battery function

[JonE]

my wiring is approaching testing time, and the 6V battery, new probably 4 years ago, and just kept charged occasionally - is now under scrutiny!

In my ownership (last 12 months)  I've noticed that the charger doesnt operate for long before the green 'charged' light comes on. i.e. I've always thought that it seemed to retain its oomph very well. 

But on my first connect and turn on, the lights were bright and then dulled quickly, and the Voltmeter reading went right down to 5 and a bit.

On putting charger on, in two or three minutes the green 'charged' light comes on and its back to 6.3 or 6.4V

Can anyone tell me whether this is normal, or whether the battery is probably just functioning on just a tiny part of its plates? It seems inconceivable that it can be ok after 4 years of non-use, but then likewise, it may be that I'm missing something... or dont understand what the variables are.

TIA...

[andrew34ruby]

It depends what battery charger you are using, but probably the battery has had it. If you ignore the 'charged' light it might continue to put in a small trickle and the battery might recover after a few days.

[Derek Sheldon]

Jon E , bite the bullet mate £75 and save the grief.
Derek

[Chris KC]

Jon, see recent thread entitled "battery maintenance" - for decent battery life it has to be kept charged.

[JonE]

Jon, see recent thread entitled "battery maintenance" - for decent battery life it has to be kept charged.

thanks all. Chris - I HAVE been doing so, but only by connecting up the charger and monitoring via my voltmeter. 

I just cant work out why it has flicked off so quickly in the past, and why the volts are rejeuvenated so quickly.

(If anyone has a link to the best recent offers on those high amp/hour beasties  - will start to look!)

[Austin in the Shed]

Do you know anyone close with a battery tester/Drop tester?
You could try one of the modern intelligent battery chargers (With 6v ) with a de sulphate function.As others say it's probably had it without enough charge/discharging.
The last old charger I borrowed would only bring the battery up to 6v,not the 7.2 for a fully charged one.
Silly question but is it still topped up with water ?

[JonE]

Silly question but is it still topped up with water ?

yes, do that religiously as well. When the thing is connected, it seems to register 7.3, then disconnected, 6.3. I've just tried to pull starter and it wouldn't do that and now has gone down to 6.05... when charger back on back to 6.80 then every second rising about 0.01V....

it sounds like I should slow this down a bit (ha ha, not getting there that fast anyway - this car has been off the road since 1970) and buy an accumate or whatever people currently advise, and check the existing one entirely first. But my gut feel is that as Derek suggests, I probably want the security of starting afresh.

any advance on intelligent accumate at 48 posted on amazon? I note my present charger is 6A, and also see some 1A "intelligent" 6V chargers by YUASA at about 18 quid.

[James Anderson]

Exide 85 amp hour battery and Accumate I think are best choices. Should be able to buy former for under £75 and latter for around £35-£40 on Ebay. I've had a battery on the go for over 10 years with regular trickle charging.

[JonE]

ok thankyou. Do you mean the 80 - cant find an 85 Exide... but this seems very good value...
https://www.tayna.co.uk/EU80-6-Exide-Vin...10156.html

My hideous day (working out all the errors in my loom construction and wire junctions) is now subsiding. I think my hotlist is:

a. battery
b. swap the wires on the ammeter
c. sort one non functioning indicator contact in the steering wheel boss
d.swap the wires to brake and tail as they seem to be the wrong way round

The fact that I have successfully tested horn, some lights, starter motor and with nothing smelling acrid or bursting into flames through three hours of operating things with the duff battery on charge... must mean its actually "a step forward"!

[GK5268]

Worth fitting a battery isolating switch, that way you will have complete peace of mind when it is left unattended particularly if you leave it a conditioning charge.