help advice needed please

[trixie88]

just went to start my little car.....battery flat...i have a 6 amp battery charger.....with a switch to use 6 volts or 12 volts.......QUESTION to i put switch to 12 volts???

also i cannot undo connections on the battery terminals (too fiddly for me) one has about 3 connections.......QUESTION can i put the charger cllips on to battery with without taking connections off.?????

need to use car today...

many thanks........

 

[Robmac]

just went to start my little car.....battery flat...i have a 6 amp battery charger.....with a switch to use 6 volts or 12 volts.......QUESTION to i put switch to 12 volts???

also i cannot undo connections on the battery terminals (too fiddly for me) one has about 3 connections.......QUESTION can i put the charger cllips on to battery with without taking connections off.?????

need to use car today...

many thanks........

Yes 12V Trixie, 6V would be for Motorbikes and a few other things.

Yes you can clip the positive directly onto the battery and you can put the negative onto a convenient part of the engine or body. Connect the positive first and when charged disconnect the positive first - don't touch the 2 together though!

 

[trixie88]

thanks rob.....its a little fiat dynamic. ........looking into the owners handbook..
....gave me the colly wobbles..... .....warning...it could do this ..it could do that/////
fingers crossed that the battery charger works.....many thanks

 

[r4dent]

need to use car today...

Are you a member of AA/ RAC/ etc

 

[trevskoda]

Some smart cars cannot be charged witout battery disconnection, this then may lose radio memory, if its a old car you should be ok, do read the h book if you have one.
Just one other thing is if the battery is left to low it will never gain full 100% charge, if you have a smart charger leave it on 24/7 or get a small regulated solar panel and leave it in the w screen facing the sun, 15 to 20w panel will do.

 

[trixie88]

Are you a member of AA/ RAC/ etc

yes im a member of breakdown svs. dont think i have home start tho....dont want to call them out if battery just needs charging.....many thanks

 

[trixie88]

Some smart cars cannot be charged witout battery disconnection, this then may lose radio memory, if its a old car you should be ok, do read the h book if you have one.
Just one other thing is if the battery is left to low it will never gain full 100% charge, if you have a smart charger leave it on 24/7 or get a small regulated solar panel and leave it in the w screen facing the sun, 15 to 20w panel will do.

dont think my car is a smart car trev.......fiat dynamic......an older vehicle....tis a rather older battery charger also.....hmmm

wont be getting out in it today by the looks of it.....

a

 

[trixie88]

well....cars been on charge for about an hour now........think battery charger is kaput .....its one i have had for a long time

hilka 6amp...... which switches to 6v, or 12v. ...its switch on to 12v
....only light showing is a green one which says power on.
other lights 1amp...2 amp etc up to 6amp.......no lights glowing except power on light.

sooooi wont be going anywhere in it today.....
....have to get a new battery charger or new battery...had enough for one day now,
so going to disconnect it and make a decision tomorrow..

many thanks for your help. much appreciated

 

[merl]

well....cars been on charge for about an hour now........think battery charger is kaput .....its one i have had for a long time

hilka 6amp...... which switches to 6v, or 12v. ...its switch on to 12v
....only light showing is a green one which says power on.
other lights 1amp...2 amp etc up to 6amp.......no lights glowing except power on light.

sooooi wont be going anywhere in it today.....
....have to get a new battery charger or new battery...had enough for one day now,
so going to disconnect it and make a decision tomorrow..

many thanks for your help. much appreciated

You probably havent made a proper connection with BOTH of the clips.
Try again but this time connect BOTH clips at the battery, red to plus or positive terminal and black to negative or - terminal, you may need to wiggle them around a bit to get the clip to bite properly through the layer of tarnish on the battery terminals, watch for a change in the display on the charger as you do this so connect both crock clips to the battery terminals, (you need to be clipping onto something metalic, not a plastic part.)
Switch on the charger and if you dont get an indication that current is flowing from the 1-6amp lights continue to wiggle the crock clips about until you do, you may get a bit of a tiny spark at the crock clips but that's a good sign.
Good luck

 

[n brown]

get homestart out to start you ,that's how they earn a crust
i got them out after mrsb pulled some fuses and forgot where they came from . got a nice little earner for less than 5 mins work . .i wasn't on homestart but they added it for less than a tenner and i phoned them the next day .no probs !

