12v battery maintenance, issues, etc.

[Derek.w]

You can see the start voltage at the lighter socket when you start but in only displayed for a few seconds then its charging voltage on display.

One option is a Battrey monitor using bluetooth.

You may also find one solar panel just wont fully charge your Battery.

[dash]

4 hours ago, Jeff43 said:

Any recommendations?  Thank you very much for replying, by the way - I'm a bit new to all of this.

BM2 or BM6 bluetooth Battery monitor

[Yaris_Cross]

I may be wrong but am sure i read in this thread that the solar panels do not charge the Battery they maintain it.

[hind]

Solar panels charge it, they just might be very slow (depending on the panel capabilities and sun availability). Charging the Battery with the solar panel might take months, that's why everyone considers it to be a trickle charger

[einfachGaer]

On 6/21/2024 at 3:34 PM, Dala said:

It's a DCM module.

https://www.furuno.com/en/its/articles/20190830/

I took out the fuse for it. SOS system stopped working, so I thought it was the solution...

Sadly the microphone is connected to the same module, so no more phone calls in the car, which wasn't acceptable for me.

I put it back in 😞

[Derek.w]

8 hours ago, Yaris_Cross said:

I may be wrong but am sure i read in this thread that the solar panels do not charge the battery they maintain it.

My setup charges the Battery!

One will only at best just slows down the Battery discharge so maybe it works if you do high miles.

[Derek.w]

23 hours ago, dash said:

BM2 or BM6 bluetooth battery monitor

I using BM2 monitor but you can find newer versions of it give Battery temperature but slightey less days mines 15 days but then you can jump back 15 more days until 28/2/24 from today.

[Dala]

2 hours ago, einfachGaer said:

I took out the fuse for it. SOS system stopped working, so I thought it was the solution...

Sadly the microphone is connected to the same module, so no more phone calls in the car, which wasn't acceptable for me.

I put it back in 😞

You need to use the bay-pass behind the radio. Removing the fuse won't help. There's a lot of instructions on the internet, I don't want to put links here. I'm glad this forum exists 🙂

It's interesting what all can be done to a car these days:

  https://youtu.be/q1QrAaouPYI?feature=shared

[jthspace]

Been away from the Yaris for 15 days and got in this morning and it “started” without any issues, other than the rust coming off the discs for the first few applications!

Happy there were no issues, maybe the change to a Yuasa Battery as recommended (search this thread) helped.  £70 well spent, methinks. 

[Dala]

23 hours ago, Yaris_Cross said:

I may be wrong but am sure i read in this thread that the solar panels do not charge the battery they maintain it.

The 20W solar panel fully charges the car Battery 44Ah in the summer when the sun is shining.

Now I would like the solar panel to also fully charge the car Battery in spring and fall. I'll try a 45W solar panel.

https://www.victronenergy.com/solar-pv-panels/bluesolar-panels

  

[Jeff43]

Is it OK to leave the plug in the OBD port (and disconnect the solar panel from the cable of course) overnight? I'll be re-connecting at 5 am tomorrow to catch the sunrise.  (Actually, do I even need to disconnect anything at all?) It's the AA charger.

[CPN]

No need to disconnect. The panel has built in blocking diodes so it won't drain the Battery if that's what you mean... I've left mine hooked up for 3 days straight before now with no ill effects.

[Jeff43]

Thanks for that - I was a bit concerned that it might cause some sort of drain once the sun went down.  I did have an AA Smart Breakdown (now discontinued) gadget that was permanently in the OBD of my Corsa and caused a very tiny drain.  It sent information which helped them to spot faults remotely so one December day I got an alert in their app to warn me that the Battery was very low and that I needed to take action.  I don't think the sender was to blame though, as I hadn't used the car for 3 weeks or so.  

[Derek.w]

9 hours ago, Dala said:

The 20W solar panel fully charges the car battery 44Ah in the summer when the sun is shining.

Now I would like the solar panel to also fully charge the car battery in spring and fall. I'll try a 45W solar panel.

https://www.victronenergy.com/solar-pv-panels/bluesolar-panels

  

Even the smallest Victron panel you struggle moving that around inside a car they  more for outside jobs.

[Derek.w]

I dont bother disconnecting the solar panels or its charge controler I even leave the Veepeak ODB unit pluged in so thats a additional discharge that I can be remove.

[Derek.w]

2 hours ago, CPN said:

No need to disconnect. The panel has built in blocking diodes so it won't drain the battery if that's what you mean... I've left mine hooked up for 3 days straight before now with no ill effects.

Mine have been connected for weeks at a time only disconnect if I need the fourth seat or extra luggage area.

[Jasper.]

8 hours ago, Derek.w said:

Mine have been connected for weeks at a time only disconnect if I need the fourth seat or extra luggage area.

I do the same.

[Chas G]

Just for information if it hasn't been posted before. Video doesnt really provide a solution other than get a recharged Battery properly tested to establish voltage and current after a +5 hour resting period. 

More questions than answers.

 

[Jeff43]

Having read every post in this thread and followed some advice I have got an AA solar charger (on as we speak) and a NOCO GB20 jump starter to keep for emergencies.  Here is a picture of my Micra Battery (used as a backup vehicle really when we're both working) - is it safe to use both the devices on this Battery? I'm betting not! Don't worry - I haven't tried yet.

Edited June 27 by Jeff43
typo

[hind]

15 minutes ago, Jeff43 said:

is it safe to use both the devices on this battery

Yep, its a 12V Battery with EFB which means better durability. 

[Jeff43]

Thanks - it's got Stop/Start but I hate it and never use it.  Will it hold its charge better than a conventional Battery?  The car is used infrequently but never fails to start, even on very cold days.  My garage tried to get me to buy a Juke hybrid and they offered me a good price for the Micra but we opted for the Yaris Cross and have kept the Micra for the time being. 

[hind]

34 minutes ago, Jeff43 said:

Will it hold its charge better than a conventional battery?

I don't think so, the EFB reinforced plates are designed to withstand higher currents of Start-Stop system (both charging and discharging) but I don't think this reduces or increases the self discharge rate of such Battery.  

But it definitely will be ok with high charge current after longer period of parking so that's a good thing. Still the capacity is the parameter you are looking for with the cars which is used infrequently. 

[Bob66]

3 hours ago, hind said:

I don't think so, the EFB reinforced plates are designed to withstand higher currents of Start-Stop system (both charging and discharging) but I don't think this reduces or increases the self discharge rate of such battery.  

But it definitely will be ok with high charge current after longer period of parking so that's a good thing. Still the capacity is the parameter you are looking for with the cars which is used infrequently. 

Didn't think that the 12v Battery had anything to do with stop start system?

[Graham47]

35 minutes ago, Bob66 said:

Didn't think that the 12v battery had anything to do with stop start system?

Does in a micra ….

 

5 hours ago, Jeff43 said:

Here is a picture of my Micra battery

 

[hind]

I think most of the start stop systems are based on the 12v Battery and a starter. That's why the hate as it shortens the Battery lifespan and requires tech for them which costs extra. Probably to the point that the savings on the fuel consumption will be spent on the more frequent Battery change and it's extra cost when compared to a regular lead acid flooded battery.