Battery Life..

[sandyf]

20 hours ago, quake said:

yes. what can i say

go buy new at every 2 years.

as TV posters think this is best way to go

Go figure.

You could say you need another battery to use jump leads, instead of trying to be clever.

[ifmu]

On 2/12/2021 at 3:22 PM, Crossy said:

Yes BUT if you open a door the dome light will go on and your 9 vt battery will drain FAST ...    use a 12 vt jumper box or cables to power the data link  

ie  most jumper boxs have cig lighter adaptors  

On 2/12/2021 at 3:22 PM, Crossy said:

Or you could use a "memory saver" which plugs into the OBD2 or cigarette outlet and keeps things alive with a regular 9V battery.

  

 

[Crossy]

53 minutes ago, ifmu said:

Yes BUT if you open a door the dome light will go on and your 9 vt battery will drain FAST ...    use a 12 vt jumper box or cables to power the data link  

ie  most jumper boxs have cig lighter adaptors  

 

So, don't open the door ???? 

 

Actually the little 9V batteries are a lot stronger than they look, about 500mAh. So even with a conventional dome light of 5W they're good for 20 minutes or so, with an LED light a lot longer.

 

The one thing generally not recommended is leaving the engine running whilst swapping batteries. Whilst I've not come across anyone who has actually fried anything by doing this it's certainly in all (ok most) of the vehicle handbooks. 

[Oztruckie]

If yr concerned about battery failing completely when yr out and about,i believe online shopping places like Lazada sell these little jumpstart packs,their not much bigger than some of these powerbanks you see people carrying around,they'll start a 2.5 L. petrol or 2.0 L. diesel engine from a complete dead flat battery no problems,not familiar with bigger engines,if yr mechanically minded and you own a set of jump leads and a multi meter you can do a high load test on the battery yrself,i've done it many times with all the batteries i've gone thru over the years,too many to recall nowadays lol.

[JimGant]

On 2/16/2021 at 11:23 AM, Oztruckie said:

If yr concerned about battery failing completely when yr out and about,i believe online shopping places like Lazada sell these little jumpstart packs,their not much bigger than some of these powerbanks you see people carrying around

Indeed. My little-used second car, with a two year old battery, and parked at the far end of the driveway -- wouldn't start the other day. And there was no way to get a car ahead of it for a jump start. Previous experience told me that a car parked at the rear, with thin jumper cables doubled to make the distance, just had too much resistance to get a jump. Now what -- muscle power to push the car into the main road?

Naaa. My neighbor saw the problem and retrieved a cigar box sized gizmo from his house, with black and red jumper hooks. Viola. Clip the hooks to my dead battery, and up she starts.

Next day, after a new battery for the car, I bought one of those gizmos for about 1500 baht. House power charges it up (and it remains charged, if not used). Thus, next time I've a dead car in my driveway, no problem. Haven't decided to carry it with me on the road -- my jumper cables probably are still sufficient, assuming I park in accessible areas. Anyway, what a relief to have a problem solved -- with technology I knew nothing about (price of getting old).

Edited March 23, 2021 by JimGant

[rumak]

On 2/13/2021 at 7:19 PM, NanLaew said:

My experience is if you detect a slight lag in how quick it turns over and fires up, the battery is about to go. And when they go, they go.

 

I use the same rule of thumb with girlfriends.............

[Henryford]

At the 4 year service on my Ford Fiesta they recommended i replace the battery (which i did). It might have gone on a bit longer but probably 4 years is the safe max.

[Yellowtail]

On 2/16/2021 at 6:48 AM, Crossy said:

 

So, don't open the door ???? 

 

Actually the little 9V batteries are a lot stronger than they look, about 500mAh. So even with a conventional dome light of 5W they're good for 20 minutes or so, with an LED light a lot longer.

 

The one thing generally not recommended is leaving the engine running whilst swapping batteries. Whilst I've not come across anyone who has actually fried anything by doing this it's certainly in all (ok most) of the vehicle handbooks. 

