Battery Health Question

[paulie b]

Hi everyone. 

I only use my car for short journeys. I know this has a adverse effect on the Battery over time. In order to help maintain the Battery, I also go out for a drive once a week. I don't have the radio or other devices on whenever I'm driving, and use the heater/blower only when necessary. I also always depress the clutch at start up.

I can find no information on what would constitute a journey long enough to fully charge the Battery and maintain its health.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice as to what is the minimum journey time I should be giving my Aygo in order to keep the battery in order? Also is a once a week run enough to fight off the effects of 'short journey syndrome'? Thanks.   

[zuh]

At night, do you keep your car outside or in a garage?

I would not worry about the Battery. In my experience, short journeys mostly impact fuel consumption.

When I was unemployed, I stayed months driving very little (50 miles a month or less). The Aygo always started.

I would say try to drive your car regularly, not only for its Battery! Use your car normally. While the car is off, do not use any equipment (warning lights, radio...) and do not let any external device plugged to your Aygo.

If you are worried, ask your mechanic to measure the Battery voltage during the annual service, it gives an indication of its condition. Your battery will age and once, probably when it is cold and batteries are put to the test, it will die a natural death.

[paulie b]

It's on the drive. My usual short distance journeys are no more than three or four miles each way. Like I said I go out on a longer run to or from a destination at least once a week of about half an hours duration. I will also go for a dedicated drive (going nowhere in particular) for up to an hour a time once a week. I do this not only to keep the Battery topped up, but for the cars sake. 

I'm having no issues with the Battery, I just want to help ensure that it lives for as long as possible. 

[Agent Orange]

Hi Paul,

I can't give you a specific mileage that will keep your Battery topped up but the advice given by Nicolas ( @zuh ) is very good.

If you are worried about your Battery and want to monitor it, try one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/voltmeter-thermometer-display-temperature-indicator/dp/B01N53MABJ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1516273698&sr=8-7&keywords=temperature+voltmeter

You just plug it into the cigarette lighter socket, or any extension socket that you already have fitted to that..... have my Garmin Sat Nav, my Dash Cam and one of those plugged into an "Energizer" 3-way extension box:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Energizer-50505-Triple-Adaptor-Charger/dp/B00RV8FXAQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1516274100&sr=1-1&keywords=energizer+car+charger

I mounted it on the little shelf above the cigarette lighter that isn't much use for anything except sunglasses and it works a treat and looks pretty neat, if I say so myself! 

Those Voltmeter/Temperature plugs might be cheap and cheerful but they work, and work well.  I've had mine for about 3 years and whilst driving, the voltage generally reads about 14.3 Volts which tallies with the volts reading on my "Torque" app.  A bit of peace of mind for less than £7.00 can't be bad, can it?

I'm sorry that I can't answer your exact question but I hope that helps.

All the best! 

[Cjohnston1982]

 

2 hours ago, paulie b said:

It's on the drive. My usual short distance journeys are no more than three or four miles each way. Like I said I go out on a longer run to or from a destination at least once a week of about half an hours duration. I will also go for a dedicated drive (going nowhere in particular) for up to an hour a time once a week. I do this not only to keep the battery topped up, but for the cars sake. 

I'm having no issues with the battery, I just want to help ensure that it lives for as long as possible. 

How new is the car or Battery?

To be honest the driving that you described without the ‘dedicated drive’ should be sufficient for the car and Battery. The hourish drive once a week could be costing you over £170 per year (30 miles at 50 mpg) which could be used instead to buy a new Battery should it fail though I understand you wouldn’t want to be caught out in the first place.

To put your mind at ease you could by a battery charger to use once a month maybe? A trickle charger costs around £15

[Cyker]

Yaaa just to echo, I wouldn't worry about it.

As soon as you start the car the Battery is being charged until you turn the car off so your normal drive should be enough to keep it healthy.

Plus the Aygo is nice and simple, without the load of active electronics e.g. the Auris has, so the drain on the 12v Battery when the car is off is far far less.

Just be glad yours doesn't have start-stop - I'm still getting used to it in my new Yaris, and I'm sure it's not doing the Battery any favours!
 

[paulie b]

Thanks for the replies. I must say though that I only use my car about three times a week. I walk at other times. I've only had the car about two months, no idea how old the Battery is. My car's a 12 plate 'Fire'. 

 

I do like the volt/temp gauge and am going to send for one. One point though, is it for telling me how much the alternator is generating and what would be the minimum reading to let me know all is well?

[Agent Orange]

Hi Paul,

With the ignition on (First position, no engine running) mine reads about 12 to 12.5 volts and then when the engine is running it goes up to about 14.3 volts.  The temperature gauge is pretty accurate too as it reads out in minus figures as well, which is handy in this weather.

