car battery question

[kirrz 0]

my car has been sitting unused for a year so i can safely assume that when i get back to it, the battery will be dead. can i take it to a garage and have them charge it up for me remotely? does this work? how long does it take and how much does it cost?

thanks!!

[oldwomanc6 42]

There's no reason you couldn't take your battery somewhere and have it charged for you, but If you have a good friend with you and a set of jumper cables, it would be worth a shot before you do it.

If your battery is more than a couple of years old, though, it may not take and keep a charge. Next time you anticipate a long time w/o starting your car, it is better to disconnect it. Most cars still will drain a battery even when sitting doing "nothing" at all. It will still probably be dead after a year, but it will take and keep a charge better w/o the car attached to it.

Check your tires before you drive off as well, and have them checked asap. They probably won't be in balance and will have a "flat" spot that will affect things, unless you had the car jacked up a little to take the pressure off the tires.

In general, have the car checked out, because the oil will need to be changed (regardless of miles), the alignment may be wonky, the brakes may need to be adjusted, etc....

Cars do NOT like to sit for an extended time. Like clocks, they work better when they are allowed to run.

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

Just get a jump and let it run for a few minutes (in a well ventilated NOT A GARAGE) so the alternator can get to charging it.

You can also buy a battery charger that plugs into AC and charge your battery. Which is a rather handy thing to have around if your alternator starts to go. They're not that expensive.

Or yeah, I'd think any auto parts store would have a batery charger they could use to charge it for you.

I'd at least try turning it over prior to going to all that effort, might work. I'd also suggest checking your fluids and gasoline level while you're at it. Don't want to get 'er running dry.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[pontiacgtp00 0]

The alternator will charge it yes, it's not very good for it though. Better to have it charged, Autozone, Advance Auto, Pep Boys, they all charge batteries. Don't be surprised if the battery is bad by now though, the lead plates can get corroded when it's sat for a long period like that.

[JohnMitchell 16]

Next time get a trickle charger. Used to use them on my motorcycles in the winter months.

http://www.harborfreight.com/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html

Good luck with the car. I'd try jump starting it and see where it goes from there. Some of the electronics may take a while to settle down too.

[airtwardo 7]

Quote

The alternator will charge it yes, it's not very good for it though.

Why is that?


I know you're a mechanic so I'm not doubting you...just curious.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Krip 2]

Quote

Quote

The alternator will charge it yes, it's not very good for it though.

Why is that?


I know you're a mechanic so I'm not doubting you...just curious.

Hi MR T

Remember back in the dat with a standard tranny, we coud point the car down hill and pop the cluth to get the engine started.

Then let the alternator to try and recharge the battery, or just keep on parking on a hill.

Based on the wise old women said, I think this winter I'll try disconnecting the battery on my riding lawnmower. and see if it helps prevent jump starting the mower next spring..

One Jump Wonder

[airtwardo 7]

Quote

Quote

Quote

The alternator will charge it yes, it's not very good for it though.

Why is that?


I know you're a mechanic so I'm not doubting you...just curious.

Hi MR T

Remember back in the dat with a standard tranny, we coud point the car down hill and pop the cluth to get the engine started.

Then let the alternator to try and recharge the battery, or just keep on parking on a hill.

Based on the wise old women said, I think this winter I'll try disconnecting the battery on my riding lawnmower. and see if it helps prevent jump starting the mower next spring..

i use to do a lotta push starting cessnas with standard trannys too.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[jimmytavino 16]

" mags Off"

"pull it through"

" OK "

"Mags ON " !!!

" Clearrrrr "!

"crankkkkkkk"


putta putt putt... pop. vroom vvvaaaarrroooommmmmm !!!

"ok GEt IN " !!!!!!

been there. done That !!! usually when it was 10 degrees F.........

[wolfriverjoe 1,496]

Quote

Quote

The alternator will charge it yes, it's not very good for it though.

Why is that?


I know you're a mechanic so I'm not doubting you...just curious.

In part because the alternator is going to be pumping a lot of amps into the battery, expecially at first. It's better to charge a fully dead battery slowly.

You can very easily destroy a small battery (lawn tractor, motorcycle, ect.) by using a bigger battery charger on it.

To the OP - A small battery charger is pretty cheap. And it's something that may come in handy in the future. Or you could jump it. Or you could yank the battery and take it somewhere.

Fully discharging a non-Deep-Cell battery isn't good for it. It may or may not hold a charge anymore. Float chargers (like JohnMitchell recommended) are wonderful. They keep the battery topped off all the time.

I'd make sure you check all the fluids. Brake, coolant and oil. Check the tires too.
I agree with Lisa that there will probably be flat spots from sitting, but they will go away in a little while. Never jack the car up or put it on blocks. It's really bad for the struts/shocks to let them hang for an extended period.

After a year, the gas will not be in the best shape. It may not want to start. Starting fluid (ether) is very handy if you know what you are doing. If you don't know, and you can't find someone who does, it is very DANGEROUS. Use WD-40 as starting fluid instead. The mineral spirits in it works as a gentle starting fluid. Spray a litte into the intake as the motor is cranking.

I park my Porsche every winter, so I've done this once or twice.
Good luck. It's really cool to see a car that has sat for a while come "back to life." Sometimes it's a little smoky, but that usually goes away.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[peek 21]

Quote

Next time get a trickle charger. Used to use them on my motorcycles in the winter months. http://www.harborfreight.com/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html

There are units even more sophisticated than that, and for not too much more money. http://www.batterytender.com/ The "Technical Info" area of the web site is very good.

