Battery warranties

markweatherill · 15 Sep 2009 at 16:39

Over the last couple of days, my car has started showing signs that the battery is giving up. Just slower churning when I start it and a low battery voltage. This is since the weather turned a little colder which might just be coincidence.
It was bought from Halfords a year or so ago and came with a three year guarantee, which I still have the receipt for
Does anyone have experience of claiming for a failing battery under these guarantees?

Xez · 15 Sep 2009 at 18:59

What is the voltage showing? Get another garage to test it out as the voltage is only part of it.

I have heard that halfords can be a bit of a pain with batteries though, how true this is i'm not sure.

markweatherill · 16 Sep 2009 at 08:25

I discovered the battery '+' terminal was covered in that corrosion fluff. I cleaned it off and WD40'd it and it's all OK again. I'll give it a proper clean up to make sure.
I did read somewhere you can put a copper penny near the terminal and it will 'soak up' the corrosion, saving the terminal. So I'll try that.
Thankfully no need yet to test the 'guarantee'.

( |-| |2 ][ $ · 16 Sep 2009 at 08:31

I know they're only 12v (sometimes 24) but I am so scared of car batteries. Something in my brain says don't touch electrics with wires that thick.

I remember disconnecting my battery once, I put a pair of marigolds on.
Apart from shorting the contacts is there any risk with them?

paradigm · 16 Sep 2009 at 08:47

( |-| |2 ][ $;14896504 said:
Apart from shorting the contacts is there any risk with them?

No, you pansy

Well, I suppose they are heavy, so you could drop it on your feet

markweatherill · 16 Sep 2009 at 08:48

Whenever I disconnect the battery I get GF to put the last one back on. I really don't like the little 'crkk' noise it sometimes makes...
I once jump started my car using the jump leads the wrong way round on the other car. That was a big spark.
Apart from that I follow the rule of take the negative lead off first and put it back on last, which is sensible 'just in case'.

miniyazz · 16 Sep 2009 at 09:36

So many girls on this forum

iaind · 16 Sep 2009 at 10:01

paradigm said:
No, you pansy

Well, I suppose they are heavy, so you could drop it on your feet

Or accidentally drinking the acid?

Burnsy2023 · 16 Sep 2009 at 15:00

( |-| |2 ][ $;14896504 said:
I know they're only 12v (sometimes 24) but I am so scared of car batteries. Something in my brain says don't touch electrics with wires that thick.

I remember disconnecting my battery once, I put a pair of marigolds on.
Apart from shorting the contacts is there any risk with them?

markweatherill said:
Whenever I disconnect the battery I get GF to put the last one back on. I really don't like the little 'crkk' noise it sometimes makes...
I once jump started my car using the jump leads the wrong way round on the other car. That was a big spark.
Apart from that I follow the rule of take the negative lead off first and put it back on last, which is sensible 'just in case'.

Try this: Get your left hand to touch the left terminal and your right hand to touch the right terminal. What happens? Nothing, as there isn't enough voltage to do anything. You need upwards of about 40-50v to give a shock without a conductor such as salt water.

mjt · 16 Sep 2009 at 15:04

i once tried to jump-start a car by connecting the 2 batteries together, and i'm still here

MikeHunt79 · 16 Sep 2009 at 15:06

( |-| |2 ][ $;14896504 said:
I remember disconnecting my battery once, I put a pair of marigolds on.

You could put a finger on each terminal and be ok, 12v it so low it's not really dangerous unless you do something silly like leave a spanner over the 2 terminals! :eek: