Hello,

just wondering how long your average battery takes to charge??
i left my lights on and with the new computer it doesnt push start easily therefore i have been jump starting magna.

Tonight i jump started it drove to work and then it was flat again 5hrs later. I'd only driven for 15mins.

Then coming home after jump starting it seemed to be fine after a while, hope it starts by itself tomorrow. I dont think its leaking power as i left the lights on and haven't been setting my alarm. It always starts again while hot but hasn't while cold...

Thanks for anything of relevence. Just hoping the battery will recharge...
edit* ill add i left the lights on for at least 24hrs
peace out

It depends on battery size, condition, how flat, etc - but 15 minutes isn't really enough. Needs a good 30-40 minutes to build up a decent charge on it.

charge it up even with a cheapy battery charger overnight for about 12 hours, works a treat

If lead battery has been totally dischareged - lights on 24 hrs - it might damage it. Depending on the amp rating and light globes, it might run couple of hours until it's flat. Then u'd need good 30 - 60 min drive to recharge fully. Battery age generally from 3 to 5 yrs depending on conditions and quality.

Charge the sucker up overnight with a battery charger,remember,an alternator will never charge a flat battery, they are there to maintaine the charge in the battery and to run the vehicle electrics while it`s running

Do a specific gravity test on it, and if possible a high rate discharge test just to make sure its all good. If it passes these tests ok, then you might have a problem with something as simple as a slow discharge from electronic components or even from acid residue on top of the battery... i doubt it, but ya never know...

By the way... you do mean that you charged it off the vehicles alternator right? not a trickle charge from an external charger...? If you drive with your stereo, lights, phone charger, etc running the battery should charge quicker from the alternator.

If you drive with your stereo, lights, phone charger, etc running the battery should charge quicker from the alternator.

I have to strongly disagree with the above. The greater the load on the alternator from these extra items the less the current left over to charge the battery.

Its many years ago but when I studied Electrical Engineering and later taught Physics the above was true and I don't think it has changed in the years since. <vbg>:D

Rob

I have to strongly disagree with the above. The greater the load on the alternator from these extra items the less the current left over to charge the battery.

Its many years ago but when I studied Electrical Engineering and later taught Physics the above was true and I don't think it has changed in the years since. <vbg>:D

Rob

Oh ok...:)

The way i thought was that when the alternator detected high loads (seeing as the magna has a fairly primitive internal voltage regulator lol), it released higher charge to the battery, and is usually overkill; it generally releases more than required to get the battery up to optimal voltage fairly quickly then drops off the regulation quite low and when the voltage drops again the cycle repeats. Whereas with the ecu (external) regulated voltage control in newer cars, the alternator releases only enough current back to the battery to replenish what is being used plus a bit more to ensure its still gaining charge, which is generally why these take more than an hour or so of driving to fully charge (after a jump-start).

So by placing a high load (not too high of course) on the alternator, it'll regulate the voltage at a higher rate than with a lower load. If that makes any sense :P.. sorry i'm bad at explaining stuff. lol

Yes, I agree my explanation was too simplistic and that with higher load the alternator will put out more current due to the operation of the regulator. But I would be very surprised if it increased the current output more than the load increase as you were suggesting.

Rob

Yes, I agree my explanation was too simplistic and that with higher load the alternator will put out more current due to the operation of the regulator. But I would be very surprised if it increased the current output more than the load increase as you were suggesting.

Rob

Well i wasn't implying that your explanation was simplistic at all... lol but if you say so...

Generally in cars as old as these the regulator outputs alot more than is actually required, making it a little too inefficient as it places more load on the engine; which is quite evident in small 4cyl cars. Hence the release of the new ecu controlled external regulators, which only output slightly more current than what is being drawn, making them more efficient and reducing emissions from the car (damn crazy europeans & their emissions lol).

thanks, driving home last night must've charged it, it started first time today and i let it idle for 15mins...

Umm how doesnt an alternator charge a flat battery... add thought resulting in

i know you mean 100% flat but i'm pretty sure the electrical system takes power from the battery and the alternator purely replenishes the battery as per chem in highschool. Therefore if the battery was 100% flat it wouldn't work (the alternator recharging) but i think this was only 90% dead.

Umm how doesnt an alternator charge a flat battery

Ehm... an alternator doesn't charged when its knackered lol. ie, dodgy rotor or stator windings...

Also, when the alternator is running it supplies current to the majority of the electrical system. Only the components that have a circuit hardwired directly to the battery run from it. But when the alternator is not in operation, the entire electrical system it running from the battery alone. Is that about right? :confused: lol

Good to see its all workin fine mate. :D

Ehm... an alternator doesn't charged when its knackered lol. ie, dodgy rotor or stator windings...

Also, when the alternator is running it supplies current to the majority of the electrical system. Only the components that have a circuit hardwired directly to the battery run from it. But when the alternator is not in operation, the entire electrical system it running from the battery alone. Is that about right? :confused: lol

Good to see its all workin fine mate. :D

yeah i went on to say that

[QUOTE=_x_FiReStOrM_x_]Oh ok...:)

The way i thought was that when the alternator detected high loads (seeing as the magna has a fairly primitive internal voltage regulator lol)


which magnas had internal voltage regulators??

which magnas had internal voltage regulators??

Sorry, bad choice of words... i classified internal as 'alternator mounted'.

Alternators can also build up corrosion on the bushes and the terminals internally which actually causes the alternator to start drawing current because of the potential difference (voltage) between the terminals. Anyways i'v seen some draw up to 10amps which can flatten a battery over nite,

Yours should be fine, i'v left my lights on all day at work, jump started drove for 30 minutes and all ok