P38A trickle chargers

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Sonnycbr

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Hello again, I use 2 trickle chargers on my motorbikes batteries to keep them in good nick over the winter months. The other day I decided to put one on the car to give it a boost. I finished up leaving it on for about 36 hours and it still showed up as "charging" rather than "maintaining". I'm not concerned about it as the car starts no problem. The battery is about a year old and cost about £100 so I assume it's a good 'un. Everything seems to shut down when the ignitions turned off, I've sat and watched the little red light go out near the gear change. Could there be something else that's draining just enough from the battery to stop it taking a full charge?
Thanks for any advice.
 
Sonnycbr said:
Hello again, I use 2 trickle chargers on my motorbikes batteries to keep them in good nick over the winter months. The other day I decided to put one on the car to give it a boost. I finished up leaving it on for about 36 hours and it still showed up as "charging" rather than "maintaining". I'm not concerned about it as the car starts no problem. The battery is about a year old and cost about £100 so I assume it's a good 'un. Everything seems to shut down when the ignitions turned off, I've sat and watched the little red light go out near the gear change. Could there be something else that's draining just enough from the battery to stop it taking a full charge?
Thanks for any advice.
Click to expand...
Not sure about the P38, but the L322 wakes up several times a day, just to ask all the electronic bits n bobs , if they're ok and would they like to go back to sleep.. A bit like the nurse waking you up to give you sleeping tablets.
I'm sure someone more tech minded will be along soon to describe it better ;)
 
If they are chargers designed for motor bikes it will take days to put a range rover battery up to full charge as the battery is an awful lot bigger
i have a optimate 3 charger from a motor bike shop that i use and it takes days to do it but works well.
 
Hi

Alas don’t know the systems but I’ve found the CTEK battery chargers very good, just plug it into my 12s towing socket to keep the batteries charged up

Of course u guys would know better than me as this is on my D3
 
It depends on what amperage range of batteries the charger is designed to maintain. If it is designed for use on motorcycle batteries it is hardly going to work efficiently on a 72 amp or higher car battery.
 
Sonnycbr said:
Hello again, I use 2 trickle chargers on my motorbikes batteries to keep them in good nick over the winter months. The other day I decided to put one on the car to give it a boost. I finished up leaving it on for about 36 hours and it still showed up as "charging" rather than "maintaining". I'm not concerned about it as the car starts no problem. The battery is about a year old and cost about £100 so I assume it's a good 'un. Everything seems to shut down when the ignitions turned off, I've sat and watched the little red light go out near the gear change. Could there be something else that's draining just enough from the battery to stop it taking a full charge?
Thanks for any advice.
Click to expand...
A motorcycle uses what amounts to a torch battery compared to a Range Rover battery so you trickle charger is not likely to do much more than keep pace with the constant drain. Treat yourself to a smart charger from Lidl or Aldi, about £15, will keep you battery in tip top condition.
 
Thank you so much for all the replies and advice. Datatek, I bought one of those chargers from Aldi a few weeks ago, unfortunately I used my other charger on the car. I'll try the Aldi one tonight.
 
Update on charger. I plugged my other trickle charger in and it seems to be working fine, although I was surprised at how low the battery was. Anyway, after connecting charger I closed the bonnet and found out I’d left the battery cover on top of the radiator.....arsehole!!! I’ve managed to snap the top coolant connector pipe. I’ve done a repair using a ballpoint pen tube and loads of epoxy, it’s working for now. Can I buy the top part of the radiator or will it cost me a new radiator? I’d kick my own arse if I could reach!!!
 
Sonnycbr said:
Update on charger. I plugged my other trickle charger in and it seems to be working fine, although I was surprised at how low the battery was. Anyway, after connecting charger I closed the bonnet and found out I’d left the battery cover on top of the radiator.....arsehole!!! I’ve managed to snap the top coolant connector pipe. I’ve done a repair using a ballpoint pen tube and loads of epoxy, it’s working for now. Can I buy the top part of the radiator or will it cost me a new radiator? I’d kick my own arse if I could reach!!!
Click to expand...
Just bond a decent piece of metal pipe in.
 
Try a repair and keep a bottle of water with epoxy in boot give it a try. I replaced original rad with a fairly expensive one, smashed that to bits so I've got britpart rad now. No problems so far and has drain plug at bottom. It was cheap enough and an easy job. Easier again with an auto
 
Fixed the radiator with a bit of 10mm copper pipe and a heat resistant putty that sets rock hard. I tried Araldite and it just melted. I called round the shop where I bought my car battery about a year ago, to be told he'd shut up shop about a month ago. I phoned the manufacturer, Varta, and gave them the number off the battery. Turns out it was made in October '16 so its stood on a shelf for a couple of years before I bought it. Another lesson learned I suppose. It explains the poor performance of the battery. Any recommendations as to decent batteries?
 
Yep plus one, bought a few mf 31 over the years off them, good people to deal with. Did have one a couple of years ago that went duff, had a print off, off Halford, emailed them it, next day new battery arrived and they collected the old one. Great service
 
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