General Flat (ish) battery

[Tourandot]

Went to use my wife's 500 1.2 Lounge on Friday - which isn't used that much these days due to her health - to find that it refused to start.

There is some power in the battery, and the starter will turn, but there's just not enough juice to fire the engine up - the starter starts slow and keeps gettign slower.

I'm putting it down to the cold (it didn;t creep much above zero on Friday), its lack of use, and when it is used, it's on short trips.

Found my Halfords charger, and yesterday managed to buy a fuse (or 6) for it, and today's task is charging it.

Which means disconnecting the live from the battery to reduce the risk of damage to the electronics.

Which leads to my question - what's the impact of disconnecting the battery on things like the immobiliser codes - will the keys still work if the battery is not connected for a while - and on the computer - which I presume will reset the trip readings?

I need to do this today as the car needs to be useable tomorrow - but I obviously don't want to make things any worse than they already are.

The car is currently parked on a steep downward slope, resting around 2m from the garage door - neither bump starting it, or getting it onto the road to push start it are options.

Any advice welcomed.

Thanks,
T

 

[bluejohn125]

No need to disconnect the battery, the charger will be quite gentle especially if you can choose a slow charge mode.

In any case the normal way to disconnect a battery is to remove the -ve lead.

 

[Tourandot]

Thanks bluejohn.

From the research I've done, the jury appears to be out on whether to disconnect the red or the black lead - I took a look under the bonnet last night but didn't have enough available light to see much, so left it until later today.

My charger has fast and regular modes - figure I try regular then and see what happens.

 

[jrkitching]

Thanks bluejohn.

From the research I've done, the jury appears to be out on whether to disconnect the red or the black lead - I took a look under the bonnet last night but didn't have enough available light to see much, so left it until later today.

My charger has fast and regular modes - figure I try regular then and see what happens.

Special care is needed if your car is fitted with Start & Stop.

You can charge (or even jumpstart) the car by connecting to the +ve terminal on the battery and the false -ve battery post, or (alternatively) between the +ve terminal and a secure earth point on the chassis. Never connect external power between the physical battery terminals with the battery in the car as this may permanently damage electronic components.

On S/S equipped cars, FIAT do not recommend removing the battery unless it is being physically changed.

Read the S/S Supplement if you are in any doubt (attached for convenience).

 

[Tourandot]

Thanks jrkitching.

I don't think we have Start & Stop mostly becuase it's a 58-plate 1.2 Lounge, and I've not heard of it (though I think it might be the system that stops the engine when you're stationary and the clutch is pressed - i.e. like in a Mini?).

Given that I don't have it, am I safe to connect the charger directly to the battery without disconnecting the battery first?

I think this is really what I need to know before I get outside into the freezing cold.

Jump starting isn't an option either as I can't get my Touran close enough to the Fiat to reach with jump leads - though it did float through my mind at one point.

Thanks,
T

 

[loveshandbags]

Special care is needed if your car is fitted with Start & Stop.

You can charge (or even jumpstart) the car by connecting to the +ve terminal on the battery and the false -ve battery post, or (alternatively) between the +ve terminal and a secure earth point on the chassis. Never connect external power between the physical battery terminals with the battery in the car as this may permanently damage electronic components.

On S/S equipped cars, FIAT do not recommend removing the battery unless it is being physically changed.

Read the S/S Supplement if you are in any doubt (attached for convenience).

Thats probably the best way to 'jump' a car irregardless of a car having S/S or not. I was advised by a mechanic to connect the negative connection of the Emergency jump start to an 'earth point' on the car being jumped althought I would admit throught laziness I've connected it to the negative on the battery. I'm also a little bit never nervous about using a 'new' car as a mule to start another car.

 

[loveshandbags]

Thanks bluejohn.

From the research I've done, the jury appears to be out on whether to disconnect the red or the black lead - I took a look under the bonnet last night but didn't have enough available light to see much, so left it until later today.

My charger has fast and regular modes - figure I try regular then and see what happens.

I would agree with bluejohn on disconnecting the -ve terminal.

If you are putting the battery on charge I always take off the screw caps on top the battery. On occassions if I'm doing a long slow charge I would add a little distilled cold water from the kettle as a little top up.