Travel lockdown and car battery

I’ve just purchased a CTEK CT5, battery charger. Mainly to look after my sisters car as she’s just had a baby and isn’t driving at the moment, but it should help with my car as well. Usually I would be doing 70 miles a day, now it’s been sat on the drive since the end of feb. I overinflated the tyres and every now and again I release the handbrake and roll the car forward, not sure if it will help the tyres and to stop the brakes seizing?
 
VaderDSL said:
I’ve just purchased a CTEK CT5, battery charger. Mainly to look after my sisters car as she’s just had a baby and isn’t driving at the moment, but it should help with my car as well. Usually I would be doing 70 miles a day, now it’s been sat on the drive since the end of feb. I overinflated the tyres and every now and again I release the handbrake and roll the car forward, not sure if it will help the tyres and to stop the brakes seizing?
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It will help. Over-inflating will too. Any light flat-spots should come out once you start using it again and the tyres get to temp.
 
My Focus is starting to struggle after three days - not firing up on first press of the button. - I have to say though this has been going on for a while ever since my Ford radio give up the ghost and I fitted a Android double din- Now on second one as first packed up and finding both seem to drain batter6y over a few days to point you notice it struggling to turn engine - The car battery was renewed middle of last year and is a Bosch. Checked it this morning and it was showing 12.2v - put charger on and it was on for 5 hrs on slow charge showing at the end 13.9v and when charged it showed 12.9v. I have left the charger out and will check voltage tomorrow morning. I think if it was used daily it would be fine as running voltage is 14.2v
We only use the car now one day a week for a 30 mile round trip. So I shall be keeping an eye on it.
 
VaderDSL said:
I’ve just purchased a CTEK CT5, battery charger. Mainly to look after my sisters car as she’s just had a baby and isn’t driving at the moment, but it should help with my car as well. Usually I would be doing 70 miles a day, now it’s been sat on the drive since the end of feb. I overinflated the tyres and every now and again I release the handbrake and roll the car forward, not sure if it will help the tyres and to stop the brakes seizing?
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Can you not leave it in gear?
 
Sorry to hijack but two weeks without driving and my meeyahtaa has eaten the battery, I know it had a new one some point recently so I figure i'll get a charger.

Is a CTEK generally the best option, MXS 5.0 or something?
 
Indeed CTEK ciagrette trickle charger was what I'd pencilled in for myself, but I need to check if there any manufacturers who do say you must disconnect battery before charging ? or you could fry some electronics/void a warranty
 
my bm batteries in the boot , but reprogramming the dam parametric equalizer is a pain, also,
obviously the central locking no longer functions, so you have to leave it in a garage (mines full of junk) or 'risk' it.
 
arknor said:
yea whenever someone gets a jump start or whatever don't they usually sit on the spot revving their car to get some charge back in the battery
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That is old school as years ago alternators didn't start charging until it went over 2,200-2,500 RPM as the Alternator light used to stay on. Nowadays they charge intelligently and will charge at a higher rate on tickover.
 
alec said:
Another option, disconnect the battery (and store it at home). Preferably fully charge first. It will stay charged for months.
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Fine on older cars, Modern cars will often lose their minds if the battery is disconnected (Or goes flat)

Oh the benefits of modern technology, Things are sooo much better today are they not??

:p
 
Someone can perhaps explain the math, but as I understand it, the battery draw on startup is pretty high and idle and/or very short trips sometimes don't make up for this. I'm no longer driving any kind of distance so have resorted to extending the journey for shopping and leaving the car running at idle where possible in between journeys.
 
Orionaut said:
Fine on older cars, Modern cars will often lose their minds if the battery is disconnected (Or goes flat)

Oh the benefits of modern technology, Things are sooo much better today are they not??

:p
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Lots of stuff to go wrong now :/

Got to love modern key fobs that go out of sync if you don't swap the battery quick enough...
 
Drollic said:
Someone can perhaps explain the math, but as I understand it, the battery draw on startup is pretty high and idle and/or very short trips sometimes don't make up for this. I'm no longer driving any kind of distance so have resorted to extending the journey for shopping and leaving the car running at idle where possible in between journeys.
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My daily trip to work is only about 2 miles (about 7 minutes) each way and I never had a problem with the battery..

(My car done about 13,250miles in 4 1/2 years)
 
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