Charging a car battery by driving it

[pappyon]

Now that you mention that, I can remember when the car was only a couple of weeks old, I was so unused to the width of it compared to my last car that I scraped the two nearside doors when trying to get it in or out of the lockup, and it cost my insurance company £500 and me my no claims bonus.

I had to end up painting white lines on the lockup floor, and the centre of the back wall as a guide. That's how bad I am at getting the car into the lockup. Though not just as bad as that now as I've had nearly 12 years of practice!

In the light of this I would be very loathe to try reversing into the lockup, but your suggestion is much appreciated!

Somebody has made the suggestion of taking the battery out of the car and recharging it in the house, but as I have already said, disconnecting the battery interferes with the door key settings, the alarm and the electonic settings of the car, and I would have to humph the battery up 3 flights of stairs.

I used to do this with my Capri battery, but I was 30 years younger then, and cars were a lot simpler!

 

[Softus]

I realise that this might appear to be unhelpful, pappyon, but cars just aren't intended to be used in the way that you're using yours.

You'd be better off, in many ways, by getting rid of the car and relying on the services of a reliable local taxi company.

 

[pappyon]

That's what the AA man tells me when I have to call them out to start the car. Please don't get the idea I play on this by the way! The car is perfectly OK in the good dry weather. It'll sit for a month and start right away!

Don't get me wrong the last time it happened last May the battery was dud and they had to give me a new one under warranty, yet they had told me only two months previously it was perfectly OK.

Luckily I haven't had to call them out since then, but then again the battery is only 9 months old.

My wife thinks I should get shot of it too, but once you get used to a car you can't think of being without one! I like the idea of it being there if it's needed.

 

[Softus]

OK, I quite understand.

Your best compromise is as follows:

1. Buy a new battery and a modest trickle charger.
2. Keep it in the house, in the warm, and fully charged.
3. When the car fails to start, take the (warm and charged) battery down to the car and install it.
4. After your trip in the car, carry the discharged battery upstairs and make it the spare.
5. Return to step 2.

This will be cheaper, and more convenient, and quicker, than relying on the AA, bearing in mind that they'll start charging you extra for more than the average number of callouts.

 

[Belle427]

or buy a spiral cell battery,quite expensive but will happily sit for weeks in any conditions and never let you down,got one on my kit car and its awesome

 

[pappyon]

I can well imagine it would be a terrific battery.

The cheapest one I can see on the web is £250 not counting delivery!

A bit beyond my means!

 

[Belle427]

your looking in the wrong place,got mine for £90

 

[naebothernoo]

You could invest in a portable power pack. Which is a 12v. battery in a carry pack with jump lead connectors, this could be kept in your house on a trickle charge and is a lot easier to carry than a regular spare battery

 

[libby lou lou]

You could invest in a portable power pack. Which is a 12v. battery in a carry pack with jump lead connectors, this could be kept in your house on a trickle charge and is a lot easier to carry than a regular spare battery

Easiest this is, don't you think?

 

[JohnD]

Easiest this is, don't you think?

Think I, too so do.

 

[Softus]

Easiest this is, don't you think?

Think I, too so do.

Wise, you are.

 

[yes2mud]

I really cannot see any point in the advise given here.Cars are meant to be used,and as pappyon appears unwilling to drive the thing further than Asda then he makes a rod for his own back,as they say.

 

[pappyon]

Obviously you haven't even read my first post before sticking your neb in! You seem to have the attention-span time of a gold fish!

My question was for how long and at what speed would I have to drive my car once a week so that it would start when I wanted to use it.

I never made any indication that I didn't want to drive the car further than ASDA.

Apart from that if people are prepared to offer me advice, there's no need for you to stick your big nose in and tell people they are wasting their time!

It's not as if I asked you personally for advice is it, or as you put it "advise."

You don't give anybody "advise." You advise them

Try using the spell checker!

 

[Softus]

Try using the spell checker!

Yeah, yes2mud - put your neb back in where it belongs.

 

[yes2mud]

Try using the spell checker!

Yeah, yes2mud - put your neb back in where it belongs.

Spell checker yourself pappyon,Humph the battery up stairs
We all can make a spelling mistake,even me from time to time!!
I still maintain you have a problem of your own making.
Put some fresh fuel in,take Mrs Pappyon for a ride at least once a week,go somewhere 20 miles away,have lunch,come home the scenic route.
Just USE it.

Softus,slightly surprised at you.