With the lockdown in place, our 2014 4x4 Panda has been largely static. At the same time, there have been series of plummeting overnight temperatures in Scotland.
The result is a flat battery - but what's the best way to avoid it?
(The irony is the car is fitted with winter kit - heated seats, heated windscreen etc...)

C TEK tricle charger

Just double check that the Blue & Me module is working (does your phone connect via Bluetooth?). The odometer flashing is another indication that it might not be. Typically when the Blue & Me module fails it fails to close down when the car is "off" locked or not and leaves a drain on the battery which will be regularly discharged within 3-4 days if the car is not used.

Hopefully this is not the case for you and it is just a lack of use

No car likes standing - so I'd be starting it every week or so just to bring it up to temperature then take it for a drive once a month. Otherwise put a solar trickle charger on top of the dash (if you can park it where it will get some sun). Not Scotland then!!

doric said:

With the lockdown in place, our 2014 4x4 Panda has been largely static. At the same time, there have been series of plummeting overnight temperatures in Scotland.
The result is a flat battery - but what's the best way to avoid it?
(The irony is the car is fitted with winter kit - heated seats, heated windscreen etc...)

Click to expand...

Modern cars have many minor current draws while it is OFF

A solar charger will certainly help..

Otherwise.. after a decent trip..or charge

Just unclip the terminals.. the battery will last for months if 'disconnected'

Hi.
I have four solar panels on my shed which adds up to an alleged 330 Watts. I use solar for my shed lighting and my radio stuff. I can isolate it from the mains which is full of hash. Even in winter and a wet day I can get 3 amps charge for my two leisure batteries. The point here is I just bought an alleged 150watt flexible solar panel from Wish and this was giving 5 amps on the sunny days over the weekend. 5 amps could be too much if its sustained so you need some form of charge controller if you get a decent one.
Solar though is a great idea for keeping your battery charged.

PS the Chrysler in my drive isn't mine, it needs to go as its been here for a year, can't do anything due to covid. Awaiting reg change as its a Swiss plate

The sort of solar panel that you can plug straight into your fag socket has so little power that you don't need a charge controller. I bought 3 from Maplins about 12 years ago and two of them still work well enough to trickle charge a tractor battery. I suspect you can still get such things off the internet and they are probably better and cheaper than they were all those years ago.
Mine are about the size of an A4 piece of paper so you can just throw it on the back seat when your driving.

The sort of solar panel that you can plug straight into your fag socket has so little power that you don't need a charge controller. I bought 3 from Maplins about 12 years ago and two of them still work well enough to trickle charge a tractor battery. I suspect you can still get such things off the internet and they are probably better and cheaper than they were all those years ago.
Mine are about the size of an A4 piece of paper so you can just throw it on the back seat when your driving.

Exide branded the ones I used 10 years ago

Today's ones are much better.
The one I bought was £47 but not intended for the car battery TBH.

lambou1d said:

No car likes standing - so I'd be starting it every week or so just to bring it up to temperature then take it for a drive once a month. Otherwise put a solar trickle charger on top of the dash (if you can park it where it will get some sun). Not Scotland then!!

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My 2005 4x4 can sit for months without issue.

Worst thing you can do is start it without driving, won’t warm up properly and will lead to a build up of moisture in exhausts etc.

Better to either lay up and disconnect the battery, or leave it on a trickle charger / maintainer and start / drive it when you need to drive it.

Most Easterly Pandas said:

My 2005 4x4 can sit for months without issue.

Worst thing you can do is start it without driving, won’t warm up properly and will lead to a build up of moisture in exhausts etc.

Better to either lay up and disconnect the battery, or leave it on a trickle charger / maintainer and start / drive it when you need to drive it.

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Fair point and I agree, best to drive rather than just start. I was thinking more about the battery rather than condensation in the exhaust. But if you are going to properly lay up then you need to drain the fuel, lift tyres off ground and all that stuff, plus you might as well put it on a SORN.

Really, the best option is to just get a solar charger and take it for a drive once a month.

Saying all this I had a Peugeot 106 diesel which failed an MOT. I parked it in a field and took the battery out. 5 years later the wife wanted rid so I put a battery in it and, without even letting the glow plugs warm, it started on first crank. Drove it onto a trailer and got £40 from the scrappy. Best not go down that road with the Panda!!

lambou1d said:

Really, the best option is to just get a solar charger and take it for a drive once a month.

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Agreed.. its there and legal when you want it

We did that with a camper.. saved the tyres too.. just get a dry bright day and give it an hours run.

It will save on grabby brake rebuilds and sticky joints too

Leroypanda said:

C TEK tricle charger

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Agree - I bought a CTEK CT5 "Time to Go" charger last April and give both our Pandas a trickle top-up every couple of weeks - my 4x4 TA is fine - and it has been bloody cold - even Stop/Start is OK.

A quick question re these solar panels plugged into the lighter/12v socket. Given that the socket is isolated from the battery when the key is turned off, how are they then able to charge the battery? I’d assume(d) they’d need to be connected direct to the battery (under the bonnet) to get anything into it?

Herts Hillhopper said:

A quick question re these solar panels plugged into the lighter/12v socket. Given that the socket is isolated from the battery when the key is turned off, how are they then able to charge the battery? I’d assume(d) they’d need to be connected direct to the battery (under the bonnet) to get anything into it?

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You’d be correct. They won’t be doing anything in the 12v socket, and will need connecting directly to the battery.

Well, I never knew that about the 12v socket.
Anyway, these solar chargers come with two types of connectors; one for the 12v socket and the other +/- clips. So, more of a hassle, but you could but the solar charger on the dash then run the wires outside and to direct to the battery. The wires are very thin so can be shut in the door seal then under the bonnet.
The Panda is the first car I've ever owned that has to have the ignition ON to have the 12V socket live. Oh well.

lambou1d said:

Well, I never knew that about the 12v socket.
Anyway, these solar chargers come with two types of connectors; one for the 12v socket and the other +/- clips. So, more of a hassle, but you could but the solar charger on the dash then run the wires outside and to direct to the battery. The wires are very thin so can be shut in the door seal then under the bonnet.
The Panda is the first car I've ever owned that has to have the ignition ON to have the 12V socket live. Oh well.

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Yep that’s what I do, just run the out the door, around the A pillar and under the bonnet ??

Thankfully, you guys told me about the 12v socket before I plugged my fridge in and went off for the day - to come back to warm beer and green sausages

If you go off for much over 20 minutes and you wont start the car with the firdge left on. After 2 hours you will have a very flat battery... Its why split charger relays are used in caravan electrics The potable coolers and a bit less hungry, but not much. Be warned.