Maintenance-free battery

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kitkat+

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HI Guys

I have an NP200, the green light on my battery is solid, but I need a boost each time I switch off the ignition?
What could be possible problems?

Thanks
Kitty
 
kitkat+ said:
HI Guys

I have an NP200, the green light on my battery is solid, but I need a boost each time I switch off the ignition?
What could be possible problems?

Thanks
Kitty
Click to expand...
What do you mean by green light? And what do you mean you need a boost?

It takes an average of 30 minutes to 45 minutes of driving to fully charge a battery each time you start a car. Small trips may mean that the battery does not get fully charge. Do you have a multimeter. A properly charged healthy battery is over 13 volts. Can you connect the battery to a battery charger and charge overnight. See if that solves the problem.
 
rh1 said:
What do you mean by green light? And what do you mean you need a boost?

It takes an average of 30 minutes to 45 minutes of driving to fully charge a battery each time you start a car. Small trips may mean that the battery does not get fully charge. Do you have a multimeter. A properly charged healthy battery is over 13 volts. Can you connect the battery to a battery charger and charge overnight. See if that solves the problem.
Click to expand...

 
kitkat+ said:
Click to expand...
You learn something new everyday. If you can get a multimeter you can check the battery. This will tell you if your battery is charged or not.

Once you know if it is not charged, you can try to figure out why it is not charging. Most times the battery is old and needs replacing or it might be your alternator not doing its job i.e. charging the battery.
 
Which are good brands to get for a replacement battery?
 
SABAT and Williard is the same make.

But first check the battery. See below (Using a alarm battery, principle remains the same).
20220613_162146.jpg20220613_162414.jpg

Then you can charge. Battery chargers can also indicate if the battery is still good:

20220613_162329.jpg
 
Takealot: https://www.takealot.com/optimate-2-tm-420-4-step-12v-0-8a-battery-charger-maintainer/PLID40732676

Makro: https://www.makro.co.za/hardware-au...y-charger-maintainer-/p/000000000000346977_EA

Adendorff has also a selection:
www.adendorff.co.za

Battery Chargers & Accessories | Garage Equipment | Adendorff

www.adendorff.co.za www.adendorff.co.za


But if you dont have a friend who own one, you can have the battery tested by a car battery workshop.

A new battery might cost the same as a charger. They can also charge your battery if that is all you need.
 
Get a decent smart charger and leave it connected for a few days. Optimate, ctek etc

My battery started acting up about a month ago with the last cold spell. It's a varta. So I plugged in my optimate charger and left it for a few days to do its thing. Its been working fine ever since.

There was a sticker on the battery from the shop it was bought at as well a code engraved. I called them and they said the battery was bought 9 years ago according to the code. Its the second time the optimate charger has saved a battery for me.
 
Truth is the inspection eye does not mean much, it is just linked to one cell of the battery and only checks the electrolyte level and nothing else.

I am afraid if you need a boost each time you switch the car off you battery is dead, even a bad battery should be able to start a car after driving. Much has been said about intelligent chargers but I am yet to see a bad battery being brought back to life.

Don't spend your money on a charger, spend it on a new battery. You can buy the charger later.
 
Last edited:
TheChamp said:
Truth is the inspection eye does not mean much, it is just linked to one cell of the battery and only checks the electrolyte level and nothing else.

I am afraid if you need a boost each time you switch the car off you battery is dead, even a bad battery should be able to start a car after driving. Much has been said about intelligent chargers but I am yet to see a bad battery being brought back to life.

Don't spend your money on a charger, spend it on a new battery. You can buy the charger later.
Click to expand...
Needing a boost every time could also mean the car is not driven enough to fully recharge the battery.
 
rodga said:
Needing a boost every time could also mean the car is not driven enough to fully recharge the battery.
Click to expand...
This is the main reason I got my battery charger. As I was not driving it enough to recharge the battery. And during Covid lockdown, it paid for itself, as I charged both the wife and my car batteries.
 
Haha, my NP200's battery also giving warning signs now. I drive about 30km per day so it does get a full charge.
And ja, that little window doesn't mean much.
 
rh1 said:
This is the main reason I got my battery charger. As I was not driving it enough to recharge the battery. And during Covid lockdown, it paid for itself, as I charged both the wife and my car batteries.
Click to expand...
My charger has saved my at least 3 batteries and probably a total of about 7k not having to replace it.
 
Measure the battery voltage when the bakkie is off, fully charged it should not be below 12.6V if below that connect it to a charger. Start the engine and measure the battery voltage it should be in the region of 13.8V if below that have the alternator checked out. Measure the voltage of the battery while the motor is being cranked, it should not drop below 9.6V, if it drops below that its very likely that the battery has seen better days. Check the battery water level, sometimes the maintenance free battery still have the water filling holes, under the sticker or its one long cover that you just pull off.
 
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dillinger said:
Measure the battery voltage when the bakkie is off, fully charged it should not be below 12.6V if below that connect it to a charger. Start the engine and measure the battery voltage it should be in the region of 13.8V if below that have the alternator checked out. Measure the voltage of the battery while the motor is being cranked, it should not drop below 9.6V, if it drops below that its very likely that the battery has seen better days. Check the battery water level, sometimes the maintenance free battery still have the water filling holes, under the sticker or its one long cover that you just pull off.
Click to expand...
I came to post this, but you basically gave the same info and more:

1655712307020.png
 
It is winter, batteries do not like winter, they cannot hold a much charge nor supply as much CCA, so this is when most 'weak' batteries start showing up. Make sure your battery is charging properly, test it's voltage and go from there. I use an Optimate on my MkI Golf constantly and a a CTek on my Touareg as it doesn't get driven as much since I am WFOH at the moment. As for replacement batteries, my normal go to is a Varta but they are expensive so I am using an Enertec in my wife's Q3 and will look at the same for when my Touareg's battery need's replacement.
 
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