Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega Electrical and Audio Help => Topic started by: MickAP on 06 January 2009, 14:27:32

Title: Battery charging
Post by: MickAP on 06 January 2009, 14:27:32
I think I will give the battery a charge soon, the car doesn't get used during the week so battery must need a top up.
It's been said on here that disconnecting the battery is the best thing to do when charging.....question is when I reconnect the battery will the radio ask for it's code again or for that matter will anything else want resetting.
It's a facelift TD

Mick
Title: Re: Battery charging
Post by: benbrunt on 06 January 2009, 14:52:14
The radio will likely need a code, unless the previous owner has switched off code protection.

Depending on your ecu it may forget its settings and run rough for a while when the battery is reconnected.

Probably best to leave it on the car when it's recharged to be honest :y
Title: Re: Battery charging
Post by: Kevin Wood on 06 January 2009, 15:31:55
If it's only being charged at a low rate there's no problem at all with leaving the car connected IMO.

Kevin
Title: Re: Battery charging
Post by: Dave DND on 06 January 2009, 15:44:29
I must confess that if you are just topping it up, I would have left it connected also, and would only have removed it if it was completely flat.

 :-/
Title: Re: Battery charging
Post by: MickAP on 06 January 2009, 16:22:09
Quote
I must confess that if you are just topping it up, I would have left it connected also, and would only have removed it if it was completely flat.

 :-/

Yep that's what I intend to do just give it a top up.
Already had a battery die on me this week, on the other car (it did have a date of year 2000 on it though) and didn't want the omega one to do the same. I think that's the original battery maybe 9 years old this year on the Omega so may be ready to give up.

Mick
Title: Re: Battery charging
Post by: zirk on 07 January 2009, 00:37:05
Quote
I think I will give the battery a charge soon, the car doesn't get used during the week so battery must need a top up.
It's been said on here that disconnecting the battery is the best thing to do when charging.....question is when I reconnect the battery will the radio ask for it's code again or for that matter will anything else want resetting.It's a facelift TD

Mick

Sunroof and windows.
Title: Re: Battery charging
Post by: willyboy on 08 January 2009, 23:46:03
Never yet removed the battery to recharge it always left on car totally flat or just topping up, cant say I have had a problem after ! :-[
Title: Re: Battery charging
Post by: r1 on 22 January 2009, 23:03:11
Quote
Never yet removed the battery to recharge it always left on car totally flat or just topping up, cant say I have had a problem after ! :-[

you have been very lucky by leaving it connected you are at risk of damaging the ecu,alternator and electrics,the gases of the battery can build up and explode and the battery can boil leak acid and cause lots of damage
Title: Re: Battery charging
Post by: Entwood on 22 January 2009, 23:22:51
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Quote
Never yet removed the battery to recharge it always left on car totally flat or just topping up, cant say I have had a problem after ! :-[

you have been very lucky by leaving it connected you are at risk of damaging the ecu,alternator and electrics,the gases of the battery can build up and explode and the battery can boil leak acid and cause lots of damage

mmmm let me see .. my alternator can shove out about 100 amps at a push (although it usually only goes to 30-40amps )... my battery charger only 6 amps .... the alternator is often connected and running for 5-6 hours (up to 12 on a South of France run)...

The alternator runs at 14.4 volts, the battery charger at 14.4 volts as well, so why would a battery charger do so much damage ??

A well maintained battery (clean connections, clear vents, correct electrolyte level) will suffer no damage at all from deep recharging by battery charger.

In a very rare circumstances, a "shorted" battery left charging unattended for a long period MAY, just MAY, cause problems
Title: Re: Battery charging
Post by: Dave DND on 23 January 2009, 09:49:44
Quote
Quote
Never yet removed the battery to recharge it always left on car totally flat or just topping up, cant say I have had a problem after ! :-[

you have been very lucky by leaving it connected you are at risk of damaging the ecu,alternator and electrics,the gases of the battery can build up and explode and the battery can boil leak acid and cause lots of damage

Whilst a lot more caution was always advised with the olden batteries of yesteryear, thats a bit too much Doom Mongering for todays modern Sealed and largely Maintenanace Free batteries.

ECU and regulator damage would only occur with a battery charger if you were silly enough to get the terminals the wrong way round, but with battery chargers having such a low power output, even this is unlikely these days.

Obviously don`t sniff em whilst charging, and surely keeping them outside and on the car is much better than removing them and charging within the confined area of a garage bench?

 :-X