Battery dying constantly...

Matt_C

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Rover 200, 1.4 petrol, 1998-R

Been trouble free up until beginning of Dec (+/- a week or so), when I got in one day and the battery was dead. I hadn't left anything on such as the interior light or anything. The only things "on" when it's locked up are the dash clock and the alarm (stock factory alarm/immob), and a live to the stereo (but the stereo appears "off" as in no face lit etc - it's just the 12v live to keep the memory presets etc)

Jumped it, ran fine, started at the other end. Couple days later, dead again. And the cycle continues.

I only usually use it once or twice a week, and it does only do short journeys.

This week just gone I used it Friday (dead, needed jumping) then it was fine all evening (stopped and started it probably another 3 times). Used it Saturday morn (fine) and Saturday eve (fine also) then again Sunday (fine, although a little slow to turn at first). Just tried it now (half hour ago) and dead - dash lights flicker, starter "ticks" and thats that. Jumped it, ran it for a few mins, drove about a mile down the road, turned it off, got bread, came back, starts fine.

So I don't think it's the alternator not charging it because once it gets running it's fine for a day or two, but then it dies. Now I'm guessing it's showing this up because it's cold, and batteries don't liked cold weather. but I'm wondering if a) something unbeknown to me is draining it, b) it's just knackered and not holding charge (shouldn't be, was informed when I bought it in Aug it's a new battery) or c) it's just really drained and only got a tiny amount of charge in it.

So rectifications could be a) whats draining it? b) buy a new one c) charge it fully overnight and hope for the best?

B and C both require spending either <£70 on a batter or charger mind....
 
if battery to old then theres a chance the acids arent that powerfull or you hardly any acid left in the battery to keep the battery powered so it dies

but if you want to make sure your doing the right move goto a garage and get them to test the battery and voltage from alternator
 
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Supposedly, it's about a year old (or less), but that's only going off what the women was saying when I bought it
 
well you cant belive when people say the battery is new but sometimes the battery will say what year it is sometimes on a sticker

could do a voltage test yourself
 
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Rover 200, 1.4 petrol, 1998-R



I only usually use it once or twice a week, and it does only do short journeys.


This is the key message, if you are only using the car a couple of times a week and only for short journeys the battery never gets a good chance to get charged fully.

The alternator sounds fine.

I would get the battery fully charged and see how it goes, any further problems get the battery replaced.

A charger should cost less than £20.
 
should start your car each day for 10min to keep it charged and get a charger to fully charge each week

but if dont want to spend any money try starting car up each day for about 10min and see how it goes
 
To be fair, the Escort I had before this got exactly the same usage - once or twice a week for two years, mainly short journeys (sub 5 miles) and the battery on that car was stunning. It sat outside for a week under 6" of snow, turn the key, and it caught ofter the first turn - no slow turns, no trying, just turn > run.

Shame the engine seized!
 
To be fair, the Escort I had before this got exactly the same usage - once or twice a week for two years, mainly short journeys (sub 5 miles) and the battery on that car was stunning. It sat outside for a week under 6" of snow, turn the key, and it caught ofter the first turn - no slow turns, no trying, just turn > run.

Shame the engine seized!


Simple choice really....charge the old one and see how it goes or replace it.
 
This is the key message, if you are only using the car a couple of times a week and only for short journeys the battery never gets a good chance to get charged fully.

The alternator sounds fine.

I would get the battery fully charged and see how it goes, any further problems get the battery replaced.

A charger should cost less than £20.

I agree.

These are classic signs that the car is being underused or the battery is just plain duff.

And it's always the cold weather that finds it out, purely because the oil in the engine has thickened, hence the engine requires more power to start.

I have a (not cheap) one year old battery and my car only just started the other night, because I've hardly used it over the last couple of months.

As advised OP, get the battery charged fully.
 
well rovers arent brill cars and my dad as the rover 25 and it hates the cold weather takes like 2-3turns before it runs he use to have a ford mondeo and started everytime on 1 turn of the key
 
Surely in December when you use you have lights, wipers, rear heated screen, heater and radio on so it's a lot of stuff to use on short trips, essential I know but quite demanding.

If you can get it started one day take it a blast for 30mins or so every week se how you get on.
 
