Hi

I am hoping someone can help. Our 2010 Panda 4x4 battery has gone flat. On first examination the battery negative battery terminal seems to consist of 3 terminals. I've not seen this before. In terms of recharging can anyone advise what these 3 terminals are and can I use any one of them for charging purposes?

Looks like the same battery as this pic:
https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fiatforum.com%2Fgallery%2Fdata%2F500%2FIMGP3021.JPG&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fiatforum.com%2Fpanda%2F274428-three-pointless-screws-near-battery-housing.html&docid=N5ksZ-N62vsjfM&tbnid=-gM-UNSkDL8dSM%3A&vet=1&w=2304&h=1728&bih=615&biw=1236&q=FIAT%20PANDA%204X4%20BATTERY&ved=0ahUKEwiJ1MbS_sHRAhXmC8AKHXqtBKkQMwgcKAIwAg&iact=mrc&uact=8

Just in case you were wondering why it's flat, it hasn't been driven a lot for the last 4+ months due to one of us being ill. Usually it's a daily driver. I've been taking it out occasionally at the weekends but this doesn't seem to have been enough to keep it charged up.

pand said:

Hi

I am hoping someone can help. Our 2010 Panda 4x4 battery has gone flat. On first examination the battery negative battery terminal seems to consist of 3 terminals. I've not seen this before. In terms of recharging can anyone advise what these 3 terminals are and can I use any one of them for charging purposes?

Looks like the same battery as this pic:
https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fiatforum.com%2Fgallery%2Fdata%2F500%2FIMGP3021.JPG&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fiatforum.com%2Fpanda%2F274428-three-pointless-screws-near-battery-housing.html&docid=N5ksZ-N62vsjfM&tbnid=-gM-UNSkDL8dSM%3A&vet=1&w=2304&h=1728&bih=615&biw=1236&q=FIAT%20PANDA%204X4%20BATTERY&ved=0ahUKEwiJ1MbS_sHRAhXmC8AKHXqtBKkQMwgcKAIwAg&iact=mrc&uact=8

Just in case you were wondering why it's flat, it hasn't been driven a lot for the last 4+ months due to one of us being ill. Usually it's a daily driver. I've been taking it out occasionally at the weekends but this doesn't seem to have been enough to keep it charged up.

Click to expand...

Hi,
they are for the auxilliary circuits of the cars wiring,
you should still be able to just slacken the post clamp and twist loose as normal

I'll try and add pics, Panda - like yours


Later FIAT - with Stop / Start


you may find the battery is going to be a little TIRED though..,
being LOW for long periods finishes them off internally

Charlie - Oxford

A 12?mm or 10mm.. wrench should take the whole "termimal" off of the round central terminal, out with the old battery in with a new, doesnt cost much and is easy to swap with simple tools.. you can charge anywhere on the metallic terminals on the battery in the car.. if you take it out it should be self explanatory.

Thanks
Will take a look tomorrow, looks like there is a "normal" single terminal hiding under the 3.

An old battery not used for 4 months is likely to be toast. Normal operation creates a soluble sulphate as the cells discharge which is reversed when they are charged.

When left unused, the cells self discharge generating a hard sulphate deposit which clogs up the battery. You might be able to recover it with an Optimate type charger but its unlikely to be reliable.

Thanks for the info on terminals and on recharging.
It got 9 hours of charging yesterday. By close of day it had gone down from an initial 4 Amp charge rate to 2 Amps. I am guessing it still needs more time.
Will let you know if it functions once completed. Will get a few hours in today.

If you are charging slowly and its taking all that time you may still have a usable battery. Generally something badly sulphated will quickly go full because the battery capacity is low.

However, really flat batteries can get stuck and refuse to accept a charge. If it fails to hold a charge it might need waking up with a high voltage boost. Optimates (for example) deliver a wake up blast at about 20V to kick start the process.

If you have one of these you will already know about that feature.

Charged it for 21 hours by which time it was still taking charge at the rate of about 1 amp but wanted to be able to try it out over the weekend when time is available. Will see if it holds it's charge.

The negative triple connection looks like the pic posted by varesecrazy except that underneath the triple terminals there was a quick release lever holding it on instead of a nut and bolt. I removed the battery completely to charge - the manual says you can charge it with the positive still connected but prefer to charge it out of the car.

I was expecting the radio to ask for it's code when all connected up again but it didn't.

why bother i just got a new EXIDE battery off ebay for £34 deliverd in a day and a half at this price it seems to me not worth worrying about trying to recover your used battery ebay number 221958356644 £34-82p free post

rick500 said:

why bother i just got a new EXIDE battery off ebay for £34 deliverd in a day and a half at this price it seems to me not worth worrying about trying to recover your used battery ebay number 221958356644 £34-82p free post

Click to expand...

I don't fully agree but do see the point. A cheap battery will have a short life so if the original is not damaged and the owner is happy to give a it try then a full recharge could be all that it needs. Many batteries get scrapped because they've been allowed to get over discharged (e.g. lights left on). An Optimate boost charge is often all they need.

If the car is regularly unused for long periods an Optimate will keep any battery up to scratch while its not in use. A week or two is fine but left much longer causes sulphation degradation.

rick500 said:

why bother i just got a new EXIDE battery off ebay for £34 deliverd in a day and a half at this price it seems to me not worth worrying about trying to recover your used battery ebay number 221958356644 £34-82p free post

Click to expand...

Because it's expensive and wasteful. The OP did not leave the battery flat for 4 months, they just did not use it as much as usual. The was not recovering it from sulfation, just giving it a good charge to bring it up to full. Your £34 does not include the bother of being in when it's delivered or taking the old one to the scrappy, recycling centre (or ECP who give you less than the scrappy but more than the recycling centre ).
The current and time values given by the OP indicate that the battery was not sulphated. It will probably be just fine.


Robert G8RPI.

the price may be cheap but EXIDE is a quality battery maker

Hi
Thanks all for the advice.
Keeping an eye on it. The battery is fine so far after using on Sunday, standing on Monday and using again on Tuesday. No sign of the battery flattening when starting up. I assume it would start to show soon if it wasn't keeping charged up.

We still have the option of a new battery if the need arises. Thanks for the link.
And breakdown cover should it decide to flatten away from home.

A voltmeter like this is dead easy to fit and will tell you what's going on in the charging department. Wire to an ignition controlled source that stays live when engine starts.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-Blue-...200040?hash=item2a79bf3328:g:nacAAOSwjDZYb0dO

I use a cigar lighter socket voltmeter only £1-80 off ebay just plugs in so no wireing involved no good if you use the socket for other devices though

rick500 said:

I use a cigar lighter socket voltmeter only £1-80 off ebay just plugs in so no wireing involved no good if you use the socket for other devices though

Click to expand...

Does the job but awkward to read. The stack on dash type are the handiest to use and cost very little more