[morienTTes]

Hi all,

Please accept my apologies if this is not the correct thread, but I'm not sure where this question should be asked.

Just had to call out the RAC to deal with a flat battery which is less than 18 months old in a TTMk1 225bhp. Car had not been used since Thursday evening (i.e. less than 5 days ago), was told it was probably due to the cold weather. Needless to say it took no more than a connection to a jump starter and a 30 minute run thereafter... all *seems* to be fine again.

Rather than go through the inconvenience of calling out the RAC again (and this is not the first time I've had to do so for a flat battery after the car hasn't been used for a few days), I was wondering if anyone could recommend a jump starter pack to buy? A quick look at the Halford's website seems like a bit of a minfield to me, with jump starters costing between £50-£90.

Is there anything in particular I should be looking for - or looking to avoid - in terms of make, type etc? Any help or advice would be hugely appreciated.
Many thanks in advance...

 

[John-H]

I wouldn't tend to go for jump starters with sensitive electronics on the car. There have even been cases of people having the electronics spiked when jumping off another car as the jump leads were removed due to the sudden voltage spike with the load reduction.

You'd be better off getting a float charger that you can leave connected to the car when it's not being used. The Accumate springs to mind. They charge the battery and can be left connected indefinitely without the danger of damaging anything.

If you use your car regularly the battery should be charged and not go flat. The cold weather doesn't make batteries flat, but it can highlight a problem if the battery is in a poor state, by tipping it over the edge by increasing its internal resistance or showing it's not getting enough charge in the first place.

If you do short journeys, especially in the cold weather with demister, heated seats and lights on, then you may not be giving it much of a chance to charge. Regularly leaving it for days on end without use will sap it further.

If however you use it every day and for long journeys, then it sounds like you have a current drain fault or failing alternator that needs investigating.

 

[morienTTes]

John-H,

Many thanks for your post. What you say makes sense as the car is being used for short journeys and - with the recent weather - I've been using the heated seats, demister etc.

Cheers.

 

[robokn]

I had this cured it with a trickle charger £35

 

[Hoggy]

Hi, Get one of these CTEK charger/conditioners. I have & my original battery is almost 7 years old.
Hoggy.

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Stor ... ductId=104