Forum Topic

Lockdown

Just had a prompt that the car battery is going to need charging because of not being used yet the alarm is still using the juice.Anything else we should think of?

Sarah Felstead ● 1940d9 Comments

That’s a good tool, NV.

Sarah Felstead ● 1938d

Waaay back when I was learning to drive I had the acronym POWER drummed into me.P= petrol, make sure that you have enough for the journey.O= oil, chaeck the dipstick at kleast once per weekW= water, is there water in the coolant expansion tank and in the sceenwash?E= electrics, does everything electrical, paricularly all the lights, work?R= rubber, are the tyres in good condition and at the correct pressure (including the spare, if fitted)?

N V Brooks ● 1939d

And check tyres, indicators, brake lights.  We are suppose to do this regularly anyway but I suspect many don't (mea culpa!)

Andy Riley ● 1939d

Did you try to start the car?

Alex Shpinkov ● 1939d

If its a new car that is different. I myself would take the car for a run first and see what happens.

Nicholas Beard ● 1939d

So, I just buy a charger and give the battery a boost?  It is a new car.

Sarah Felstead ● 1939d

Whatever you do DON'T use BatAid on a modern AGM or EFB battery (if your car has stop-start it will have one of these) as it will wreck the plates.

N V Brooks ● 1940d

For old car batteries or those that have lost their charge you can buy small tablets that you drop  into the individual cells.These decoat the plates inside from any accumulated particles that may have attached themselves and help the plates hold any new charge up. They are quite ironically named due to the times, I suppose. Go by the name Bataid tablets and Halford's sell them , or at least used to. On line mat be better.

Keith Iddon ● 1940d

The alarm uses very little power so it continues to draw power. Starting the car uses an imense amount, try charging the battery or if possible go for a drive to a supermarket and back first and see if you have the msg the next day. However when the garages open up again they will give the battery a load test which will reveal if indeed its worn, usually a cell breaking down. The test is free.

Nicholas Beard ● 1940d