help advice needed please

[Tezza33]

Maggy always like Pandas, the bears that is, in 1998 for our wedding anniversary I bought her a brand new Fiat Panda Bianco, twin sunroof, 1000cc fire engine, she loved it, it was her first new car because with me being in the trade she had always had someone else's trade in, until I resprayed it and a fresh MOT and then sold it on for a profit, a new car meant no profit so it didn't get sold.
It was the first Fiat that didn't rust, I sold in 2002 and it still hadn't rotted any where, mechanically Fiat's were excellent but rust was always a problem before this model

 

[trevskoda]

Strange as once a car is sprayed here no one would touch it with a barge pole, because prob in a accident & most not stripped to a shell and done right.

 

[Robmac]

3 problems with this warning from the Elves

1, the battery isn't actually charged at all, in fact its flat .
2, it's a sealed battery not a vented battery so gas can't escape unless it's seriously overcharged to the point where the safety vent plug operates.
3, a battery produces hydrogen gas while it's being overcharged, it doesn't emit gas while it's resting even if it IS fully charged.

Switch the charger off at the mains before disconnecting the crock clips removes any theoretical risk.

I find this a bit confusing Merl (not hard I know!)

But a battery can surely hold enough charge to cause a spark even if it hasn't enough charge to turn the starter? I'm sure I always get a spark whenever I attach the Negative and I never switch the charger on until I have both leads attached - I will have to put this to the test but probably not until Monday, weekends ain't good for me to be fiddling with the battery! I expect I'm wrong but from memory I'm convinced I'm not.

Agree about the gas/sealed battery bit though.

 

[trevskoda]

I find this a bit confusing Merl (not hard I know!)

But a battery can surely hold enough charge to cause a spark even if it hasn't enough charge to turn the starter? I'm sure I always get a spark whenever I attach the Negative and I never switch the charger on until I have both leads attached - I will have to put this to the test but probably not until Monday, weekends ain't good for me to be fiddling with the battery! I expect I'm wrong but from memory I'm convinced I'm not.

Agree about the gas/sealed battery bit though.

No spark rob if charger not switched on, unless you cross the poles with a metal object.

 

[Robmac]

No spark rob if charger not switched on, unless you cross the poles with a metal object.

I'll try it again Trev when I'm capable!

Maybe I'm confusing it with putting the vehicle terminals on when replacing a battery?

 

[trevskoda]

I'll try it again Trev when I'm capable!

Maybe I'm confusing it with putting the vehicle terminals on when replacing a battery?

Old cars did not spark doing that, but moderen cars will as the brain and other bits are always live, hence all now have sealed batteries.

 

[trixie88]

Don't worry Trixie, Fiat Pandas have a lovely battery attachment that is perfect for a battery charger, three cables on one side and two on the other on a plate,
View attachment 139420
so just clip onto them and then switch on the charger

thank you tessa......however my battery doesnt look like that ( thats a posh one) mine is a YUSA.....leads look the same tho. doest look like they are on a plate tho.
when you say......(.so just clip onto THEM and then switch on the charger...) what is THEM do you mean the plate.(dont think mine has a plate)

also if you are able to clip charger on to positive without taking all the leads off........
.why can you not do that with the negative......apparently that has to be clipped on
to bare metal ,,,,,,,what would happen if charger clip was just clipped on to the leads ..like the positive one can be??????


many thanks

 

[merl]

I find this a bit confusing Merl (not hard I know!)

But a battery can surely hold enough charge to cause a spark even if it hasn't enough charge to turn the starter? I'm sure I always get a spark whenever I attach the Negative and I never switch the charger on until I have both leads attached - I will have to put this to the test but probably not until Monday, weekends ain't good for me to be fiddling with the battery! I expect I'm wrong but from memory I'm convinced I'm not.

Agree about the gas/sealed battery bit though.

Yep, it may spark a bit and I did mention that in a previous post but essentially I was replying to Ricc who posted that the sparks could ignite gas from the battery and I was simply pointing out the reasons why there would be no gas present. ie flat battery, sealed battery and not overcharged. Ricc suggested that he'd read that a fully charged battery would be emitting gas all the time which is not true, Hydrogen gas is a result of overcharging, not normal charging or use.

