Flat battery Monday ITV news.

[ericmark]

We do not use the auto start from phone, although in the drive there would be no problem. I have noted ambulances where engine is left running but you can't drive car away, to keep things like blue lights running without battery going flat, so clearly there are circumstances where it is allowed, but I know while waiting for my wife while she was in hospital it was extremely annoying when some one parks next to you with engine running, one assumes so the AC works. So I would not do it myself.

Unless battery has enough charge the stop/start is inhibited, so in real terms rarely works.

As to @Harry Bloomfield method yes I would consider using a timer, but then the Lidi charger was under £15 can't see the point, I just move charger from battery to battery.

What I was surprised at was how long it takes to fully charge a battery, the sulphur goes hard, and with a heavy sulphated battery it can sit it seems doing nothing for a fortnight then as if a switch flicked start to charge, I suspect the Kia battery getting on a bit now, but the rest, even on 0.1 amp charge rate raise above 12.8 volt when fully charged, and that is what I look for, so once at 0.1 amp and showing 13 volt or more I assume fully charged, but looking at a few days, not hours.

I thought the Jazz was on original battery, but when it failed last year saw Halfords written on it so clearly not the original, but battery life seems can vary 2 to 15 years, even when same owner, so more luck than good care. But the keeping of a battery at 80% to my mind is OK when car used 5 out of every 7 days, and the computer every so often fully recharges it, but when the car is left for a month without being used, then the battery does need topping up before being left and likely every 6 weeks after.

 

[SUNRAY]

Ambulances usually have Adverk charging systems, 220A alternator and 2 to 4 big auxiliary batteries like 150AH, one runs coms, blues and twos, internal lighting the rest for medical kit. So no fear of engine battery going flat.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

As to @Harry Bloomfield method yes I would consider using a timer, but then the Lidi charger was under £15 can't see the point, I just move charger from battery to battery.

I'm a fit and forget type - I simply don't trust myself to remember to put batteries on charge regularly enough, so I aim to automate such processes wherever possible.

 

[SUNRAY]

I use car and leisure batteries for portable uses and used to have over a dozen, keeping them fit and healthy was a PITA. Originally I used 4 bog standard battery chargers after use and over night before use. That was fine when they were in very regular use in the summer but September to May I had to remember to put them on charge and write the date of charge on them every 3 weeks was my target.

Currently I have only 4 120AH leisure batteries and i confess I totally rely on 4 Lidl chargers, clip the charger on push the button and forget until I push the button the night before next use, but it drops back to low within the hour.