Keeping your battery alive over winter

MartinClan · #1 11th February 2011, 07:19

Checked on the Sportster last night. Battery is dead as a doornail. It was fine over last winter but I guess the exceptionally cold weather this year may have something to do with it's demise. So - new battery this w/e which is a bit of a pain in the wallet...

But what does everyone else do about keeping the battery alive over winter? Is it worth buying one of the trickle chargers? I think C-tek are one of the most well known?

Robin

denniswpearce · #2 11th February 2011, 09:10

Robin,

That is exactly the way to go, I have a microlight which has a small motorbike sized battery which is on trickle charge all the time. Over this winter at our airfield, those without trickle chargers experienced the same problems as you and those of us with them were fine.
I looked at a Sportster last weekend, that too was on a trickle charge and started first time.

My trickle charger is just a bit bigger than a mobile phone charger and was bought from Halfords. They are self monitoring and switch themselves on and off to maintain full charge. Just has an led light that is either red or green.

Simples.

Dennis

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartinClan

Checked on the Sportster last night. Battery is dead as a doornail. It was fine over last winter but I guess the exceptionally cold weather this year may have something to do with it's demise. So - new battery this w/e which is a bit of a pain in the wallet...

But what does everyone else do about keeping the battery alive over winter? Is it worth buying one of the trickle chargers? I think C-tek are one of the most well known?

Robin

GreatOldOne · #3 11th February 2011, 09:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartinClan

Checked on the Sportster last night. Battery is dead as a doornail. It was fine over last winter but I guess the exceptionally cold weather this year may have something to do with it's demise. So - new battery this w/e which is a bit of a pain in the wallet...

Will it not charge at all? Have you tried a standard charger overnight and seen if she'll turn over?

I've not considered a trickle charger for Vikky - she fired up fine earlier this week (first time since September last year) when I took her for her MOT... Maybe she didn't get as cold, as she's sat in an integral garage which benifits from the warmth of the house.

MartinClan · #4 11th February 2011, 14:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatOldOne

I've not considered a trickle charger for Vikky - she fired up fine earlier this week (first time since September last year) when I took her for her MOT... Maybe she didn't get as cold, as she's sat in an integral garage which benifits from the warmth of the house.

My "intelligent" charger lit the LED that said the battery was US. I have an un-intelligent charger somewhere - I may try that before I write it off.

I was a bit surprised that the battery was completly dead - but I do have an alarm that, while not taking a lot of juice, may have taken enough to finish it off. Plus - it has been verrrry cold in the garage overnight.

Robin

timbo · #5 11th February 2011, 20:12

I would think that the alarm will have done it in more than the cold.
These intelligent chargers are a nuisance because they won't charge it up from completely dead, only mostly dead. In my experience.
Tim

Patrick · #6 11th February 2011, 21:55

I use a halfords one that fill up then changes to maintenance mode. I also start the engine once a month ish and let it warm up / run for a while

If the roads are dry and salt free I take it for a run.

My battery was dead once this winter, but only because I left the doors open to dry underneath after a wash - interior lights stayed on - oops!

cabrioman · #7 12th February 2011, 09:28

I have a C-tek unit, which from memory cost about £50 ish.

I had exactly your problem and the C-tek recovered it, I did a fair bit of reading around on the internet and the general concensous was if the C-tek didn't recover it nothing would.

I took the view it was worth a punt as even if it didn't recover it (which it did) I would still need it anyway to stop the same fate on the replacement battery.

If you shop around on line you can get the C-tek for about the same price as some of the Halfords clones of it.

John

Chris Cussen · #8 13th February 2011, 08:46

Hi I use one of these
http://www.maplin.co.uk/solar-powere...-charger-98358
Plugs into the lighter socket, or clips onto the battery. No running costs.

MartinClan · #9 14th February 2011, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by cabrioman

I have a C-tek unit, which from memory cost about £50 ish.

I had exactly your problem and the C-tek recovered it, I did a fair bit of reading around on the internet and the general concensous was if the C-tek didn't recover it nothing would.

I took the view it was worth a punt as even if it didn't recover it (which it did) I would still need it anyway to stop the same fate on the replacement battery.

If you shop around on line you can get the C-tek for about the same price as some of the Halfords clones of it.

John

Thanks John. That was the conclusion I was reaching. Have ordered a CTEK 3600 although I suspect the battery may be beyond even that. But as you say - worth a punt...

Robin

Rich · #10 14th February 2011, 10:42

I had a battery go this weekend, need a new one

A solar charger would be ideal. Question, is it waterproof as I would need to be kept outside.
If not I can make a little waterproof box.

Chris Cussen · #11 14th February 2011, 12:31

I don't know if it is waterproof. The spec on Maplin does not say. Mine sits in the garage window. Could you leave it on the dash board?

If not have a trawl on the internet, ther are marine variants around, though they may be a bit more pricey.

cabrioman · #12 14th February 2011, 12:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartinClan

Thanks John. That was the conclusion I was reaching. Have ordered a CTEK 3600 although I suspect the battery may be beyond even that. But as you say - worth a punt...

Robin

The 3600 is the model I have Robin, hope it sorts it out for you.

Regards

John

Rich · #13 14th February 2011, 16:51

Had a look around on the internet. A lot of places seem to be selling the same unit as Malpin. (or at least look very similar) they state that it is weathproof.

Will look around a bit more see if I see something that fits the bill. Might cut a hole in the car cover and put a window in over the windscreen. Probably best to keep it out of the rain.

MartinClan · #14 18th February 2011, 07:39

Well having left the battery on cahrge for nearly two days using the CTEK charger the green light, indicating a full charge and healthy battery, has come on. Amazing - I really thought that the battery was shot.

Robin

cabrioman · #15 18th February 2011, 08:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartinClan

Well having left the battery on cahrge for nearly two days using the CTEK charger the green light, indicating a full charge and healthy battery, has come on. Amazing - I really thought that the battery was shot.

Robin

Robin

Glad to hear the C-tek did the trick, good result.

John