 

[mariesnowgoose]

get homestart out to start you ,that's how they earn a crust
i got them out after mrsb pulled some fuses and forgot where they came from . got a nice little earner for less than 5 mins work . .i wasn't on homestart but they added it for less than a tenner and i phoned them the next day .no probs !

 

[r4dent]

... or get a small regulated solar panel and leave it in the w screen facing the sun, 15 to 20w panel will do.

Some of these small regulated solar panels are attached directly to the battery.
Pro - charge if the sun is out;
Con = need to disconnect before driving.

Others plug into the cigar lighter
Pro - easy to remove for driving
Con - not all cigar lighter sockets are connected to the battery when ignition is off. So in practical terms are F A use.

 

[trevskoda]

well....cars been on charge for about an hour now........think battery charger is kaput .....its one i have had for a long time

hilka 6amp...... which switches to 6v, or 12v. ...its switch on to 12v
....only light showing is a green one which says power on.
other lights 1amp...2 amp etc up to 6amp.......no lights glowing except power on light.

sooooi wont be going anywhere in it today.....
....have to get a new battery charger or new battery...had enough for one day now,
so going to disconnect it and make a decision tomorrow..

many thanks for your help. much appreciated

Cheap as chips

 

[trixie88]

wow trev,,,thats a good price....will look into that one
.ive been quoted...33 pounds.(cheapest)..........
could get a new battery for a few more pounds

last time i bought one..paid about 10-13 pound
got a shock when they said 33 pounds...

 

[r4dent]

dont think my car is a smart car trev....

I think Trev meant Smart cars rather than smart cars !

 

[trixie88]

You probably havent made a proper connection with BOTH of the clips.
Try again but this time connect BOTH clips at the battery, red to plus or positive terminal and black to negative or - terminal, you may need to wiggle them around a bit to get the clip to bite properly through the layer of tarnish on the battery terminals, watch for a change in the display on the charger as you do this so connect both crock clips to the battery terminals, (you need to be clipping onto something metalic, not a plastic part.)
Switch on the charger and if you dont get an indication that current is flowing from the 1-6amp lights continue to wiggle the crock clips about until you do, you may get a bit of a tiny spark at the crock clips but that's a good sign.
Good luck

Hmm ....thanks meri.....thats a possibility...neg, was attached to body (metal)....was good connection
pos.had to go on a very small nut.......could be the problem

 

[trixie88]

I think Trev meant Smart cars rather than smart cars !
[/QUOTE

its a lovely little car.....
.but which ever way Smart car or smart car......it is neither) or at least i dont think so .......
..nor has it got a smart owner....lol
..all my cars have been old ones
with two battery terminal with one big lead to each terminal
this one has two and three leads (not familiar with this)

 

[Robmac]

Sorry Trixie my fault. I should have explained when I said earth the charger to the body it has to be bare metal to be a good earth, there are usually bolts on the body or engine/chassis where you can attach the lead so that the paint doesn't insulate.

 

[trevskoda]

Also if its a open cap vented battery look into each cell to make sure the electrolite covers the tops of the plate and no more, if sealed nothing you can do.
Hope you get sorted.

 

[trixie88]

Sorry Trixie my fault. I should have explained when I said earth the charger to the body it has to be bare metal to be a good earth, there are usually bolts on the body or engine/chassis where you can attach the lead so that the paint doesn't insulate.

ahh...thanks rob.....paint work eh.....i never thought of that.....yes i attached neg.to the body...(painted).....hmm
when ever i have cahrged battery before (not in a long long time) ...,,i always took terminal leads completely off....(just one lead to each terminal)
or if it was a quick charge just to get it going.....i would just attach charger leads without taking terminal leads off.
however. daughter said her rac man said always attach neg to something on the engine or body////////i????
not having done this before i was very wary,,,,,,what with three leads going to neg terminal and two going to positive (wasnt familiar with that)
never ever thought i would have so much bother doing a simple thing like charging battery...........lost me confidance in old age. lol

i now have a different battery charger which i know works,,,,,,,
soooo i am going to give that a try........going to wait till sun xomes out tho.
cos its rather cold and windy out there............again rob many thanks