Off Topic Chatter 2016

[Lazarus]

Tomato?

 

[Archive-8]

Last time this happened to me (Fortunately in the days before Cars became motorised Computers), the problem turned out to be no more than a slightly less than firmly connected battery clamp.

VW have picked the car up, they plugged something in under the dashboard, used a jump pack to start the car.

Now they have driven off to put the new battery & reprogram the alarm and keys.

 

[Archive-8]

Got the car back cost £101.40 and they bought it back, after washing it & vacuuming the inside.

I guess they need to do something to justify the price.

But the car is working again

 

[Lazarus]

Well, for that price surely they didn't fit a new battery, so what did they reckon the root cause was?

 

[Archive-8]

Well, for that price surely they didn't fit a new battery, so what did they reckon the root cause was?

Now they tell me it's age, and apparently at the last mot it's % power was down to 60%.

But it was the battery from new.

 

[sonnetpete]

Now they tell me it's age, and apparently at the last mot it's % power was down to 60%.

They test your battery for the MOT ?....here, it's your ability to use the hand crank...

 

[Lazarus]

I think it better not to ask you for further details, SP.

 

[Archive-8]

They test your battery for the MOT ?....here, it's your ability to use the hand crank...

That's what I was told, or it could have been the service, I always get the service and mot together.

They use some meter that puts a dead short across it, apparently and that's where they come up with the 60%

I can only take there word.

 

[Archive-8]

I think it better not to ask you for further details, SP.

O.m.g....

 

[sonnetpete]

I think it better not to ask you for further details, SP.

....lets just say it's the French way of getting going..

 

[Terryl]

They don't dead short a car battery...It could explode, the meter has a very low resistance very high wattage load in it that can handle up to 150 amps, and can be set to the CCA* rating of the battery under test.

It is put under this load and the meter gives you the voltage (or percentage) reading at that load, if under a certain voltage then that battery has a cell that is sulfated* out or the battery needs to be recharged.

If you put a car battery under a charge of lets say 15 amps for 6 hours and then remove the charger and watch the DC voltage it should stay at a DC voltage no lower then 12 volts DC for one half hour, if one of the cells is dead (no water) or sulfated out then the DC voltage will drop to around 10 volts DC.(or less)

If this is the case the you need a new battery.

*CCA Cold Cranking Amps, the amount of DC current a battery can deliver at -17 degrees C (zero degrees F) for 30 seconds and hold a DC voltage of no less then 7.2 volts.

* Battery sulfation, (or sulfated out)a condition where a lead acid starting battery's plates convert to lead sulfate, the causes the battery's amperage load or DC voltage to drop below it's design limits, this is caused by improper charging, sitting too long without a charge or age.

This can be avoided by using a smart charger with a battery minder circuitry, this gives the battery a quick high frequency pulse at a certain interval, this reduces the sulphation of the plates, car charging systems do not have this type of circuitry, you need to disconnect the battery and use an external charger with this type of circuitry.

 

[Archive-8]

It was the way it was explained to me, I don't have a clue about cars, that's why I pay them.

Still £100 lighter

 

[PaulR]

Still not sure if the £101.40 included a battery or not. I suspect it didn't but if it did then it's not too bad.

 

[Archive-8]

Still not sure if the £101.40 included a battery or not. I suspect it didn't but if it did then it's not too bad.

The £101.40 was coming to get the car, taking it back to the workshop, changing the battery to a new one, reprogramming the alarm and key fobs.

 

[Lazarus]

Well I think you've got a bargain there. Batteries alone are not that cheap these days.

Just one point, though: If they claim to have tested the battery and it was "down to 60%" why on earth did they not advise you of this at the time?

Pretty sure it's not a requirement of the MoT but, if they did it anyway, why not mention it then?

 

[sonnetpete]

Still £100 lighter

Expensive pastime smoking...

 

[Lazarus]

Have you been cranking again?

 

[Archive-8]

Well I think you've got a bargain there. Batteries alone are not that cheap these days.

Just one point, though: If they claim to have tested the battery and it was "down to 60%" why on earth did they not advise you of this at the time?

Pretty sure it's not a requirement of the MoT, but if they did it anyway, why not mention it then?

They say they told me, they might have done, if they did I forget all about it

As some warning would have been nice.

 

[sonnetpete]

Have you been cranking again?

Only in the relative quiet of my own home....

 

[Archive4]

Expensive pastime smoking...

View attachment 97297

Nice piece of engineering that!