More batteries

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mick

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Both my service and starter batteries are 5 years old and I was thinking of replacing them for the coming season. They have lain unattended in the garage for the last few months and when I put the charger on them they were fully charged after a short time (10 minutes in the case of the service battery). Does this mean that they are serviceable?
 
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If they got to fully charged in 10 minutes the would probably get to fully flat in the same time!

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Perhaps I should add that they were put away a few months ago fully charged.
 
Simple answer is to put them in the car, take them to your local LSUK depot, and ask them to check them.
They will say if they are servicable or not.

Brian
 
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Does this mean that they are serviceable?

[/ QUOTE ] Possibly.
Check them with a hydrometer to make sure all the cells are charged. Put them on charge for longer and try again if they are not
Alternatively check them with a digital voltmeter after they have rested for 12 hours or so. You should get 12.7 if they are OK. If you don't, charge them for longer and get them reading at least 14.4 while charging for a couple of hours before doing the rested reading check again.

If they seem OK monitor them over a period of a week or so. You should not see any drop in hydrometer reading but the volts will fall a bit. if you've still got 12.6 v or more after a couple of weeks they have probably got some life left.

Best check of all is to take them to a battery place (Lucas UK or similar) or a good auto electrician and get then properly tested.
 
You do not say how you checked the batteries but a hydrometer is really the only reliable way. If a hydrometer show them to be fully charge they are probably good for another year. A volt meter can lie especially if you do not discharge the batteries a bit before taking the reading.
 
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A volt meter can lie especially if you do not discharge the batteries a bit before taking the reading

[/ QUOTE ] I prefer to let them rest for 12 hours or so., To compare results always stick to the same resting time. If you opt for a short discharge always use the same load for the same time.

A hydrometer is useless with batteries without a removable top or caps, I prefer the voltmeter any way and it never drips acid on my clothes.

11.7 ish volts = discharged, 12.7ish volts =fully charged. linear in between; every 0.1 v = 10%
 
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