I just discovered that my car's battery is flat. I won't need the car until
around the middle of next week: will it damage the battery at all to leave
it uncharged until then?

And are the home rescue services operating at the moment anyway?

Many thanks.

Jimk wrote:

I think I'd start putting it all right at the weekend.... may as
well disconnect it & (see if it will) charge first...

That's not something I can do myself, alas. It means a breakdown service
call-out.

On 10/04/2020 17:20:09, Bert Coules wrote:
I just discovered that my car's battery is flat.Â* I won't need the car
until around the middle of next week: will it damage the battery at all
to leave it uncharged until then?

Yes. It's probably buggered already.

Never let a lead-acid go flat. It might work afterwards but most of its
capacity will have been destroyed.

And are the home rescue services operating at the moment anyway?

Yes, best tell them you need to go shopping!

Fredxx wrote in :

On 10/04/2020 17:20:09, Bert Coules wrote:
I just discovered that my car's battery is flat.Â* I won't need the car
until around the middle of next week: will it damage the battery at all
to leave it uncharged until then?

Yes. It's probably buggered already.

Never let a lead-acid go flat. It might work afterwards but most of its
capacity will have been destroyed.

And are the home rescue services operating at the moment anyway?

Yes, best tell them you need to go shopping!


They will really want to sell you a new battery - it also means that you
won't call them again. Is there no-one that can charge it for you?

John wrote:

Is there no-one that can charge it for you?

Possibly, yes. I'll see if I can find out. Thanks.

On 10/04/20 17:20, Bert Coules wrote:
I just discovered that my car's battery is flat. I won't need the car until
around the middle of next week: will it damage the battery at all to leave
it uncharged until then?

And are the home rescue services operating at the moment anyway?

Many thanks.

Why is it flat? How long have you had it, and how long is it since the
car was used for long enough to charge the battery?

Have you got anyone nearby who could jump start the car for you? You
could leave it running for a while and see if it charges the battery. If
it does, and the battery stays charged for a few days, that's good. If
it won't charge or loses its charge over a couple of days when
disconnected from the car, you need a new battery. If it runs down when
connected, maybe you left something on.

I think Halfords will fit a new battery for you. No idea how much it
would cost.
https://www.halfordsmobileexpert.co.uk/content/mobile-battery-replacement

--

Jeff

On 10/04/2020 17:53, John wrote:
Fredxx wrote in :

On 10/04/2020 17:20:09, Bert Coules wrote:
I just discovered that my car's battery is flat.ÂÂ* I won't need the car
until around the middle of next week: will it damage the battery at all
to leave it uncharged until then?

Yes. It's probably buggered already.

Never let a lead-acid go flat. It might work afterwards but most of its
capacity will have been destroyed.

And are the home rescue services operating at the moment anyway?

Yes, best tell them you need to go shopping!


They will really want to sell you a new battery - it also means that you
won't call them again. Is there no-one that can charge it for you?


When the car batteries that I have owned have gone flat, I have had to
buy a new one. I once charged at battery, started the car, drove to
Halfords to buy a battery and then had to fit the new one to start the
car to drive home. The OP might be able to order a new one from
Europarts and then get someone to fit it.


--
Michael Chare

On Friday, 10 April 2020 17:20:05 UTC+1, Bert Coules wrote:

I just discovered that my car's battery is flat. I won't need the car until
around the middle of next week: will it damage the battery at all to leave
it uncharged until then?

a bit, but not terminally


And are the home rescue services operating at the moment anyway?

Many thanks.

Don't know. A battery charger will usually solve it if you can get your paws on one, and you or someone is physically able to set it up.


NT

wrote:

Don't know. A battery charger will usually solve it if you
can get your paws on one, and you or someone is physically
able to set it up.

I'd completely forgotten that I do in fact have a battery charger, picked up
I think at a boot fair on a whim years back, so I've no idea if it works -
I've certainly never used it for anything.

I'm not even sure that it's intended for cars: it's switchable between six
and twelve volts and is marked "Fast Charge 6 Amp". The clamps strike me as
a bit small and flimsy for a car terminals and the warning "for indoor use
only" doesn't inspire confidence either. Is it worth giving it a go, do you
think?

