Help with car battery?? Starting Car.?

If the vehicle is stored weeks at a time? DO NOT start it to charge it. Use only a portable automatic charger, one with a meter is automatic so as not to overcharge, one without a meter is a manual and will over- charge if not monitored.

Starting the engine or driving the vehicle will NOT charge the battery sufficiently unless, you run it for a long time or Drive it at least 50 miles - especially if it is moderately discharged.

Use a 4 - 6 - 8 or 10 amp charger every 3 ot 4 weeks. On a moderately discharged battery - trickle chargers don't do it. The battery needs enough amperage to drive of the sulfide build up on the lead plates. Trickle is O.K. only if the battery is at 12.40V

A full charge is 12.66V.

Storage more than 30 days? Disconnect the negative terminal.

Coolant clean? If not - you are too late. Corrosion has begun.

Oil clean? If not- the heavier dirt particles settle to the bottom of the oil pan and remain there as sludge or becomes tar like and is difficult to remove with out pan removal

Brake fluid almost clear? If not system is contaminated. Brake caliper pistons and wheel cylinder pistons will corrode.

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We purchase old cars all the time and battery issues always come up. Heres are 2 ideas that might help keep it starting & what it could be.

One car wasn't driven in the winters & if left it to long without driving wouldn't start either. So every few days I would start it for a couple of minutes. If I waited longer then that I would need a jump. I would just try this if I was you.

Another car wouldn't start & had to be jumped every morning. After buying 3 new batteries we found out the Antenna was the cause. Somehow draining the battery. We disconnected the antenna and haven't had a problem since. Probably not what is causing your problem but just a heads up that something small like that could be what's wrong.

If the battery is around 3-5 years old it's time for a new one as the chemicals in it weaken with age.If that doesn't cure it it's the alternator.Walmart can tell you if the battery will still hold a charge with a small meter,Auto zone and Advanced Auto also test batteries.Battery is weak,but not completely dead.You have to remove the battery from the car to do this,do not let any wires touch as you disconnect leads.And find a friend to drive you there.

Buy a battery- isolator device. It simply goes over the +ve of the battery, and your lead attatched to the other end of it. There is a thumbwheel in the middle you undo by hand - that disconnects it. Simple and easy.

You may need to keep the battery on trickle charge, as it does loose charge by itself. The cheapest option for you is to use a solar "battery keeper" - and put it outside the garage - with an extension lead to the battery. Just fit -and forget it. Won't cost you a penny more.

They do make "trickle chargers" that put out 1 amp and shut down automatically, but I suggest a battery post disconnect switch. You install that on the battery post and connect the cable to it. When you want to stop the power draw on your battery, you simply throw the switch. Check with any good auto parts store. (not Autozone, Advance, or O'Reilly)

if you want the car to stay in decent shape you should take it for a drive two or three times a month. this will keep the battery in good shape and also circulate the fluids and lubricants to keep the engine, trans, differential and bearings from rusting. cars do not like to just sit there. if you just put a charger on the battery you are neglecting everything else.

i don't know were from or how much but u can get a mains charger that monitors the battery while its on the car and it looks after it in storage i know someone who uses one on his bmw in winter

taking the battery leads off will make it last longer by a bit cos it wont be running clocks / alarms but it will eventually discharge itself do not leave it flat but do not leave it charging all the time on a normal battry charger (risk of boiling the battery or explosion )

it wants to be trikle chrged when u do chrage it as it is much kinda to the battery

cars do not like to be stood stored run it to temperature on a regular basis

U need to start the car every once in a while, dont let it sit there. If u let it just sit there, u will have more problems than battery problems. Ur gas will go bad after 60 days or so.

no don't keep it on charge 24/7.. get a solar panel battery charger (like $20 from mitre ten) or any hardware shop... connect that to ur batter properly and keep that on 24/7 (make sure solar panel is able to reach son)