Jump starting battery

Merlin5 said:
Thanks for all the replies guys. I can't get the neighbour to try jump starting me again. I rejoined Start Rescue yesterday and I can use them 24 hours after joining which is 3.40pm this afternoon. They'll no doubt bring a heavy duty jump starter to get me going.

When I joined I was asked if there were any faults and I said no. Do you think I can call them today after 3.40pm without it looking suspicious or should I wait until tomorrow?
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If the T&Cs state 24hrs then you've complied with them.
 
I'd go for jump start failed because leads made a poor connection - you have to grind crocodile clips around a bit.

do stop-start/agm batteries plus alternators on newer cars provide as many amps as predecessors, so are less capable for jump start.
 
joey1211 said:
If the T&Cs state 24hrs then you've complied with them.
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Very true. In the end, I decided to leave it till today to call Start Rescue. He got me going within a minute or so with his briefcase looking power pack and jump leads. He said the jump leads I borrowed weren't right and that I'd have needed heavy duty ones, around £20 to £30.

He said I should run the car for an hour to guarantee proper charging. It actually stalled three times in the first 15 minutes of driving but fortunately it started again each time! After about half an hour the engine idle settled. I had to fill up with unleaded and I asked him if it was safe with the engine running and he said it's fine so I did that. And I turned the engine off after an hour of running. So all is well again. :)
 
Yeah if you’ve had to restart it a few times then it may not be fully charged. Try not to have short journeys for a few days, or invest in a battery charger And give it an overnight charge to put the issue to bed.
 
Scythe said:
Yeah if you’ve had to restart it a few times then it may not be fully charged. Try not to have short journeys for a few days, or invest in a battery charger And give it an overnight charge to put the issue to bed.
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See post 2...

The easy solution that was half the price of a home start and would cost zero petrol ...
 
teenwolf said:
Until morning then will be flat again
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Wrong. I haven't driven it today but from my window I used the remote to unlock and lock the doors and the lights are flashing once and twice just fine so I know it'll start. :)

The Running Man said:
See post 2...

The easy solution that was half the price of a home start and would cost zero petrol ...
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Not really. For a mere £59, I have peace of mind for anything that happens to my car for a whole year. Roadside, home start and nationwide recovery.
 
Haha yeh because open and locking means it will start.

those battery cranking amps must have been pushed to the limit opening the door locks.
 
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Unless the battery is in a healthy state you may find that it will not start the next time as the alternator has not had sufficient time to recharge it.
 
Merlin5 said:
Ok chaps, just went to my car. Started first time, no issues. I was dangerously and confidently correct. :D
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Wait do you keep going and starting it but not letting it recover?

Let me explain; every time you start the car from cold it can use enough power to need about 20 minutes of engine runtime to recover. Obviously this is very analog and modern batteries (e.g. AGM) are more resilient. But if you're doing a lot of short journeys and start/stop (Hello Zone 3 London)... You'll need the odd long drive to keep it healthy.
 
Merlin5 said:
I was dangerously and confidently correct.
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No, you were absolutely incorrectin thinking that the fact the car would unlock and light up meaning that it would start.

Nobody ever said it wouldn't start. But unlocking the car is a little different than trying to pull well in excess of 300 amps from the battery.
 
LuckyBenski said:
Wait do you keep going and starting it but not letting it recover?

Let me explain; every time you start the car from cold it can use enough power to need about 20 minutes of engine runtime to recover. Obviously this is very analog and modern batteries (e.g. AGM) are more resilient. But if you're doing a lot of short journeys and start/stop (Hello Zone 3 London)... You'll need the odd long drive to keep it healthy.
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Yeah, I did go for about a 20 minute drive.

andy_mk3 said:
No, you were absolutely incorrectin thinking that the fact the car would unlock and light up meaning that it would start.

Nobody ever said it wouldn't start. But unlocking the car is a little different than trying to pull well in excess of 300 amps from the battery.
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I wasn't incorrect though, was I. I know you're absolutely right regarding how much ampage is needed. However, I said I know it'll start and it did start. Call it my intuition or gut feeling. You can't argue that, because I was right. :)
 
ongoing lack of battery use, or trickle charge, during covid probably hasn't helped my battery life,
can always tell if the door unlock is slightly reticent if the battery is depleted a bit
.. if the battery completely failed I guess you have to break in to defeat double lock, and AA wouldn't be too useful.

with the price of petrol - money is better invested in a charger too, albeit, some regular exercise for the car is good;
I can single lock the car with the battery out, under charge in house/garage.
 
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