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You look at your "volt meter" (if you have one) to see how much your alternator is charging.
It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it.
― Confucian Analects: Rules of Confucius about his food
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Don't think so I have. Will check if any indicator similar.
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Computerised cars (i.e. built this century) often have a "Secret" way to show the battery status on the car display: for mine it's "turn the ignition to position one, and press the trip reset button three times in quick succession"
That stays available until the engine is turned off.
Google your make and model plus "show battery voltage" and you'll likely find it.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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OriginalGriff wrote: press the trip reset button three times in quick succession"
That stays available until the engine is turned off.
I will surely try this tomorrow on my car - though I think Indian cars are behind and not comparable. Further, I don't think my car is computerized. Bought it in 2012 and probably after couple of years later some computerization started kicking in cars.
OriginalGriff wrote: Google your make and model plus "show battery voltage" and you'll likely find it.
Nada. Tried it.
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Oh, I see you are Bangalore - that makes sense.
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Bangalore is known as an Air Conditioned city. No need to use AC in cars. As a resident of Bangalore, I have never switched on AC in my car; don't even know how to turn it on.
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I must admit on my short visits I found the air nice and fresh. But it was rather warm for someone used to British weather.
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Ah! So you have been to Bangalore earlier. Seems few number of times. When was your last visit?
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15 years ago when our company was outsourcing some work to MindTree. I was working at their HQ and living in a hotel the other side of town. Technically it was largely a waste of time and money to send me over there, but I met some nice people, and ate some wonderful real Indian food.
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Richard MacCutchan wrote: ate some wonderful real Indian food.
So I take it you don't scare away from spicy food.
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You still in Bangalore?
Summers are hot now. Currently, if it rains, yes - we would not need ac or else usual days, going out does need.
But again, intent of AC here was to keep windows rolled up and travel.
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Yes. Am a resident of Bangalore for the past 53 years. In my childhood, there were no fans at home. Then, over time, a fan was purchased. But never an AC. Even in the hottest of Bangalore summers, I don't switch on the fan. But then, I may be different.
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Yep - different.
last 4-5 years, summers are hot with need of cooler for sure if ac not possible. Earlier, though it was really good weather all year round, not anymore.
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Get a solar trickle charger.
It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it.
― Confucian Analects: Rules of Confucius about his food
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Well, there are other chargers if I have to go down that road. Thanks, though didn't knew of this option.
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My dad was a mechanic for 40+ years (and I know I've posted plenty of messages starting with this exact same sentence), and used to go to training courses pretty much every year. Decades ago, when manufacturers started putting computers in cars, he had a teacher tell them that, with the number of computers in a car each drawing a little bit of current 24/7, it was considered "absolutely to be expected" that a battery would be drained in as little as 21 days of no use, even when brand new.
There's a lot more electronics in cars nowadays, but OTOH they're also a lot more power-efficient than they used to be. But still, the story holds true - the manufacturer will tell you it's not a defect if the battery in your brand new car consistently gets drained after X many weeks of no use.
Go on a long drive, and as long as the engine is running and the alternator is doing its job, it doesn't matter if you're using accessories as you're driving around.
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Disconnect the battery when you plan to have your car stopped for a long time.
That should avoid it to be drained.
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Joan M wrote: Disconnect the battery when you plan to have your car stopped for a long time.
Thats a neat idea I can try of next time. For now, don't have that option.
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I've been working from home since before I bought my current vehicle 10 years ago. Even with a dozen or so trips of > 1K miles round trip, it's only just rolled the odometer to 35K miles. The battery needs a good trickle charging (2 amp) at least once a month or it will get weak enough to cause problems. I'd advise to spend a little extra on a nice charger that gives multiple settings including the 50 amp starting output. The only problem I have with mine 'currently' is the cheap clamp/wire connections which get pretty hot on the 50 amp setting!
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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Thanks for the advice. I will wait for one more instance of it and then probably go for something like what you share.
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I use something similar to this: Dino-Kraftpaket Autobatterie-Ladegerät 6V/12V-4A, 136311, 6 V /12 V, 4 A, mit Batterie-Prüffunktion - B�ttcher AG[^]
Usually use it to re-load the batteries over night in the coldest part of the winter.
I once used it "in hurry" I could start the car after 3 minutes, then the 50 km trip did the rest for the day, that night I connected it again... problem gone.
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Thanks for sharing. Don't think will find one here in India.
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4 amps? My Surface charger pumps out about that!
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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