Battery

[Tomato]

Another question, batteries, given our cars if we are now sitting at home going nowhere, any tips on stopping batteries dying while these cars sit doing nothing?

Suspect starting it up and not driving it will drain the battery quicker than anything, any top tips please?

[Clive Hunt]

I guess it depends on the age of the battery. Idle running for an hour each week should be sufficient.

[Tomato]

Might need a trip to the petrol station 🙂 can you just leave an engine running idle for an hour? 

[Trooper2142]

I've bought a Ctek MXS7 amp charger which has a AGM battery mode, and along with a Comfort Indicator Panel which has 3 lights ( Red,Yellow and Green ) and have fitted the Indicator Panel in the Plastic Moulding next to the shopping hook in the Boot. And routed the Indicator Cable along behind the Boot lining towards the rear seats and under the moulding surrounding the spare wheel and taped the Cable to the wheel well and connected the Red Cable to the Positive + terminal on the Battery and the Black Cable connected to a Metal Ground Point near to the Battery and Not onto the Battery.

And you just plug in the Charger Cable to the Socket on the Comfort Indicator Panel .

[Qavexf]

Did you disconnect the battery during the charger installation? Did you need to reset any systems, windows etc?

[Old Peter]

Welcome to the club, Dave.

When you connect the battery to the charger you do have to disconnect the terminals.

Resetting is not a problem with my s type -- you just need to know the radio code.

Regards,

Peter.

[Trooper2142]

Welcome to the Club Dave.

I didn't disconnect the Battery when I fitted the Comfort Indicator Panel there is a Bolt near to the +Positive terminal post and fitted the Red Cable to this and the Black Cable is fitted to a stud near to the Battery in the Wheel Well and Not onto the Battery. And I just plug the Charger Cable into the Socket on the Comfort Indicator Panel .

If you look at my previous post on here it tells you where it is fitted and it's ready to go when needed.

[bmcl6]

I also have CTex (MSX5 AGM Compatible) with Comfort Indicator, only requires a few minutes to install of the Indicator.  The positive wire to Positive Post on Battery and Negative to a nearby Bolt in the chassis. A small cut in the lining fabric of the boot (template supplied) to hold the Indicator in place.   Small LED Indicators flash Red (Battery=discharged, Amber=Charge Battery Soon, Green=Battery fully charged).  It is an easy task to check the battery by merely opening the boot and check the Indicator.  If any charging needed simply plug the charger into the Indicator unit and leave for as long as it needs it will automatically top up the battery and continue to monitor the charge topping up as required.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2020 by bmcl6
Grammar correction