Blowing Batteries!!! 1800 zetec

[John Williams (Panda) - Joint Manchester AO]

Hi guys,

I have a 1800 zetec.... and i seem to be blowing battries, i think it's my charger that's doing it?

Anew battery runs fine... do some testing/building on the on the car run that battery down (2 volts last time as i left the keys on on accessory)... later charged it using the black halfords battery charger set to 'bike' and it appears to damage a cell! only getting 10volts

What batteries are other zetec 1800 owners using? (mines a varta 530 030 030)

Any suggestions welcome!!!

cheers

John

[Kit Car Electronics and Essex AO]

I'm afraid lead acid batteries can't handle deep discharge - flattening the battery to 2V can knacker it immediately which is why it won't then recharge fully.

A good solution is to keep the car plugged in to a battery conditioner like 'optimate' and don't ever flatten the battery below 10V.

[John Williams (Panda) - Joint Manchester AO]

I'm afraid lead acid batteries can't handle deep discharge - flattening the battery to 2V can knacker it immediately which is why it won't then recharge fully.

A good solution is to keep the car plugged in to a battery conditioner like 'optimate' and don't ever flatten the battery below 10V.

Thanks for the reply,

So are bike batteries not as tolerant of abuse than car ones?

my concern was either:- i'd run the battery down too much, the charger was cooking the battery or that the westie was. or all 3!!

this was my second battery...

i pretty sure the first was cooked as i charged it as a car on checking the switch on the unit.

and like i said the second was left on for weeks. 2volts

i didn't want to buy a third is i'm jsut going to blow the money away.

so my plan is for the optmiate (i used to have one for the motorbike) and a replacment battery...

Cheers

John

[blankczechbook]

the black charger has an auto conditioner hasnt it??  mine has..

it fast charges then switches to float charging / pulsing the battery to keep it topped - but not enough to boil off the destilled water...

try leaving the charger on it - on std battery setting - not bike! - and keep your fingers crossed.

and even have another try to charge up the older battery. the bike setting is a lower voltage - to keep the current lower as the gel bike batteries dont like fast recharges if i remember rightly...