On 10/04/2020 18:16, Jeff Layman wrote:

Have you got anyone nearby who could jump start the car for you? You
could leave it running for a while and see if it charges the battery.

Like 12 hours?

Bill

On 10/04/2020 19:32, Bert Coules wrote:

I'm not even sure that it's intended for cars: it's switchable between
six and twelve volts and is marked "Fast Charge 6 Amp".Â* The clamps
strike me as a bit small and flimsy for a car terminals and the warning
"for indoor use only" doesn't inspire confidence either.Â* Is it worth
giving it a go, do you think?

Yes.
Bill

On 10/04/2020 19:32, Bert Coules wrote:
wrote:

Don't know. A battery charger will usually solve it if you
can get your paws on one, and you or someone is physically
able to set it up.

I'd completely forgotten that I do in fact have a battery charger,
picked up I think at a boot fair on a whim years back, so I've no idea
if it works - I've certainly never used it for anything.

I'm not even sure that it's intended for cars: it's switchable between
six and twelve volts and is marked "Fast Charge 6 Amp".Â* The clamps
strike me as a bit small and flimsy for a car terminals and the warning
"for indoor use only" doesn't inspire confidence either.Â* Is it worth
giving it a go, do you think?




yes


--
Labour - a bunch of rich people convincing poor people to vote for rich
people by telling poor people that "other" rich people are the reason
they are poor.

Peter Thompson

On 10/04/2020 17:20, Bert Coules wrote:
I just discovered that my car's battery is flat.Â* I won't need the car
until around the middle of next week: will it damage the battery at all
to leave it uncharged until then?

Not really. Solar powered battery topup devices with 12W or more peak
capacity are quite useful for seldom used cars.

And are the home rescue services operating at the moment anyway?

Dunno.
What is wrong with a mains powered battery charger or a jump start?

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 10/04/2020 19:32, Bert Coules wrote:
wrote:

Don't know. A battery charger will usually solve it if you
can get your paws on one, and you or someone is physically
able to set it up.

I'd completely forgotten that I do in fact have a battery charger,
picked up I think at a boot fair on a whim years back, so I've no idea
if it works - I've certainly never used it for anything.

I'm not even sure that it's intended for cars: it's switchable between
six and twelve volts and is marked "Fast Charge 6 Amp".Â* The clamps
strike me as a bit small and flimsy for a car terminals and the warning
"for indoor use only" doesn't inspire confidence either.Â* Is it worth
giving it a go, do you think?




That sounds like a car battery charger.
Indoor use is only because its not waterproof - it probably has
ventilation holes/slots to aid cooling. It will OK for outdoor use if
it's not raining.

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On Fri, 10 Apr 2020 17:37:24 +0100, Fredxx wrote:

On 10/04/2020 17:20:09, Bert Coules wrote:
I just discovered that my car's battery is flat.* I won't need the car
until around the middle of next week: will it damage the battery at all
to leave it uncharged until then?

Yes. It's probably buggered already.

Agreed, depending on how 'flat' (and to some degree, the chemistry of
the battery [1]).

If Bert tried to start the car and it was *just* sluggish, he may be
in with a better chance than if it wouldn't even bring up the dash
lights, for example.

Never let a lead-acid go flat.

If we are talking about real flat then I agree 100%, but it can depend
on how long it then stays flat for as to how much damage it suffers.

eg, When I designed, built and raced an electric motorbike, it wasn't
unknown for the batteries to be at well below the desired maximum of
50% discharge (so 'flat' by battery terms) but as long as I got them
back on charge again quickly, they didn't seem to suffer (I used them
all season and won the last race). ;-)

It might work afterwards but most of its
capacity will have been destroyed.

Given the above caveats, I might go as far as 'some of it's capacity
can be lost'.

And are the home rescue services operating at the moment anyway?

Yes, best tell them you need to go shopping!

I wonder if that could be covered under the vehicle maintenance
exemption?

Now might be the time to investigate battery isolator connectors or
solar chargers? I also have one of the very portable LiPo battery jump
starters that are amazing.

Cheers, T i m

alan_m wrote:

That sounds like a car battery charger.

