Keeping Battery In Good Condition During Lockdown?

[zeusmc]

I bought a new Varta battery September 2020, take the car out to visit my sister for 20 minute journey, 20 there and 20 back. This is once a week, sometimes once fortnight. On occassion 6 mile drive to Screwfix, there and back, to get something.
Because of new lockdown, as not using the car, what would be best way to keep the newish battery in good condition?
Chould I start car and let it idle on the drive 20 mins, or would I need to drive to shops, rather than walk as I do for the exercise, would prefer to limit, wear and tear on the old girl:)
Thanks.

[culzean]

https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=12162.msg84043#msg84043

If you have access to a garage or driveway you can use a plug in battery charger,  you can buy a fused SAE plug lead to bolt to battery and out through front grille do no need to open car to plug in.  Can leave charger connected all the time car is parked, they adjust voltage when battery is charged.  Others have used a solar panel on dash and  an OBD plug that will allow access direct to battery,  no good plugging anything into the cigarette lighter socket as it gets disconnected from battery hen ignition is off.

[mj1sjc]

It's a good question and I'm also wondering about the same actually.
I've seen those solar trickle chargers with 5W or 10W etc. I was wondering if they were any good and help the battery to remain the voltage as is. I would love to hear from a professional person on here about this please kindly.

You can buy a batter charger on ebay or Lidl/ Aldi and they are like £15. Jazz battery is pretty smaller in size so you can easily remove and take it inside your home to charge but then you've need to reset the radio clock when putting it back.

Having said that, as its a new battery you have and I don't think using only every 2 weeks for a 40 mile drive will drain the battery...

[Jocko]

Having said that, as its a new battery you have and I don't think using only every 2 weeks for a 40 mile drive will drain the battery...

I spent six weeks laid up after surgery so was unable to drive. My car sat in the garage during that time and started first go with no hesitation. I too have a Varta battery, but mine was two years old at that time (now four and a half year old).

[sparky Paul]

You should be able to leave the car for fairly extended periods of time without any problems, as Jocko says. What does cause problems is doing very short runs, when the battery doesn't get chance to top up the charge lost during starting.

My old Dad now only drives short distances, to the local shops etc., and he has to top up the battery occasionally. However, he's been using an old fashioned manual charger, he just puts it on for a few hours now and again, and has forgotten about it occasionally... When I took the car for it's MOT, I noticed signs where he has boiled the battery over by overcharging.

Anyway, I bought him one of these Chinese 5 amp automatic battery chargers...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Motorcycle-Battery-Charger-12V-Automobile-Intelligent-Pulse-Repair-LCD-Kit/133391255184

Nothing exciting, but it's switched mode, so nice and compact, and has a display to tell you charging current, voltage and charge level, and best of all, it's all automatic and switches off when it's done, so he can't overcharge the battery. It cost me less than £10, the price seems to fluctuate up and down a few quid, so hang on if you want the cheaper price.

For the money, I think they are a bargain - I already have a 10A auto charger, but I bought another one of these for myself as a spare. It's even got a pulse repair mode for de-sulphating knackered batteries - don't expect miracles though.

HTH

[Kremmen]

One of the best solutions, if you have mains access, is a CTEK charger.

These are the chargers Honda dealers use on inactive cars. They go through various stages to charge and renovate.

My post #287 :  https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=12539.msg89071#msg89071

[Westy36]

I bought a new Varta battery September 2020, take the car out to visit my sister for 20 minute journey, 20 there and 20 back. This is once a week, sometimes once fortnight. On occassion 6 mile drive to Screwfix, there and back, to get something.
Because of new lockdown, as not using the car, what would be best way to keep the newish battery in good condition?
Chould I start car and let it idle on the drive 20 mins, or would I need to drive to shops, rather than walk as I do for the exercise, would prefer to limit, wear and tear on the old girl:)
Thanks.

I would be happy with 40 minutes use a week to keep things working. I always make sure when my car is warm to give it a decent boot full and take it over 4000rpm to keep things working. Also, have a couple of decent firm brakes to keep them working too. Shouldn't have any problems.