Just a final point....As the cigarette lighter is only live when the ignition is on, there is no chance of Battery drain and the little tail on it is the temperature sensor which you can hide away (It's only a couple of inches long) under the lighter socket

I hope that helps, all the best! 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Could consider a solar Battery charger - https://www.amazon.co.uk/AA-Solar-Powered-Car-Battery-Charger/dp/B00AC1LLQY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516308473&sr=8-1&keywords=aa+solar+battery+charger

The above one plugs into the OBD socket.

[paulie b]

I've already got one of those solar chargers. They are quite effective during the summer, but little more than useless at other times. Mine 'generates' 1.5 watts at peak operation, so perhaps it may be worth investigating the larger ones.

[Mooly]

My fathers Corolla (03) has sometimes done under 500 miles in a year, stands outside on the drive, has been left two weeks between doing less than a mile trip and has never suffered a Battery failure as such. 1 mile trips once a week have been common for weeks on end during winter months at times. The original Battery was replaced at 10 yrs old due to suspicion of acid leakage, not for reasons of lack of capacity or charge retention. The usage this vehicle gets is about as bad as it can be and yet it has only ever had a single rear bulb as an MOT failure and a front brake caliper replaced last summer when I noticed it was sticking. 

An aged but healthy Battery should be reading around 12.3 volts at rest (after standing for at least 24 hours). If its lower than 12.2 then its state of charge is getting a bit to low for comfort. You need accuracy in the measurements as even differences of 0.1 volts in the resting voltage denote big differences in the state of charge.    

An alternator on a small car will be at least 60A rated, however the battery can not accept that charge rate at the voltage supplied by the alternator... which is where confusion sets in in. The current taken by the battery quickly falls away, even though the state of charge is considerably less than 100%. An alternator can bring the battery to a fair state of charge quickly but it takes very much longer for the final charge to reach 100%.

Don't go overboard with trickle charging. It can do more harm than good in some cases.

 

[Notoyboy]

3 hours ago, Mooly said:

Don't go overboard with trickle charging. It can do more harm than good in some cases.

a smart charger shouldn't be a problem - they're designed to be left on permanently (disconnect before driving off though!)

[paulie b]

Mooly, I've got your dad's record beaten! I'm retired now but one year when I was working I only did about 250 miles! The principal reason for this is that I commuted by motorcycle almost all the time. 

 

Thanks for all the info thus far everyone.

[Conrod]

My experience of a low mileage Aygo user is my daughter’s car , does around 600 a year ....trips to local shops and run out to railway station a few times a month....secret it a good Battery in the first place , although our Aygo is a petrol model I have fitted a diesel battery with more amps and reserved capacity, also the brand you buy ....Yuasa is in my opinion the best on the market and allows us to leave the Aygo sometimes a month without being used.

        When out using your car use all the electric as normal with maybe the exception of heated rear screen ( a major power drain if in traffic ), the alternator will charge the Battery at almost 14v so no worry’s using lights ,Heater and radio ,a run out to the station of a 4 miles round trip is enough to keep the Battery happy ....hope that helps 

[paulie b]

On 27/01/2018 at 7:49 PM, Conrod said:

My experience of a low mileage Aygo user is my daughter’s car , does around 600 a year ....trips to local shops and run out to railway station a few times a month....secret it a good battery in the first place , although our Aygo is a petrol model I have fitted a diesel battery with more amps and reserved capacity, also the brand you buy ....Yuasa is in my opinion the best on the market and allows us to leave the Aygo sometimes a month without being used.

        When out using your car use all the electric as normal with maybe the exception of heated rear screen ( a major power drain if in traffic ), the alternator will charge the battery at almost 14v so no worry’s using lights ,Heater and radio ,a run out to the station of a 4 miles round trip is enough to keep the battery happy ....hope that helps 

Thanks for that Geoff. Would you give me the specs of the diesel Battery? I think this will be the way to go when mine eventually dies. 

[Conrod]

Petrol Aygo Battery spec.......

40AH

360CCA

Length.....175

width.....175

height.....190

diesel spec Battery brand Yuasa YBX5012 ( sold in Halfords)

52AH

480CCA

Length......205

width.......174

height.......190

[FROSTYBALLS]

Yuasa batteries in Halfords are £100 (petrol) and £103 (diesel).

Toyota's prices are £90 and £100 - see https://www.toyota.co.uk/owners/service-mot-maintenance/repairs.json

[Conrod]

4 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Yuasa batteries in Halfords are £100 (petrol) and £103 (diesel).

Toyota's prices are £90 and £100 - see https://www.toyota.co.uk/owners/service-mot-maintenance/repairs.json

I’m guessing the Toyota ones are 3 year warrenty ..the  Yuasa is 5 years so to my mind better value for money 👍🏻👍🏻

[FROSTYBALLS]

7 minutes ago, Conrod said:

I’m guessing the Toyota ones are 3 year warrenty ..the  Yuasa is 5 years so to my mind better value for money 👍🏻👍🏻

Still a guess though.