There is much controversy about the various types of chargers like this, because some people still manage to overcharge their batteries and dry them up, because they expect too much of the units.

Keeping a motorcycle or riding lawnmower battery charged during a few winter months is a reasonable application.

[airdvr 207]

I don't think batteries 'lose' a charge. I think there has to be some sort of draw. On our boat we leave the batteries in year round but we have a switch that isolates them from the rest of the boat when we're not there. Going on 5 seasons with the same set.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[peek 21]

Quote

I don't think batteries 'lose' a charge. I think there has to be some sort of draw. On our boat we leave the batteries in year round but we have a switch that isolates them from the rest of the boat when we're not there. Going on 5 seasons with the same set.

Search for "lead acid battery self discharge" and you will find some numbers. There are a lot of variables.

Can't argue with your success with your boat batteries though. Isolating them when not in use can't hurt.

[Andy9o8 2]

Have you tried making a brine of epsom salts, club soda and Pedialyte and soaking it overnight in that?

[kallend 1,936]

Worth trying, but very likely the battery's plates have been permanently damaged by sitting unused for a year. The plates are probably sulfated.

There are fancy chargers that claim to reverse the damage, but I have yet to see any success.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kallend 1,936]

Quote

I don't think batteries 'lose' a charge. I think there has to be some sort of draw. On our boat we leave the batteries in year round but we have a switch that isolates them from the rest of the boat when we're not there. Going on 5 seasons with the same set.

But do you leave them for a whole year without any use at all, which seems to be the case with the OP.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[airtwardo 7]

Quote

" mags Off"

"pull it through"

" OK "

"Mags ON " !!!

" Clearrrrr "!

"crankkkkkkk"


putta putt putt... pop. vroom vvvaaaarrroooommmmmm !!!

"ok GEt IN " !!!!!!

been there. done That !!! usually when it was 10 degrees F.........

Nailed it!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[JerryBaumchen 1,341]

Hi joe,

Quote

I park my Porsche every winter

Back in the early 70's we were living in an apartment & rented a rather small 1-car garage. I decided that I wanted to rebuild/modify the engine in my Porsche.

I built an engine stand so I could rotate the engine while standing up.

After I got the engine finished, the battery was dead. So I got out my trusty battery charger and hooked it up. The next night the battery was still dead. And the next night the battery was still dead; this went on for ~5-6 days. Then one evening as I was closing up the garage I noticed something; when I turned out the light in the garage it killed the power to the battery charger. I had not been charging anything.



JerryBaumchen

[skydveraz 0]

Quote

" mags Off"

"pull it through"

" OK "

"Mags ON " !!!

" Clearrrrr "!

"crankkkkkkk"


putta putt putt... pop. vroom vvvaaaarrroooommmmmm !!!

"ok GEt IN " !!!!!!

been there. done That !!! usually when it was 10 degrees F.........

Been there, done that, got the tee shirt.
Those were the good old days!

Arizona only has two seasons, Hot and HOTTER!

[Snowwhite 0]

Daves Grandmother had decided that it was time to give up driving. We parked her car in front of our house with a 'for sale' sign on it, battery disconnected. Our babysitter called me at work one day saying that there was a man at the door who wanted to test drive it. I told her she would have to tell the man to wait until Dave got home from work that night. Then she says "oh no, it's ok, he got it going, and they are leaving now." I figured that we were probably going to have to come up with some money to pay Daves Grandma, since someone just stole the car.
Later that night a man came up to our front door with a passle of kids and the cash for the car. He said he figured he would just 'hot wire' the car to test it, and was really baffled til he realized that the battery was disconnected. We told him that the reason it was disconnected was because it kept discharging, even tho it was a new battery. That car went to the right home.

skydiveTaylorville.org
freefallbeth@yahoo.com

[JohnMitchell 16]

Quote

been there. done That !!! usually when it was 10 degrees F.........

Ya ain't propped a jump plane, until you've propped a jump plane . . . standing on ice.

[airtwardo 7]

Quote

Quote

been there. done That !!! usually when it was 10 degrees F.........

Ya ain't propped a jump plane, until you've propped a jump plane . . . standing on ice.

...wearin' a rig with a bellywart!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[jimmytavino 16]

Quote

Quote

Quote

been there. done That !!! usually when it was 10 degrees F.........

Ya ain't propped a jump plane, until you've propped a jump plane . . . standing on ice.

...wearin' a rig with a bellywart!

Hey Guys !!!!!

How did you Know?? Twardo??? it was usually a style master with center pull reserve. or my old Mini system..
At least i kept my Bell Motorcycle helmet ON !!.. just in case... and John!!!! when it WAS Icy... i'd lag behind and let one of the Others do it !!!!!

jmy
A 3914
D 12122

CLEAR !!!!!!!

[JohnMitchell 16]

Quote

[and John!!!! when it WAS Icy... i'd lag behind and let one of the Others do it !!!!!

Yep, that's how the new kid got stuck with it.

Once we had a hot (ungrounded) mag on the 182. I was flipping the prop thru a few times after the pilot had hit the primer pump. Damn engine kicked over and started up. Good thing I treat a prop like a firearm; they're always loaded. . . I had all my stuff out of the way.

I guess I looked pretty pissed off when it happened because the pilot was giving me a very clear "I don't know what happened but don't kill me!" look over the cowling.