Thanks (and to the others who said the same).

I don't have any instructions: should I just attach the clamps and switch
on? Do I need to disconnect the car's own connecting leads first? And how
can I tell when the battery is sufficiently charged?

Many thanks.

"Bert Coules" wrote in
:

wrote:

Don't know. A battery charger will usually solve it if you
can get your paws on one, and you or someone is physically
able to set it up.

I'd completely forgotten that I do in fact have a battery charger,
picked up I think at a boot fair on a whim years back, so I've no idea
if it works - I've certainly never used it for anything.

I'm not even sure that it's intended for cars: it's switchable between
six and twelve volts and is marked "Fast Charge 6 Amp". The clamps
strike me as a bit small and flimsy for a car terminals and the
warning "for indoor use only" doesn't inspire confidence either. Is
it worth giving it a go, do you think?





They don't need to he heavy like Jump Leads.

Jimk wrote :
I think I'd start putting it all right at the weekend.... may as
well disconnect it & (see if it will) charge first...


If it's one of those chargers, which will not charge unless it sees a
voltage from the battery, you will have to connect a battery in
parallel to get the charge going.

Best to get the battery on charge ASAP, the longer it is left, the less
your chances of recovering it.

On Fri, 10 Apr 2020 20:21:58 +0100, alan_m
wrote:

On 10/04/2020 19:32, Bert Coules wrote:
wrote:

Don't know. A battery charger will usually solve it if you
can get your paws on one, and you or someone is physically
able to set it up.

I'd completely forgotten that I do in fact have a battery charger,
picked up I think at a boot fair on a whim years back, so I've no idea
if it works - I've certainly never used it for anything.

I'm not even sure that it's intended for cars: it's switchable between
six and twelve volts and is marked "Fast Charge 6 Amp".* The clamps
strike me as a bit small and flimsy for a car terminals and the warning
"for indoor use only" doesn't inspire confidence either.* Is it worth
giving it a go, do you think?




That sounds like a car battery charger.
Indoor use is only because its not waterproof - it probably has
ventilation holes/slots to aid cooling. It will OK for outdoor use if
it's not raining.

Or you put it in the engine bay somewhere (along with the end of your
trailing lead) and lower the bonnet gently over it. ;-)

As for the clamps, they are probably more than good enough for '6
Amps' and you might not see 6 amps from it, other than possibly for a
short time at the beginning.

Cheers, T i m

On 10/04/2020 20:28, Bert Coules wrote:
alan_m wrote:

That sounds like a car battery charger.

Thanks (and to the others who said the same).

I don't have any instructions: should I just attach the clamps and
switch on?

yes

Do I need to disconnect the car's own connecting leads
first?

no

And how can I tell when the battery is sufficiently charged?

when the terminal voltage is over 13V


Many thanks.



--
Climate Change: Socialism wearing a lab coat.

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote:

And how can I tell when the battery is sufficiently charged?

when the terminal voltage is over 13V

But how do I tell that? There's no meter or any other indicator sort of on
the charger.

"... any other sort of indicator" dammit.

"Bert Coules" Wrote in message:
I just discovered that my car's battery is flat. I won't need the car until
around the middle of next week: will it damage the battery at all to leave
it uncharged until then?

And are the home rescue services operating at the moment anyway?

Many thanks.



I think I'd start putting it all right at the weekend.... may as
well disconnect it & (see if it will) charge first...
--
Jimk


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

Bert Coules wrote:
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote:

And how can I tell when the battery is sufficiently charged?

when the terminal voltage is over 13V

But how do I tell that? There's no meter or any other indicator sort of on
the charger.

Do you have a multimeter?

If not, it sounds like a fairly old and dumb charger. On those the current
starts high (say that 6A) and then gradually drops as the battery charges.
At the end of charge it's only taking 1A which is something the battery can
handle indefinitely (although I wouldn't leave it on for weeks).

So I'd charge it for say 8 hours and see if there's any life from the
battery.

Theo

On 10/04/2020 20:28, Bert Coules wrote:

I don't have any instructions: should I just attach the clamps and
switch on?

Yes. Don't mix + and -.

Do I need to disconnect the car's own connecting leads
first?

