battery charger, used to recharge a flat battery. It must be plugged in to the mains electricity to work, and would take a number of hours to recharge a battery.

Mycroft H

chilly wrote: »

Thanks a million for taking the time to reply everyone.

I hear you on the new battery but the thing is that this IS a new battery.It's probably a bigger problem with the car alright but atm the car fixing piggy bank is not going to strecth beyond a short term cheap-ish measure. :(It may be just that the car isn't driven enough atm either...and I know that sounds easily remedied but just now it's not.




That sounds good. Another stupid question though :
What do you plug it into exactly?Is it like jump leads where you need to have another car to plug it into?Would it be suitable in a situation where a car may not be driven enough?

As far as I know, you just connect them like jump leads but one thing I was always told was to loosen the battery caps due to in rare cases the battery can produce hydrogen when over-charged.

itarumaa

If you have a new battery and still have issues starting the car,

well one thing might be that battery is not connected properly,

for instance the minus (ground) connection is loose.

listermint

unconnect and try cleaning the points and the leads and the reconnect and tighten.

Mycroft H

itarumaa wrote: »

If you have a new battery and still have issues starting the car,

well one thing might be that battery is not connected properly,

for instance the minus (ground) connection is loose.

Follow the earth connection back to the chassis, most people can forget this. Over the years it can become loose and covered with dust, dirt and could be impeding the connection. Sometimes the ports can become excessivly hot if theres a bad connection

Remove the earth connection at the chassis. Use a wire brush to remove the dirt from the chassis and the earth connectin. You then can use wd40 to wipe clean!

Sids Not

A new battery sitting in a car can last weeks without needing attention , and can quickly come to full charge in no time with the engine running...You need to source whats drawing current while the car is left sitting..some alarms can cause a small but significant draw of current ....if you're car is hard to start you might want to check your earthing connection/s as above AND that your starter motor is'nt faulty...a dodgy motor will give the impression of a flat battery....;)

Mycroft H

Sids Not wrote: »

A new battery sitting in a car can last weeks without needing attention , and can quickly come to full charge in no time with the engine running...You need to source whats drawing current while the car is left sitting..some alarms can cause a small but significant draw of current ....if you're car is hard to start you might want to check your earthing connection/s as above AND that your starter motor is'nt faulty...a dodgy motor will give the impression of a flat battery....;)

Cd changers can sometimes draw current even when the radio and Ignition are off