Hitchcocks Forum

Off topic, but here's the thing; I have a diesel people carrier that has stood for several months. I am having trouble starting it as the battery won't seem to take a charge; I don't know what Ah it is, obviously very many, but the 8 amp charger I am using should do the trick. One solution would be to try a jump start, although the two hatchbacks I own are not quite up to the job.
I am wondering whether it would do any good to connect the Optimate charger for the bike. Obviously it would take months to recharge the battery like that, but it also has the function of reviving knackered batteries, and this works by delivering a high voltage rather than a high current.

Any thoughts? I expect I will end up replacing the battery, but it will be expensive and the car ain't worth that much!

Motor factors such as halfrauds used to sell magic pills to put into the individual battery cells. These were supposed to give the knackered battery a new lease of life, at least temporarily. Might be worth a fiver just to see if they work.

I remember the old batteries we used in the army.. once they sort of died, we would charge them for 24 hours, drain them and then fill up with new electrolyte. Might be worth a try..

Try a knacker yard with a multi-meter,if it reads 12.8v and the A.H. is ok.

John, it says in the instructions (optimate 4) that providing the batt has an output of at least 2volts then it is safe to connect charger.

It will give upto 22volts at low amps for a period of 2hours in an attempt to desulfate the cells..

Then reverts to normal charge with a voltage retention test every half hour…

If the battery gets hot or a red led lights up then switch off..

I would connect the optimate and give it a try, 48 hours should tell you something but keep an eye on it for the first 2 hours..

Jump leads from your smaller car with engine running could push around 40+ amps into battery, worth a try for half an hour....... terminals are all clean I suppose??

I got a totally flat big battery back to life with an Optimate. Took about two days but it's been fine since.

Thanks all; I have obtained the last packet of BatAid to be had on this Halfordless Isle of Guernsey I will try the Optimate and the Bat Aid and let you know how i get on.

BAT-AID ??----------- Holy Voltage surges, Batman..And the last one at that ??.......Shocking, truly shocking !!.......POW !!----------- ZAPP !!-------------- BLAMM !!--------------

I have brought several back from the dead for a while. Empty acid and flush with water and shake battery repeatedly until flushing water comes out clean. Refill with new acid and recharge.