Argh! No jump leads!

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My car has been sitting outside my student house for a couple of days (been getting lifts in with my house mate).

went out to go shopping today, turned the key in the lock...straight away knew there was a problem, no resounding clunk as the central locking kicked the locks up - just the mechanical noise of the driver lock opening. "Oh dear" i thought. As soon as I got in, tried the interior light and bingo...the switch was already on! DOH! the interior light had been on since I'd last been in the car 2 days ago.

100% dead battery. And to make matters worse, no jump leads as they're at home. Joy! I hate them - the kind of things you'll never need but when you do, they are the only thing in the world that will help you!

Looks like I'll be visiting neighbours/houses across the road to ask to borrow some leads!

Just thought you might like to have a laugh at my expense! *mutter*
 
I left the side lights on my Volvo when I was away last weekend and mates. No problem I thought, I've got the jump leads in the boot. Except that because the central locking is off I can't get in the boot without the master key, and that's in London.

D'oh.
 
bump start :)

had to do that with her indoors punto after it lay lying for nigh on 2 months :)
 
although that said my diesel astra van which lay for the same length of time fired up first time


although that does have a rather large 900 amp battery
 
My 205 managed to lock the only key in the car. It has central locking and I guess I closed the door too hard or something it just knocked the lock down.

But hey, I managed to get in without breaking anything ;)
 
iirc megakid's car is an auto, so you can't bump it :(

You can buy cheap starting packs now, my housemate last year had one as his 1.9d 205 would often fail to start. Paid for itself really until he replaced the battery.
 
Just had a thought - my home address is back in Sussex (Im currently in Leamington - midlands) - could I phone the AA?

I have roadside cover - which I think means I need to be atleast 2miles away from home before they'd come and help.
 
might work if thats the address you registered them with. give them a call and see what they say...

same thing happened to me but the battery went flat in an airport carpark and had to call the RAC. in 30 taxi drivers i asked, not one carried jump leads :o

does anyone know if you can buy a standalone battery charger? (something along the lines like the ones the breakdown cover people carry around but cheaper!)
 
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Portable powerstation/Battery charger is the answer. Was £35 iirc from Lidl ages ago.Have one since my battery flattened itself.

Can you link to a well known catalogue site??

Options available from £15.
 
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I take it's not bad for the battery to leave it discharged for an extended period (as in a couple of days)?

My car is still sitting there discharged while I find a set of jump leads (poor student - cant afford a set knowing that my dad has about 4 sets at home 200 miles away)
 
It is bad to leave a battery drains for a period of time. As batteries slowely discharge on their own it could get it below the minimum voltage recommended, no way of telling until you have charged it back up.

Yes i use a car battery charger to supply power to my rc plane/car charger. :p Cost me £25 about.

I know you can modify a pc psu to do the same job as a car battery charger though. ;)
 
megakid said:
I take it's not bad for the battery to leave it discharged for an extended period (as in a couple of days)?

My car is still sitting there discharged while I find a set of jump leads (poor student - cant afford a set knowing that my dad has about 4 sets at home 200 miles away)


can you get him to post you a set.. first class before 5pm and you should get it tomorrow morning (if youve already tried the AA and theyr've said no)
 
Just had Mr AA round - said the battery might be knackered as I left it for a couple of days 100% discharged so I gotta be careful and probably get a new one if the window on top doesnt go green in a couple of days.

Just taken her for a run, starts without any sort of struggle now so fingers crossed I wont have to shell out another £40 on a new battery.
 
Your home address is all they know.
You went to visit a mate at uni didnt you and then your car wouldn't start ;)

I used this method to get my car back home from uni with a busted gearbox :D
 
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