No.


And how can I tell when the battery is sufficiently charged?

Because it will be tomorrow. In other words, just leave it overnight.
Don't worry.

Bill

Many thanks.

Some of the home rescue folk are helping keep Ambulances going and the like.
Personally I'd charge the battery up. How long has it been flat for?
I remember the old battery lawnmower batteries did not like being flat over
the winter.
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Bert Coules" wrote in message
...
I just discovered that my car's battery is flat. I won't need the car
until around the middle of next week: will it damage the battery at all to
leave it uncharged until then?

And are the home rescue services operating at the moment anyway?

Many thanks.

I've often wondered when new cars are made it is obviously months before
they go to a customer, so how do they look after all those batteries?
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Jimk" wrote in message
o.uk...
"Bert Coules" Wrote in message:
I just discovered that my car's battery is flat. I won't need the car
until
around the middle of next week: will it damage the battery at all to
leave
it uncharged until then?

And are the home rescue services operating at the moment anyway?

Many thanks.



I think I'd start putting it all right at the weekend.... may as
well disconnect it & (see if it will) charge first...
--
Jimk


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

On 10/04/20 19:50, williamwright wrote:
On 10/04/2020 18:16, Jeff Layman wrote:

Have you got anyone nearby who could jump start the car for you? You
could leave it running for a while and see if it charges the battery.

Like 12 hours?

Bill

One hour should be enough as a test. Alternators are pretty efficient
even at idling revs.

From https://mechanicbase.com/electric/how-long-to-charge-a-car-battery/:
"To fully charge a battery of the size 52Ah would take about 10 hours
from dead to fully loaded, but you would probably be able to start your
car within 1 hour."

--

Jeff

On Friday, 10 April 2020 19:32:49 UTC+1, Bert Coules wrote:
tabbypurr wrote:

Don't know. A battery charger will usually solve it if you
can get your paws on one, and you or someone is physically
able to set it up.

I'd completely forgotten that I do in fact have a battery charger, picked up
I think at a boot fair on a whim years back, so I've no idea if it works -
I've certainly never used it for anything.

I'm not even sure that it's intended for cars: it's switchable between six
and twelve volts and is marked "Fast Charge 6 Amp". The clamps strike me as
a bit small and flimsy for a car terminals and the warning "for indoor use
only" doesn't inspire confidence either. Is it worth giving it a go, do you
think?

Yes for sure - it's a car charger. If it's a history piece it may use a selenium rectifier which like to fail & produce nasty fumes so I'd not leave it entirely unattended the first time.


NT

On Friday, 10 April 2020 19:32:49 UTC+1, Bert Coules wrote:
tabbypurr wrote:

Don't know. A battery charger will usually solve it if you
can get your paws on one, and you or someone is physically
able to set it up.

I'd completely forgotten that I do in fact have a battery charger, picked up
I think at a boot fair on a whim years back, so I've no idea if it works -
I've certainly never used it for anything.

I'm not even sure that it's intended for cars: it's switchable between six
and twelve volts and is marked "Fast Charge 6 Amp". The clamps strike me as
a bit small and flimsy for a car terminals and the warning "for indoor use
only" doesn't inspire confidence either. Is it worth giving it a go, do you
think?

indoor only just means not rainproof.


NT

On Saturday, 11 April 2020 08:16:54 UTC+1, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 10/04/20 19:50, williamwright wrote:
On 10/04/2020 18:16, Jeff Layman wrote:

One hour should be enough as a test. Alternators are pretty efficient
even at idling revs.

From https://mechanicbase.com/electric/how-long-to-charge-a-car-battery/:
"To fully charge a battery of the size 52Ah would take about 10 hours
from dead to fully loaded, but you would probably be able to start your
car within 1 hour."

near enough to true, albeit not accurate. Just leave the charger on for a fair few hours.


NT

On 11/04/2020 08:12, Brian Gaff (Sofa 2) wrote:
I've often wondered when new cars are made it is obviously months before
they go to a customer, so how do they look after all those batteries?
Brian

With battery chargers and/or jump leads!

