Portable car battery charger

annr

annr

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A family member picked me up from work a few days ago. He waited in the car listening to the radio for about 45" with the engine off. When it was time to start the car--nothing, not a sound. The battery had lost its charge.

AAA gave us a jump and we made it home. The next day the car started right up and today, 2 days later, the car won't start.

Do any of you use those portable battery chargers? Good/bad feedback on them? Suggest a brand to buy? Any other advice?

Thanks.
 
Your battery is worn out. Though having a charger around too wouldn't do any harm, you'll still need a new battery.

It's also possible the problem is your alternator, but it's more likely to be the battery.
 
If the battery in the car in question is four years old, replace it now. Some good ones will last 5+ years, but that's pushing it. Often the problem is simply a thin film of corrosion on the battery terminals where the battery cables connect to the battery. They should be carefully cleaned (a special wire brush is made for this), and then coated on all surfaces with grease, such as Vaseline, before reassembly. Once in awhile the battery/electrical system ground wire (usually the negative or black wire) has a rusty, corroded, or loose connection where the other end is bolted to the car, usually to the engine block. That's less common than other problems, but it happens on older cars or those driven on salted roads. You might very well have a failing alternator or voltage regulator (often it's internal in alternators now). That can be determined by having it checked at a shop, though some parts stores will check it for you without charge to see if you need an alternator or a battery. Also, you can check it reasonably well yourself with a simple DC volt meter. It should put out about 13.5 to 14 volts. The battery should show about 11.5 volts across both terminals before the engine is started first thing in the morning. Often the problem is nothing more than a worn and/or loose belt that drives the alternator. Depending on how the engine accessories are laid out, that same belt may be the one responsible for cooling your engine, too, so it can be critical. Hear any squeaks or squeals under the hood lately? If so, raise the hood, let the engine idle, then carefully -- KEEP YOUR HANDS OUT -- drip a few drops of water precisely on one belt at a time. If the sound changes, you may have found your problem. Check your belts for proper tension and look for wear. Many newer vehicles use only one belt to drive all the accessories. Due to its in-and-out routing it is called a serpentine belt. These need to be replaced maybe every 5 or 6 years or 30 to 40,000 miles to be on the safe side. Good luck checking it all out. If you have a British car with a Lucas electrical system, God help you! BE VERY CAREFUL WORKING NEAR ANY ENGINE THAT IS RUNNING! THINK BEFORE YOU MOVE, MOVE SLOWLY, AND DON'T PUT YOUR HANDS NEAR MOVING PARTS!
 
It's and '89 Volvo that has been in the NE climate for a number of years.
So thanks guys, and OK on the battery and the check-up:thumbup:.

With a properly functioning battery and other parts/systems how long could one expect to be able to play the radio (engine off) without running into trouble?
 
Depends on the radio and the battery :D
There should be a label on the battery that lists its reserve capacity. The number represents how many amps you can draw for an hour IIRC. At any rate, the higher the better. With some deep cycle batteries you can get a reserve capacity around 100, normal batteries are probably more like 50.

So at that rate he'd need about an 800 watt stereo to kill a normal battery in 45 minutes. Some folks have radios that big, others don't. Chances are with it being an 89 volvo, he doesn't have quite that big of a system in but the battery was a little tired from the start.

A small trickle charger is great to have around and they aren't that expensive. They monitor the battery and slowly ramp down how much charge they give it as it gets closer to being full. You can leave them hooked up over night and usually have a fresh battery when you come back.

If you do find out that its an alternator problem, be sure to charge the battery fully before you replace the alternator. That way the new one doesn't have to work so hard and get fried from the get go.
 
I just forwarded your replies to the driver of the '89 Volvo and learned that he has only driven the car 800 miles since July. He travels (by airplane) a lot and when in town has a 2 mile/day commute. Prior to the battery failure the car sat idle for approx. 10 days followed by 2-3 short commutes.

Will this driving pattern contribute to battery problems, even with a new a battery? I am wondering if I should be driving the car for him to keep things operating.
 
Take the vehicle to any of the following chains, AutoZone, Advance Auto, O'Reillys. They will not only check the battery for free, but do a load test on it and also check the alternator for FREE. Don't guess, just test first. It will not cost you anything. Then you will know for sure.

PS: How are the eyes doing?

James
 
James,
Will do. I went back to some regular no-fuss distance glasses and a pair of bifocal for mid-range/reading and I'm feeling no pain, reading you post effortlessly!! Will get the skinny later this month. Thanks for asking. ( I think you must be my guardian angel by now:).)

I'm also going to have a chat with this person----last time I drove his car the brakes were pitiful; over his objections I got the car checked and turned out one of the rear brakes was shot!! So I think this car is now under my watchful eye:).
 
