Quick Question: Driving at night - does it charge the battery?

fRostiE · 8 Nov 2007 at 18:25

Hi there

Out of interest, does driving a car at night charge the battery? obviously i'll need lights on if its dark, does this impact the charging process much ?

I'm trying to keep the golfs battery alive (its been sat waiting to be advertised) and i work during the daylight hours so dont have much of a choice... but my dads argument is to leave it until the weekend...

long story short, im planning on being busy at the weekend and taking it out then would be inconvenient so is tonight (Now) any good to the battery

that was harder to explain than i thought.

fRostiE

ci_newman · 8 Nov 2007 at 18:27

Yes, driving in the dark will still charge the battery

fRostiE · 8 Nov 2007 at 18:28

ci_newman said:
Yes, driving in the dark will still charge the battery

is the difference going to be huge?

ie if i drive it 10 miles in the daylight and 10 in the dark is it going to be 50% less effective?

PardonTheWait · 8 Nov 2007 at 18:33

You could just leave it running with the lights off, if you've got somewhere you can do that without some scrote having it away

Nomisf · 8 Nov 2007 at 18:36

I shouldnt imagine it will make that much of a dip to be honest, might effect it but not enough to mean the car will slowly run down and stop starting. Should be alright

Dandle · 8 Nov 2007 at 18:37

fRostiE said:
is the difference going to be huge?

ie if i drive it 10 miles in the daylight and 10 in the dark is it going to be 50% less effective?

No difference as the alternator should be of sufficiant capacity to run all the electrics and still keep the voltage at 13.8 to charge the battery(while driving anyway as the voltage does drop when the cars on tickover).

fRostiE · 8 Nov 2007 at 18:50

Dandle said:
No difference as the alternator should be of sufficiant capacity to run all the electrics and still keep the voltage at 13.8 to charge the battery(while driving anyway as the voltage does drop when the cars on tickover).

great thank you

whitecrook · 8 Nov 2007 at 19:12

I thought that the difference (And advantage) of an alternator over a dynamo was that it could produce enough power regardless of engine speed?

fRostiE · 8 Nov 2007 at 19:44

meh its been driven now anyway, but feel free to discuss