Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

It doesn't really matter when you read this as the battery and its condition and state of charge is always important especially with modern cars with all the electrical items and systems on them.

 

But at time of writing the days are getting shorter and darker and colder so you will need the car battery to be in good condition and connection and in a good state of charge to get you through without what can be a lot of hassle and inconvenience if you let the battery get too low, or fail altogether.

 

Letting the battery get too low can cause all sorts of problems and some of them very unexpected, many people will think that because the car starts and the lights seem bright enough that the battery must be fine and well charged but this might not be the case.

 

Now is a good time to check your battery - that both battery terminal post clamps are tightly secure (and battery securely clamped to the car), that there's no spillage or mess on the top of the battery and that the battery has a good level of charge in it.

 

You may want to consider an appropriate battery charger, not a very fast or booster charger though, to keep your battery well charged and not be caught out with low charge problems and/or your use of the car's electrical items especially when the engine , so alternator, aren't running .

 

This may also perhaps save you being caught out and being one of the very many that need to call out the breakdown services because the battery is flat,  the AA number one most common cause of breakdowns - Flat or faulty battery.  The AA won't say this but I will, very rarely is it a faulty battery, a few might be charging system faults but the vast majority will be user error, ignorance or neglect.  Remember prevention is better than cure.

 

From AA website - 

1. Flat or faulty battery

Battery faults are the most common cause of breakdowns – especially in the winter.

If you’ve got a problem with your battery, you might not be able to start your car.  A car's battery powers the starter motor, and then the engine turns the alternator, which recharges the battery.

Flat batteries are commonly caused by leaving the lights on when the engine's off. But there’s also a good chance battery problems will be down to lots of short journeys or a poor electrical connection.

 

Batteries can go flat due to:

Leaving your car unused for a while, or only used for short journeys

A faulty component

A problem with the car's charging system

A fault with the battery itself

Old age

 

How to avoid a flat battery

Don't forget to switch everything off as you leave the car. Removing the ignition key may not switch off the lights, but most modern cars have a 'lights on' warning sound as you open the car door.

If you don’t make long journeys very often, your battery won’t have much chance to charge. You can sort this out by charging it overnight every 2 weeks or so.

 

https://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/advice/top-ten-breakdown-causes

 

HTH.

 

Edited 14 September, 20223 yr by nta16
Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

My Varta died last month after coming up to 9 years of sterling service. I had warning though a week prior of death when the starter motor was lethargic in turning over on cold starts. On the fateful morning it slumped so after a 3A trickle charge for 4 hours it started and I visited the local car spares to buy a new one. Fitted it and back to normal.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

On 10/02/2022 at 11:16, edbostan said:

a 3A trickle charge for 4 hours

A  lower, slower and longer recharge, at least overnight if not longer, might have got more useful life out of that battery but with VW's over-complicated and interconnected and intrusive computer programs you do want to be sure of the battery power you have.

 

Edited 14 September, 20223 yr by nta16
ETA: Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

23 hours ago, nta16 said:

A  lower, slower and longer recharge, at least overnight if not longer, might have got more useful life out of that battery but with VW's over-complicated and interconnected and intrusive computer programs you do want to be sure of the battery power you have.

 

After nine years I accepted that its useful life had passed. The battery charger was an IT brand and dated back to the 60s so was a relic in itself.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

On 11/02/2022 at 11:58, edbostan said:

After nine years I accepted that its useful life had passed.

Fair enough, it's just that batteries are very often replaced when they could be revived, one of the most oversold car parts.

 

 

On 11/02/2022 at 11:58, edbostan said:

The battery charger was an IT brand and dated back to the 60s so was a relic in itself.

In that case it probably was a low and slow, if not long.  Makes my 90s Bradex 4 amp seem very modern.  You might find your 60s charger is a 'collectors' or wanted by concours fanatics to have something extra the other fanatics don't have.  I'm always amazed what some old stuff ('vintage', 'antiques') sell for, I wanted an old cylinder vacuum cleaner as I thought it'd be a cheap way of getting a powerful blower using its exhaust and was surprised to find the two I found were at £70 at the time.

 

Edited 14 September, 20223 yr by nta16
Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

On 11/02/2022 at 12:20, nta16 said:

Fair enough, it's just that batteries are very often replaced when they could be revived, one of the most oversold car parts.

 

 

In that case it probably was a low and slow, if not long.  Makes my 90s Bradex 4 amp seem very modern.  You might find your 60s charger is a 'collectors' or wanted by concours fanatics to have something extra the other fanatics don't have.  I'm always amazed what some old stuff ('vintage', 'antiques') sell for, I wanted an old cylinder vacuum cleaner as I thought it'd be a cheap way of getting a powerful blower using its exhaust and was surprised to find the two I found were at £70 at the time.

 

It was my late fathers and I found it in his wardrobe while clearing out the bedroom. I have kept it and it has been useful for the few times I needed it. 

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

Proper Lucas metal gauge in a 'modern' plastic case.  I'd keep that too, apart from AGM where you're not supposed to use it I'd expected it does a good job.  The swing needle on mine I find very useful as within a matter of minutes I can tell how long it might take to charge the battery by how far and how quickly the needle moves, my other charger is just red or green light.

 

The batteries and charging systems on the cars weren't like even those in the 70s let alone now so I expect having a charger was very handy and today we're back to that for cars that do just short journeys and loaded with so many electrical 'necessities' that need powering.

 

Only yesterday I was trying to persuade a neighbour to use a battery charger that was has been put off since last summer and more warning lights and codes appearing on the dash of the old Merc but being on beck and call for the ungrateful offspring always takes priority, they can phone with their needs at anytime and at very short notice, I keep saying prevention is a lot easier than vehicle recovery especially with an automatic, but as always each to their own.

 

Edited 14 September, 20223 yr by nta16
ETA: Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

A, barely in time reminder, for the start of the new working year, to check and recharge your 12v battery as per original post on this thread to possibly save being among this year's statistics.

Edited 20 May20 May by nta16