GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk5 => Topic started by: AlanD on 18 January 2010, 18:53
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Well, my battery is pretty much f**ked but I wanted to get some juice in it and get the old man to take it for a drive as its not moved for over a month now. Charged it this afternoon but after just 1 hour the charger was overheating and there was a faint smell of burning which means the battery is f**ked. Put it in the car and it just about turned over and started. Gone to get in it now and its dead again and wont start the engine. As soon as I take the battery out the alarm goes off and there is no way that I can see of turning off other than putting the battery back on and using the fob. When I charged it this afternoon it was completely dead so the alarm dint go off, but now its got some juice, just not enough to start.
Is there anyway of turning the alarm off with the battery disconnected? Also, what would you do? I obviously need to get a new one but then this new one is still going to be sitting there for just over 5 months still before I get my license back. Maybe buy the new one and just put it in everytime we give it a small run and keep it inside in the warm for the rest?
Help lol
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Buy a new battery then one of those battery conditioner / trickle charger things? like:
http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/ctek/xs3600-car-battery-charger-and-conditioner.aspx
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:( Already spent £25 on the charger. New battery is another £115 plus £55 for that, bugger.
I've downloaded the user manual but it doesnt really say. Does this thing work off a battery reserve or does it need to be plugged into a 240v socket? If it needs socket its no good as I dont have a socket on my driveway . .
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:( Already spent £25 on the charger. New battery is another £115 plus £55 for that, bugger.
I've downloaded the user manual but it doesnt really say. Does this thing work off a battery reserve or does it need to be plugged into a 240v socket? If it needs socket its no good as I dont have a socket on my driveway . .
I believe it does actually. You could take the battery inside? I think you can get some solar trickle chargers as well... maybe not going to be too effective at this time of year...
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The problem with taking the battery out is we are back to square one. Unless the car is totally DEAD as soon as I take the battery out the alarm starts SCREAMING. There must be another way to turn if off, might give VW a call tomorrow.
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Pfff I give you solutions and you just create problems... :grin:
Maybe with the (main) battery being so flat its not charging the backup battery in the alarm properly and thats whats causing the grief? I know backup batteries failing causes problems for house alarms :rolleyes:
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Im guessing the alarm is going off because its being tampered with (i.e battery removed) ? ? ? Im not sure lol
Between the 2 of us we are doing really well lol
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VWs responce was either
1) Buy a new battery and use a trickle charger.
or
2)Buy a new battery and use the car at least one a week.
I think I'm going to have to get a trickle charger and just charger it up through the window every Sunday or something like that.
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Get a solar trickle charger, they work really well as I used to use one on the camper when it didn't move for months on end.
Also how much for a battery? Is that Halfords price? If so get down your local autofactors as they're normally 2/3rds the cost of the Halfords ones.
nick
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Get a solar trickle charger, they work really well as I used to use one on the camper when it didn't move for months on end.
Also how much for a battery? Is that Halfords price? If so get down your local autofactors as they're normally 2/3rds the cost of the Halfords ones.
nick
I will look into this solar charger, thanks Nick ;)
That price was for the top spec Bosch battery from Halfrods, Ill get another price from the autofactors, ta.
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Get a solar trickle charger, they work really well as I used to use one on the camper when it didn't move for months on end.
Also how much for a battery? Is that Halfords price? If so get down your local autofactors as they're normally 2/3rds the cost of the Halfords ones.
nick
I will look into this solar charger, thanks Nick ;)
That price was for the top spec Bosch battery from Halfrods, Ill get another price from the autofactors, ta.
ECP battery £50!
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Volkswagen_Golf_2.0_2005/p/Car-Parts/Electrical-and-Lighting/Electrical/Batteries/?444770275&1&0d0c3bac476e4b5c031feae980b887dab5068d1b&BATT
Nick
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Should the battery die like that after only a month of not being driven??
I do tend to do long journeys usually, but with my previous Fiesta ZetecS I once left it for over 2 months without switching the engine on as I was on holiday, and it start and drove fine when I returned!
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Bare in mind that its had almost a month of sitting in temperatures between -5 and 5 and nearly 3 weeks covered in snow. Its also 5 years old now as well. I am buying a battery reconditioner that a person at work has suggest as they used it on their car, apparently its gives shorts burst and zaps the battery removing sulphur from it etc, see how I get on with that. I just need it to last me till July and I can get myself a new one :). Going to attempt to roll down the driveway and jump start it tonight just to get her working as its only just not turning over, all electrics work.
Great find there, Nick, top man :cool:
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Thing is most batterys have a normal life of 4-5 years.As your's is going on 5 years old you would be mad not to change it,just for future peace of mind every time you park up.
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Oh yeah, I'm going to chnage it. Just want to avoid changing it now as it's still going to get very little use till July. If I can tick over on this one till then i'd be more than happy.
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Halfrauds (and therefore other places as well) have a battery condition checking diagnostic handset, should tell you if the battery is completely gone or not, they did mine for free so if you can get the battery to them they should be able to give you some more info.
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To check if the battery is completely done it needs to be load tested using something similar to the one in the link below.
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Noco-100-amp-Battery-Load-Tester/3885057/product.html?cid=133635
Some batteries have a little LED on them to indicate their condition. I wouldn't rely on that as it only checks one cell of the battery and they are built up of multiples of cells.
I personally would go to a decent local garage to get it tested rather than some numpty at Halfords.
When buying a new one get the biggest ampere hour rating and gel batteries are far better than liquid ones although a bit more expensive.
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Bare in mind that its had almost a month of sitting in temperatures between -5 and 5 and nearly 3 weeks covered in snow.
Believe it or not batteries like to sit in cold temperatures and will take longer to self - discharge. It will go flatter quicker in 30 degree heat. Cold only reduces the capacity which shows up the weakness if the battery is failing.
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Well the battery is clearly f**ked either way as I found out when I tried to charger it :D
Also bare in mind its probably only done about 15 miles in 3 months.