To answer your original question,the portable chargers that you charge and then carry with you do work and are great in the situation that you described.For most of todays cars,you don't need a very big one and most of the chain stores sell a variety.The biggest issue is they need to be charged occasionally to be sure they are charged when you need them,they will hold a charge for a year or more,enough to start most cars.The simplest one that I know of is made by Black and Decker,it is inexpensive,around $30.00 if I remember right,it is small enough to fit in a glovebox or console and it plugs into the cigarette lighter,either to charge the unit or jumpstart the vehicle.They do work fine on small cars,I can't guarantee a Volvo,and they won't work as fast as a larger unit but you but in a pinch they are better than nothing.The only thing being,with your friends driving habits,it probably isn't keeping the car battery charged correctly,let alone an extra charger.
 
beau5278,

Sounds like these things make great gifts:D and I'd be smart to get one for my car . I hadn't considered that it could be handy for other things, e.g. cell phones, lap tops. Hey, I'll even pay a little more than $30 not to be stuck unexpectedly in the dark on a cold rainy night. Thanks for mentioning car size.
 
Most any of them have a cigarette lighter socket that will take a car charger,I don't think you could use it for a laptop.They are great gifts,my Mom wanted one for Christmas last year,she left her car sit for a few days while her and my aunt were on a trip and when she got back her battery was down.That's how I found the little Black and Decker,I really didn't want her to have to use one that you have to get under the hood to use.
 
beau5278,
I haven't done any shopping yet but I hopped on the Costco site and the first B&D I ran across mentioned laptop in the advert; it appears to be a 2-piece set, a little pricer too. The smaller gizmo says it's for the laptop and more if you are interested:

"The Simple Start™ Battery Booster and Vector Power Inverter Combo is portable, cordless, and rechargeable. An important safety item for the home or vehicle. From Black & Decker®."

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11234766&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US

Ace Hardware had a Black and Decker in the $30 range, so it looks like there are some nice choices for this "important safety item".
 
The one from Costco is also an inverter,that's what would power the laptop.I have a seperate power inverter that I use for mine.That should be a nice unit,a decent inverter would run you another $40.00 or so.
 
annr said:
I just forwarded your replies to the driver of the '89 Volvo and learned that he has only driven the car 800 miles since July. He travels (by airplane) a lot and when in town has a 2 mile/day commute. Prior to the battery failure the car sat idle for approx. 10 days followed by 2-3 short commutes.

Will this driving pattern contribute to battery problems, even with a new a battery? I am wondering if I should be driving the car for him to keep things operating.
Click to expand...


The car's useage, (2 miles driving, after starting the car), isn't enough to recharge it fully. Each day the battery is getting weaker. Leaving it idle for 10 days further weakens it.

If the car is left outside in sunlight, you could use a solar trickle charger?
 
even if your car is running great, its still wise to have one, they could save ya some time and a headache, they have for me, and lots of people i know
 
That usage pattern probably isn't keeping the battery anywhere near full charge, and a battery that isn't kept charged ages rapidly. A trickle charger can keep it charged if he can plug it in where he parks it, or a solar charger if there's sun.... He probably needs a new battery now, and if he doesn't do something to keep it charged he'll keep going through batteries.

That usage pattern also makes more frequent oil changes necessary. When you first start a cold engine water and worse things condense in the oil. Later when the engine warms up that stuff gets boiled off, but his engine hardly gets warmed up so that doesn't happen.
 
Cougar Allen,

How much use would you think his car needs for good battery maintenance? Maybe he can get someone to drive it while he is away. I'll mention the oil.

He parks outdoors so it sounds like the solar would be the way to go. New England sunshine patterns vary from day to day; week to week, etc. but I have noticed that often the coldest winter days have the brightest sunshine. I suspect that his problems are going to be exacerbated by the cold temps.

I looked on the web and there seems to be a wide range of solar trickle chargers and prices. Anyone have a suggestion on what to look for, one they like?
 
annr said:
It's and '89 Volvo that has been in the NE climate for a number of years.
So thanks guys, and OK on the battery and the check-up:thumbup:.

With a properly functioning battery and other parts/systems how long could one expect to be able to play the radio (engine off) without running into trouble?
Click to expand...




GM installs a limiter that will shut down all drain when parked. It save enough juice to crank & re-charge.

I buy American

Uncle Alan :foot: Sorry for the cheap shot.
 
uncle Alan,
I can take it.
Are you saying this guy needs to buy a GM or that the limiter will fit his Volvo, or both?:)
 
Keep in mind a lot of cars now days will shut power to socket when it's off, so those solar charger that plugs into power socket won't work. But if it's a 89, try it and see.
 
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