UKC

what is more practical, a halfords type battery booster or a spare battery in the car? Got an automatic kangoo with french electrics (i.e. sometimes drains for no reason). What is greener? Wiwwim

In reply to wiwwim:

Is your battery quite old? A new battery might not drain.

In reply to wiwwim:

new battery,i wouldnt worry about the greenness when at 6am on a freezing morning your car wont start

In reply to wiwwim:

Ive found getting the biggest battery you can buy the best option. You can find 100 a/h batteries for not much more than 70 quid. Overkill? Maybe but one less thing to worry about to let you down.

Car batteries (lead acid type) are not designed to be drained on a regular basis. Using the jump start method for an old flat battery would see it die quick. If your not going to fix the electrical issue then the best 'band aid' would be to get a larger capacity battery In my opinion.

In reply to Oogachooga:

thanks for all the advice! I'll get a new one and use the old as a spare.

In reply to wiwwim:

With everything turned off, keys out of ignition.

Remove battery positive and couple multi-meter in series between battery and positive lead
Set to amps
Does it show a reading? anything other than zero is a drain.
Pull and replace fuses one at a time until drain stops, this should at least tell you what is draining the battery.

If there is no drain

Engine off, voltage across battery terminals should be 12.5 - 13 volts
Engine running at idle; voltage should be 13.5 - 14 volts, lower than this suggests alternator weak or not charging.
Engine at 2500rpm voltage should be 14 - 15 volts max. Higher than 15 volts suggests regulator defective, overcharging battery. This is worth a check if you are fitting a battery as a faulty regulator will "Cook" it in weeks.

Cheers Adam

In reply to butteredfrog:

this is the most useful reply ever on UKC, thanks.

In reply to wiwwim:


Well almost.
Put the Meter between negative terminal and battery. (just for safety, either would show same result). Anything more than 0.3 A is a drain. This will allow for clock / radio memory.

Gary.

In reply to g1m147:

Forgot about the clock!

In reply to wiwwim:

Also, before disconnecting the battery make sure you have the code for the radio, if it needs one.

In reply to wiwwim:

I think a spare battery (with built in jump-leads) is the way to go. When I leave a car for several months, I quite often have to use the spare battery, and I've never been let down by that.

These portable batteries are also very good for helping other people to get going quickly, because you do not have to drive up to the other car and go through all the rigmarole with conventional jump leads between the two cars.