I remember reading once that it takes 20 mins of charging to restore what 5secs of starting(cranking) uses up. So you can imagine that by this rule a car that isn't used much is on a downward spiral charge-wise. Throw a cheap battery in the mix and you're even worse off. My advice would be to get the alternator tested to make sure it's charging at around 14v and if that's all good, invest in a quality battery with a good guarantee (the better ones come with 3 years).
 
well rovers arent brill cars and my dad as the rover 25 and it hates the cold weather takes like 2-3turns before it runs he use to have a ford mondeo and started everytime on 1 turn of the key

The fact that it's a Rover has nothing to do with it mate :)
 
theses chargers are very good www.ctek.com (go to 12v section) if there is issues and the car is not used much or if you have a failing battery that just needs a dam good charge as theses detect the state of the battery and then charge in accordance,i have charged some really bad battery's with this just to test and it got them back to life but some did fail,
i use the old Multi XS7000 (MXS 7.0) very handy and a must imop.
 
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I can second the Ctek, use it for my caravan batteries, top bit of kit. But if you dont want to spend so much, a lot of caravanners swear by the cheapies in Lidls and Aldis.
 
I have a (not cheap) one year old battery and my car only just started the other night, because I've hardly used it over the last couple of months.

.

This is the key

Winter is a killer for batteries

Need a good quality battery
 
Short trips kill batteries and cars. Most of the wear on the engine is in the first few miles (Which is why you never buy an older car with very low miles) and it will take at least 60 minutes of running to get the battery above 80% charged.

Once a lead acid battery has gone dead flat, it will never recover. The chemical decomposition is not reversable. Even a brand new battery will die if allowed to go dead flat and left like that for any period.

Try getting a heavy duty deep cycle battery as this will cope with short runs and limited charging better. A trickle charger - even a solar one, will help to keep the batteries topped up between use.
 
One thing to check is that all interior lights are turning off properly. Boot switches can be particularly susceptible to accidental knocks and it's not always obvious if the boot light is on in some cars.

But my money is on a slightly tired battery, the weather and lack of use. The seller may well have it in her mind that she put a new battery in it recently, but it's still worth checking when that was.
 
I can second the Ctek, use it for my caravan batteries, top bit of kit. But if you dont want to spend so much, a lot of caravanners swear by the cheapies in Lidls and Aldis.

not seen the lidls and aldi ones you got a link or name? only other type of ctek charger i have seen is what the garages use same tech just more robust.
 
It's probably this one namuk:

LIDL car battery charging station - CTEK type for £12.99?
Taken from RPoints board:

This LIDL Tronic T4X car/motorbike charger looks remarkably similar (including specification) to the CTEK Multi XS 3600, which retails at around £50. The LIDL version has a 3 year warranty, though, instead of 2 years.

I've got one of the Lidl ones and can take a photo if it helps.
 
It's probably this one namuk:

LIDL car battery charging station - CTEK type for £12.99?
Taken from RPoints board:

This LIDL Tronic T4X car/motorbike charger looks remarkably similar (including specification) to the CTEK Multi XS 3600, which retails at around £50. The LIDL version has a 3 year warranty, though, instead of 2 years.

I've got one of the Lidl ones and can take a photo if it helps.

will look out for that next time i am in there, if it is a re-badged 3600 that is idle just for any car as the 7000 i have is more than i need really as i am not plaining on buying a boat anytime soon:laugh:,just on the 7000 the recon ect modes are handy,
yea bang a photo up IG,


Edit is this it? http://www.kompernass.com/pages/_pdfs/2d65416458600abac0338a69f9774531.pdf
 
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To charge it I'd need to remove the battery and bring it in the house, as I don't really have any safe/easy way of charging it in situ (no off street parking)
 
will look out for that next time i am in there, if it is a re-badged 3600 that is idle just for any car as the 7000 i have is more than i need really as i am not plaining on buying a boat anytime soon:laugh:,just on the 7000 the recon ect modes are handy,
yea bang a photo up IG,


Edit is this it? http://www.kompernass.com/pages/_pdfs/2d65416458600abac0338a69f9774531.pdf

Pretty much: It's a T4X SE made by the same parent company Kompernass, but the casing is slightly different and it's badged as Ultimate Speed. Control panel is the same so I think it's an identical twin :thumbsup:
 

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