 

We used to just leave the car while you swap them out. 

[ifmu]

3 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

We used to just leave the car while you swap them out. 

cant see the home diy doing it that fast . clean cables , batt holddown etc etc .. but its up to op .. this was just a caution y post  .. 

[Yellowtail]

1 hour ago, ifmu said:

cant see the home diy doing it that fast . clean cables , batt holddown etc etc .. but its up to op .. this was just a caution y post  .. 

 

I didn't say it was a good idea, but yeah, I should have issued a warning. Or back when you had chrome steel bumpers you could ground bumper to bumper and jump with a coat hanger or other wire....

 

I did a good bit of battery work on trucks years ago. The best cable cleaning  brushes I ever used were the brushes for cleaning copper pipe fittings...

 

You don't hardly see corrosion anymore...

[billd766]

On 2/13/2021 at 9:29 AM, 1FinickyOne said:

My dealer went rogue a little while ago... I no longer have trust. 

 

I will go to the local tire dealer chain... they have always proved to be decent and never an obligation to fill my tires w/air... and the workers refuse a tip. 

I usually go to the local tractor spares and most other things shop to replace the battery. Last year I was coming back home in my Ford Ranger pickup in heavy rain with my wipers, a/c, lights on full. I shut everything off and switched off to go to the bank which was closed.

 

I came back and tried to start the truck and got a clunk and everything died. I called my wife and she got the guy who fixes the truck to come out and he arrived 20 minutes later with a battery, jump leads and his lad.  and got the truck started. He followed me back to the tractor shop (just in case) and the shop guy had a new battery. He was going to change it in the pouring rain but I told him just to put the battery in the truck and I would do it at home.

 

I did that and went back the next day with the old battery and to pay for the new one.

 

I thanked them and paid up then went to the recovery guy who refused to take anything for the call out.

 

I vaguely remember buying the old battery some 4 of 5 years earlier so it was well overdue replacement. I wrote the date on the new battery.

 

If you are having a problem with your battery replace it asap.

 

A worse place than being stranded in the country is at a major set of traffic lights in BKK in a thunderstorm and causing a humongous traffic jam.

 

Edited March 27, 2021 by billd766
Added extra text

[alacrity]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

I usually go to the local tractor spares and most other things shop to replace the battery. Last year I was coming back home in my Ford Ranger pickup in heavy rain with my wipers, a/c, lights on full. I shut everything off and switched off to go to the bank which was closed.

 

I came back and tried to start the truck and got a clunk and everything died. I called my wife and she got the guy who fixes the truck to come out and he arrived 20 minutes later with a battery, jump leads and his lad.  and got the truck started. He followed me back to the tractor shop (just in case) and the shop guy had a new battery. He was going to change it in the pouring rain but I told him just to put the battery in the truck and I would do it at home.

 

I did that and went back the next day with the old battery and to pay for the new one.

 

I thanked them and paid up then went to the recovery guy who refused to take anything for the call out.

 

I vaguely remember buying the old battery some 4 of 5 years earlier so it was well overdue replacement. I wrote the date on the new battery.

 

If you are having a problem with your battery replace it asap.

 

A worse place than being stranded in the country is at a major set of traffic lights in BKK in a thunderstorm and causing a humongous traffic jam.

 

Actually the best advice within this thread! And that's from a guy with no OBD.

WE live 2 lives to succeed: our life yesterday and  our life today, having learned from yesterday. Some just re-arrange the deck chairs on a sinking vessel.

[Yellowtail]

I got my last battery at B-Quick close to the house, don't know how they are price-wise as I did not shop around, but they do a free test, and if you buy a battery from them, they'll come jump you if you get stuck. 

 

Had the battery checked free a few times since, and they'll air the tires free if you aske them as well. 

 

If you have a shop within walking distance, that is usually the best place to buy a battery....