30 replies to this topic

[psychobob]

from experience, I'd give it a charge, then try it for a few days. if it's slow starting or showing any sign of poor performance, swap it for a new one. I have the same battery in my hornet, and after the alternator dying at the start of a 40 mile journey (in the dark!), it totally discharged. it's still going three years later, and hasn't let me down once. I'm not sure what the rating is of the battery, but it's physically nearly twice the size of the standard battery. I can't help thinking that even with some damage to its potential capacity, it still puts out more kick than the standard tiddler? obviously, if parts are knackered swap for new, but in the current hard financial and ecological times,isn't it worth getting as much use as you can out of things?

[Tamworthbay]

I'm a fan of the 'ain't broke don't fix it' school of thought. I'd put it back in the car and start it, if it starts all well and good if it doesn't, get a new one
You may come unstuck once the weather tuns cold, but worth a go?

like brake pads on the wear bar? Bald tyres? Fraying Seatbelts? Surface rust and no paint on your sills?
If you have something that you know will cause a breakdown then it's stupid not to sort it while you have the chance in my opinion.

 
I think you are deliberately misunderstanding me and being somewhat unfair. At no point am I suggesting or even implying that maccers should do something dangerous, pretty much the worse possible outcome of a flat battery is your car wont start, now I know it could be said that this would be dangerous if you were to stall at a busy junction etc.  But this is an unlikely outcome.
 
If you read my statement correctly, I said if it aint broke dont fix it  I think this is a widely accepted statement that means if it works leave it alone, not dont do any preventative maintenance and certainly not ignore worn brake pads, bald tyres etc.. which are clearly  broken and should be repaired!
 
You say it is stupid not to replace something that you know will cause a breakdown, which is correct provided you 'know' it will, it is also unwise to spend money and resources replacing something that is perfectly fine.

I am not deliberately misunderstanding you, quite the opposite, I was asking the question of where would you stop on the issue of if it ain't broke don't fix it? I also deliberately including potential issues that would cost significant amounts of money if left unattended to as well as obvious safety ones. The battery in a car is a critical part, but is often overlooked or ignored. The worst that can happen is not a simply failure to start at home safely on the drive, it could be a failure to start in the middle of a busy junction after a stall, it could be a complete failure on a duel carriageway or motorway in the middle of the night. The second happened to me a few years back when I bought a VFr750F and the seller thought the battery would last if given a quick charge. Being in the outside lane at 70mph and having everything die is not something I would wish on anyone.

But the broader issue is that of the penny saving mentality that exists in some mini owners. It leads to issues with difficulties in getting quality parts, issues for buyers with little knowledge to name but two. All too often minis appear on here that have issues, and sadly on occasion accidents, due to a lack of basic maintenance or attempts to save a couple of quid. Very often sold to some unsuspecting person I might add. Obviously I don't know you so have no idea of how you maintain your cars but it is important to build an environment on here where people are aware of potential risks and maintain their cars as best as possible. That is not to say throw money at them, but to take advice from experts such as Kernowcooper and make informed decisions based on those suggestions. I am sorry but a 'chuck it back in and hope for the best' still does not strike me as anything but foolish. With the potential for far more classics to be MOT free soon the spotlight will increasingly be on safety and any problems could affect the whole classic community.

[ChopperHarris]

sorry, I think you are just scaremongering. Its just the battery.

Do the checks I suggested, and if it holds up, go with it.

All this talk of the car failing at a junction....so....oooh even worse it could be on a railway crossing, shakes head.

you shouldn't be pulling out if there is not time to adapt if something goes wrong....if you stall it, get out wave your arms, and push it out of the way....no drama

[Tamworthbay]

sorry, I think you are just scaremongering. Its just the battery.
Do the checks I suggested, and if it holds up, go with it.
All this talk of the car failing at a junction....so....oooh even worse it could be on a railway crossing, shakes head.
you shouldn't be pulling out if there is not time to adapt if something goes wrong....if you stall it, get out wave your arms, and push it out of the way....no drama

you have your opinion, I have mine, but no one will persuade me that not sorting a problem when you have the chance is a good idea.