I keep my motorbike on a Honda trickle charger. Keeps its battery happy. I still start it up every 3 or 4 weeks over the winter, let it idle for 10 mins and then give it some revs. Keeps it all working. Use all the electrical items too. Then look at the salty roads and sigh 

In lockdown, which we are sticking to, I see no harm in taking a longer route to the shops to maintain my car. An extra few miles each way makes all the difference to the car IMHO.

[VicW]

In lockdown, which we are sticking to, I see no harm in taking a longer route to the shops to maintain my car. An extra few miles each way makes all the difference to the car IMHO.

My sentiments exactly except that I take the longer route home from our weekly shop to ensure that the battery is charged.

Vic.

[JimSh]

In lockdown, which we are sticking to, I see no harm in taking a longer route to the shops to maintain my car. An extra few miles each way makes all the difference to the car IMHO.

My sentiments exactly except that I take the longer route home from our weekly shop to ensure that the battery is charged.

Vic.

Good for air conditioning and brakes too.

[peteo48]

In lockdown, which we are sticking to, I see no harm in taking a longer route to the shops to maintain my car. An extra few miles each way makes all the difference to the car IMHO.

My sentiments exactly except that I take the longer route home from our weekly shop to ensure that the battery is charged.

Vic.

My policy as well. I can go "the long way round" to the shops and, happily, this includes about 4 miles of motorway.

[Jocko]

I have an 80-mile round trip every two or three days, so keeping the battery charged is the least of my worries. Keeping the tank filled is more of an issue as is keeping the screen jets topped up.

[culzean]

I keep my motorbike on a Honda trickle charger. Keeps its battery happy. I still start it up every 3 or 4 weeks over the winter, let it idle for 10 mins and then give it some revs. Keeps it all working. Use all the electrical items too. Then look at the salty roads and sigh 

Yeah, feel the same - not worth getting salt on the alloy bits - although some people who ride all year round swear by spraying ACF50 on everything - they say it gets awful dirty but rinses off easily with the proper cleaner come spring.  When I think about riding fairly heavy bikes on ice and snow when I was younger I wonder how I did it ( or how painful your fingers are when you start to thaw them out,  and why your knees literally freeze into the bent position ).

[Jocko]

why your knees literally freeze into the bent position ).

I had a mate came out after a backshift to heavy snowfall. He had a 10 mile run home and was delighted when he arrived safely at his door. Then promptly fell into the street because he could not move his legs. Had to shout until his wife came to his rescue!

[mj1sjc]

What are your thoughts on solar trickle charges with 5W or 10W ones? Can it actually keep the battery powers remain where they are you rekon?

You should be able to leave the car for fairly extended periods of time without any problems, as Jocko says. What does cause problems is doing very short runs, when the battery doesn't get chance to top up the charge lost during starting.

My old Dad now only drives short distances, to the local shops etc., and he has to top up the battery occasionally. However, he's been using an old fashioned manual charger, he just puts it on for a few hours now and again, and has forgotten about it occasionally... When I took the car for it's MOT, I noticed signs where he has boiled the battery over by overcharging.

Anyway, I bought him one of these Chinese 5 amp automatic battery chargers...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Motorcycle-Battery-Charger-12V-Automobile-Intelligent-Pulse-Repair-LCD-Kit/133391255184

Nothing exciting, but it's switched mode, so nice and compact, and has a display to tell you charging current, voltage and charge level, and best of all, it's all automatic and switches off when it's done, so he can't overcharge the battery. It cost me less than £10, the price seems to fluctuate up and down a few quid, so hang on if you want the cheaper price.

For the money, I think they are a bargain - I already have a 10A auto charger, but I bought another one of these for myself as a spare. It's even got a pulse repair mode for de-sulphating knackered batteries - don't expect miracles though.

HTH

[sparky Paul]

What are your thoughts on solar trickle charges with 5W or 10W ones? Can it actually keep the battery powers remain where they are you rekon?

Haven't used one on a car, but some people seem to like them. A few threads to browse here

https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=11996.0

https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=10628.0

https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=11504.0