Brian Gaff \(Sofa 2\) wrote:
I've often wondered when new cars are made it is obviously months before
they go to a customer, so how do they look after all those batteries?
Brian


VW fit a better quality dashboard solar panel to at least some models- it
is removed before delivery to the customer and, I believe, returned for
reuse.

They ( the panels) are supposedly better ( higher output) than those
typically sold for dashboard use. They do €˜escape the return loop from
time to time apparently but Ive never seen one.

I assume, in the huge car storage areas, the just have one of those
boosters and trundle it around to start them if needed. Then the dealers
charge the battery pre delivery.

--
https://www.antislavery.org/slavery-...forced-labour/

In message , "Brian Gaff (Sofa 2)"
writes
Some of the home rescue folk are helping keep Ambulances going and the like.
Personally I'd charge the battery up. How long has it been flat for?
I remember the old battery lawnmower batteries did not like being flat over
the winter.

Ride on mower curiosity. Laid up for Winter and then the house move.
Mower battery flat! Charged up OK but I decided to remove a battery lead
for storage. No visible splash on disconnection and I don't have access
to a DC ammeter.

Re-connected and started with no trouble yesterday!

--
Tim Lamb

Theo wrote:

Do you have a multimeter?

No,I don't, unfortunately.

If not, it sounds like a fairly old and dumb charger. On those the
current
starts high (say that 6A) and then gradually drops as the battery charges.

Right, thanks.

Brian Gaff (Sofa 2) wrote:

Personally I'd charge the battery up. How long has it been flat for?

I last started the car four days ago.

On 10/04/2020 20:28, Bert Coules wrote:
alan_m wrote:

That sounds like a car battery charger.

Thanks (and to the others who said the same).

I don't have any instructions: should I just attach the clamps and
switch on?Â* Do I need to disconnect the car's own connecting leads
first?Â* And how can I tell when the battery is sufficiently charged?

Many thanks.

The old fashioned transformer sort *usually* had a meter, you can
recognise those because they are always in a pressed steel box with big
ventilation louvres. The modern electronic ones (typically lightly
finned aluminium extrusions as heat sinks) will have electronic
regulation and usually have a coloured light. In either case the battery
will not come to any harm if left on for a day or two.

In article ,
Brian Reay wrote:
Brian Gaff \(Sofa 2\) wrote:
I've often wondered when new cars are made it is obviously months before
they go to a customer, so how do they look after all those batteries?
Brian


VW fit a better quality dashboard solar panel to at least some models- it
is removed before delivery to the customer and, I believe, returned for

Since there's a pretty solid bulkhead between the dashboard and the engine
compartment - where the battery lives - how do you connect tehtwo ? leads
out of the door and under the bonnet?

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On 10/04/2020 19:32, Bert Coules wrote:
wrote:

Don't know. A battery charger will usually solve it if you
can get your paws on one, and you or someone is physically
able to set it up.

I'd completely forgotten that I do in fact have a battery charger,
picked up I think at a boot fair on a whim years back, so I've no idea
if it works - I've certainly never used it for anything.

I'm not even sure that it's intended for cars: it's switchable between
six and twelve volts and is marked "Fast Charge 6 Amp".Â* The clamps
strike me as a bit small and flimsy for a car terminals and the warning
"for indoor use only" doesn't inspire confidence either.Â* Is it worth
giving it a go, do you think?


If it's that old does it also have the means to select the mains voltage
between (say) 200-210, 220-30 and 240-250V? If so and you don't know
your supply I'd select 240-250V to be safe.


--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

newshound wrote:

The old fashioned transformer sort *usually* had a meter, you can
recognise those because they are always in a pressed steel box with big
ventilation louvres. The modern electronic ones (typically lightly finned
aluminium extrusions as heat sinks) will have electronic regulation and
usually have a coloured light.

Mine is in a plastic casing with no apparent heatsinks, externally at least.
It has six LEDs marked from 1A up to 6.

In either case the battery will not come to any harm if left on for a day
or two.

Tricky for me, since the car is in a very exposed paved area at the front of
my house. I don't suppose anyone would take advantage and stroll off with
the charger but I'd rather not leave the car with the bonnet unlocked and
cracked open overnight. But from what others have said, it might be worth
trying the starter after a few hours.