Car battery dead? Do I need a new one?

odckdo

Don't know much about cars so excuse the simple query.

Tried to jump start a battery in a 2012 Skoda Superb Greenline with 40,000Km. The car hadn't been driven in 3-4 weeks. Initially the radio, etc worked but toke 40 minutes to get the engine to start.

Toke it for a 15 minute drive at a good speed. Got home turned engine off - tried to start it again and it wouldn't.

Do I need to replace this battery or is there anything else I can try?

Cheers.

colm_mcm

You need to drive it longer, plenty of revs.

zoe 3619

Think you need a new battery.

blueskys

Buy a battery charger always handy to have one in the house...
you can charge the battery to full overnight with one of them if its just been
run down from lack of use. you can get an 8 amp one for around 60 euro, well worth it.

TheChizler

Do you have a voltmeter or battery tester you can test it with?

myshirt

No doubt you were using sh!te cables... 40 minutes is a long time... particularly if car was only laid up a month.... drive for longer, I imagine it should be fine and getting a charge...

odckdo

blueskys wrote: »

Buy a battery charger always handy to have one in the house...
you can charge the battery to full overnight with one of them if its just been
run down from lack of use. you can get an 8 amp one for around 60 euro, well worth it.

I am looking after the car for a family member - I'd nearly prefer to put the €60 into a new battery if it came to that.

If I connected my car to it with the jump leads and left it running longer, would that make a difference? I suppose I won't know till I give another try.

TheChizler wrote: »

Do you have a voltmeter or battery tester you can test it with?

No but I'll ask around and see if I can track down either voltmeter/battery tester/battery charger.

Cheers.

DanWall

It is unusual for the battery to suddenly pack in, If you have tried above, it could be your charging system on the car is not working, you should get approx. 12.5 volts on the battery with the engine stopped and 14.5 with the engine running.

odckdo

myshirt wrote: »

No doubt you were using sh!te cables... 40 minutes is a long time... particularly if car was only laid up a month.... drive for longer, I imagine it should be fine and getting a charge...

Probably.

I picked up these ones on Amazon:

Silverline 456956 Jump Leads Heavy Duty 600A max 3.6m
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-456956-Jump-Leads-Heavy/dp/B000LFXQ6E/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1424304591&sr=1-1&keywords=jump+leads

9935452

Check the alternator is charging

Del2005

odckdo wrote: »

I am looking after the car for a family member - I'd nearly prefer to put the €60 into a new battery if it came to that.

€60 on a battery will keep one car going, €30 on a charger will keep several cars going.

odckdo wrote: »

If I connected my car to it with the jump leads and left it running longer, would that make a difference? I suppose I won't know till I give another try.

Take the car for a much longer spin the next time you jump it and try and keep other electrical usage to a minimum.

odckdo

Thanks for the advice.

I'll jump it again and take it on a good run and hopefully that will sort it.

Failing that, I think I can borrow a battery charger from someone.

Cheers.

Jesus.

For fukk's sake Del, he doesn't need a charger! Its not his car!

wendell borton

Taking a toke while driving!:eek:

Del2005

Jesus. wrote: »

For fukk's sake Del, he doesn't need a charger! Its not his car!

Everyone with a car should have a charger.

mickdw

Del2005 wrote: »

Everyone with a car should have a charger.

Thats a bit over the top unless you only drive one a week or something