 

[Robmac]

thank you tessa......however my battery doesnt look like that ( thats a posh one) mine is a YUSA.....leads look the same tho. doest look like they are on a plate tho.
when you say......(.so just clip onto THEM and then switch on the charger...) what is THEM do you mean the plate.(dont think mine has a plate)

also if you are able to clip charger on to positive without taking all the leads off........
.why can you not do that with the negative......apparently that has to be clipped on
to bare metal ,,,,,,,what would happen if charger clip was just clipped on to the leads ..like the positive one can be??????


many thanks

It will be fine to do that with a sealed battery Trixie. Go for it.

 

[merl]

thank you tessa......however my battery doesnt look like that ( thats a posh one) mine is a YUSA.....leads look the same tho. doest look like they are on a plate tho.
when you say......(.so just clip onto THEM and then switch on the charger...) what is THEM do you mean the plate.(dont think mine has a plate)

also if you are able to clip charger on to positive without taking all the leads off........
.why can you not do that with the negative......apparently that has to be clipped on
to bare metal ,,,,,,,what would happen if charger clip was just clipped on to the leads ..like the positive one can be??????


many thanks

You need to connect to metal because electricity doesn't flow through plastic, paint, corrosion, rust, tarnish.
So connect the positive AND negative to something metal at each battery terminal because this is the easiest place IMHO.
Follow post No9 or my PM.

 

[Robmac]

You need to connect to metal because electricity doesn't flow through plastic, paint, corrosion, rust, tarnish.
So connect the positive AND negative to something metal at each battery terminal because this is the easiest place IMHO.
Follow post No9 or my PM.

Yes sorry I was assuming Trixie meant the terminal not the plastic covered lead itself Merl.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

thank you tessa......however my battery doesnt look like that ( thats a posh one) mine is a YUSA.....leads look the same tho. doest look like they are on a plate tho.
when you say......(.so just clip onto THEM and then switch on the charger...) what is THEM do you mean the plate.(dont think mine has a plate)

also if you are able to clip charger on to positive without taking all the leads off........
.why can you not do that with the negative......apparently that has to be clipped on
to bare metal ,,,,,,,what would happen if charger clip was just clipped on to the leads ..like the positive one can be??????


many thanks

Do you have a picture of your battery?

Tezza will be over the moon with his sex change though

 

[trixie88]

Do you have a picture of your battery?

Tezza will be over the moon with his sex change though

OOOPPPs sorry tezza...im stressed.......

 

[Pudsey Bear]

At least you didnt call him Jezza.

 

[trixie88]

WELL ALL YOU GOOD FOLK.
thank you all so much for your help and advice........what would we do with out you all.........thats wild camping for you........what a community........

GOOD NEWS is......brother called round....he has. taken battery off car..... taken it to get charged..... .will also test my battery charger....bringing it back tomorrow.....fingers crossed

PHEW,,, a load off my mind.........
never ever thought i would get so anxious about charging a battery
done it many time before (quite a few year ago tho)

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Well, if you'd told us you had a brother, we'd have gone there first

 

[trixie88]

Yes sorry I was assuming Trixie meant the terminal not the plastic covered lead itself Merl.

sorry for the confusion....yes i did mean the terminal rob....

 

[trixie88]

Well, if you'd told us you had a brother, we'd have gone there first

thanks pudsey.........unfortunately he was in bed ill.....
..however, he turned up this morning....not looking to well....
.took battery off.....in a matter of mins. will ut it on charge at his house
bless his little cotton socks

 

[chrishunter]

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........

Recently bought an elderly corsa ,and what with the cold weather and not knowing how old the battery was i went to my mates tyre and battery garage in crewe. Using his meter it read end of life ,so that was it i needed a new battery.I asked him how much the meter cost it was £200 but you can get them from Halfords for £40.Well i got one for £17.78 the same make ,YOU KNOW WHERE FROM. Its on order. Ive always got batteries on charge in my workshop,2 leisure.1 spare under bonnet van and a spare 1 for the car. It`s on order.

 

[trixie88]

Recently bought an elderly corsa ,and what with the cold weather and not knowing how old the battery was i went to my mates tyre and battery garage in crewe. Using his meter it read end of life ,so that was it i needed a new battery.I asked him how much the meter cost it was £200 but you can get them from Halfords for £40.Well i got one for £17.78 the same make ,YOU KNOW WHERE FROM. Its on order. Ive always got batteries on charge in my workshop,2 leisure.1 spare under bonnet van and a spare 1 for the car. It`s on order.

thank you and well done chrishunter.....that what i like to hear........plan B,,,spare batteries on charge (jusr in case) .........a well organized person......

had my meter many years probably paid a couple of pounds for it..........it was telling me battery was flat.....but ok.. just needed charging .