Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

[kitesurf_phil]

Went round to the garage. Turned the key in the Surf, engine turned a couple of times then everything dimmed down. I have brought the batteries indoors and put them on charge, but they are both showing 3/4 charge as soon as the charger is switched on. I guess I will be shelling out some £££££££ to sort it out.
Mind you, the batteries are the ones that came with the truck and could be nearly 13 years old.
I just hope I can get the truck to start if/when we get some interesting weather.

[Dog_Book]

There may not be enough AMPS to turn your motor over....... they might look good due to the voltage levels but 12v systems need to amps rather than the voltage. As you said this could be due to the batteries being very old

[kitesurf_phil]

I don't know if I can trust the meter (it's one of those LED things) on the battery charger. Even when I charged a new (ish) bettery that had gone flat it showed 3/4 charge. I haven't driven the Surf for three weeks and there is a lot of electrics to keep ticking over in that time.

[Medieval Dave]

Everyone should have an optimate or similar 'intelligent' battery charger with a desulpenating (sp?) facility. They will recover a lot of deep-discharged or age sulphenated batteries, or if they will not you know the battery is definitely beyond recovery. Ask around if any of your mates has one you can try - a lot of bikers have them due to the vulnerability and high cost of bike batteries.

[da SLUG man]

are they big and cost about £40?

that's mine!... don't know why, but it's the biggest charger you ever saw!

(unless you're an AA man or forklift driver!!)

[Medieval Dave]

No, Optimates are a trickle only charger, so they are about 8inches long by three" wide by 1.5" high, have four lites on 'charging' 'desulphonating' 'good' and 'weak'

There are two other trade names I have seen but they are all dinky things. Mine is a bike one, there are car ones again, bigger, but still all pretty dinky as far as I know

http://www.performancemotorcyclepart...s/optimate.htm

[KeithP]

Had the same problem with my Surf about 4/5 weeks ago at the start of the cold weather. Both batteries would lose charge overnight ( I am doing 100 miles round trip a day). Went and got a charger from Hal*****, one of those that trips over into maintenance after peak charge is reached. Only trouble was it would take about 45 mins on each battery before going over into maintenance mode.

Down to the local garage and they tested both for me and neither would hold the required charge under load testing. Had both replaced at £110 inc vat and hav'nt look back since. Almost spins the block out of the engine bay every morning now..

Keith

[kitesurf_phil]

I charged both batterys overnight and over the last three (very cold) days have not had a problem. After refitting the batteries I found that I had a permanent discharge of 500mA (clock, alarm, immobiliser, ECU, ham radio gear, auto ATU) I have now fitted an isolation switch for the ham gear and drain has reduced a lot. I suppose the secret is not to leave it in the garage for three weeks, which = 225 AH of drain.