[carbon]

 

I'm a fan of the 'ain't broke don't fix it' school of thought. I'd put it back in the car and start it, if it starts all well and good if it doesn't, get a new one
You may come unstuck once the weather tuns cold, but worth a go?

like brake pads on the wear bar? Bald tyres? Fraying Seatbelts? Surface rust and no paint on your sills?

If you have something that you know will cause a breakdown then it's stupid not to sort it while you have the chance in my opinion.

 

Like this? www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqInkUNG0aU

[ChopperHarris]

Fair doos, but the point is that we don't know if there IS a problem.
That was the OPs question.
If he was asking should he replace the thrust bearing while the clutch was out, I would agree wholeheartedly with you.
However, batterywise, its no more difficult to change in a months time than it is now...IF it proves necessary.

[Tamworthbay]

Fair doos, but the point is that we don't know if there IS a problem.That was the OPs question.If he was asking should he replace the thrust bearing while the clutch was out, I would agree wholeheartedly with you.However, batterywise, its no more difficult to change in a months time than it is now...IF it proves necessary.

that's the rub, having raced electric cars for over seven years and spent more hours than any sane person would trying to get the last tenth of an amp hour out of batteries, repeatedly cycling them, abusing them one then abusing them lots and comparing the results and generally wasting my life away trying to understand the damn things (only for the regs to change to a new type of battery and start the learning curve all over again) I can say for sure there will be a problem. But forgetting my opinion for a moment there is far more experience from Kernowcooper, an auto electrician of many years experience who also advises swapping it as the best course of action. I have read his excellent replies over recent years and sent a few PMs when stumped on electrics myself and always found his advice to be bang on the money. The problem will show itself, sooner or a bit later who can tell? But why take a chance?

[ChopperHarris]

because it costs money

[ChopperHarris]

I didn't think RC cars had lead acid batteries?

Anyhoo, don't mean to be argumentative...perhaps you view this post from a better fiscal position than I.

Heres to MINs!

[Tamworthbay]

I didn't think RC cars had lead acid batteries?
Anyhoo, don't mean to be argumentative...perhaps you view this post from a better fiscal position than I.
Heres to MINs!

not RC cars, single seater electric cars. The cars I have built have beaten teams from Jaguar Land Rover, Bentley, Peogeot and many others. The last one (nicknamed Bernard) had £25k of materials alone in it. A spin off is now a support race for Formula E around the world but sadly we don't have the funds for that as it's mega money. Going back to minis I also have a design for an electric mini with more torque than a Range Rover! Just need to find a sponsor for some nice Agni motors.

Edit: sometimes wish they were RC! It would remove the biggest problem in any car, the nut behind the wheel.

[maccers]

Car all ok. Funny this is I used my VFR800 Fi battery to transfer some charge last week when it happened, bike runs fine but took out for a wee charge up..!

[peter-b]

In my job we call it airport flat because its usually cars left at airport carparks that suffer it. I'm a road service man not an electrician or scientist so it's only my experience talking. If we go out to car that has had something left on and flattened the battery and it has been left in a discharged state for extended period of time then they usually don't survive. We're told not to jump start them and suggest new battery, this may be just to sell batteries. I have however seen newly fitted batteries suffer the same fate. Batteries subjected to this aren't covered by warranty. The one thing I don't understand is when they're made they have no charge.

[klivins]

Can I borrow the thread a bit please?
Are gel batteries known to perform better after full discharge?

[Carlos W]

Can I borrow the thread a bit please?
Are gel batteries known to perform better after full discharge?

 

No, full discharge is bad for them

[peter-b]

Theyre very fussy when it comes to charging/discharging, they don't like to much either way.