How long before I need to run my car to maintain the battery?

[jcm@gwr]

Firstly, if you have elderly relatives living a distance away,

you ought to able to justify keeping the car in working order,

in case you are called on for help.

 

Secondly, going back to the original question, if you just run

the car to charge the battery, then the maximum charging is

at about 1500 rpm.

[phil-b259]

7 minutes ago, ejstubbs said:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others

 

 

"Coming up with a cover story" is basically trying to game the system.

 

But it's your conscience.

 

It is - but it has to be acknowledged that in times of criss any 'Rules' need to be kept simple for the basic reason that they lose their impact if you start adding all sorts of 'except in X, Y,& Z' clauses.

 

Its why I get fed up with lots of management / H&S nonsense these days - they have simply not thought things through before offering general guidance.

 

As I said, the MAIN REASON for the Government advice to stay home is for the idiots who think this is the perfect time to go and spend the day on the coast in close proximity to thousands of others with the same idea, or park nose to tail at beauty spots, or even have a get together with friends in the local park.

 

Adding reams of 'can do' and 'can't do' stuff would dilute and weaken the perceived relevance of the 'stay home' message.

 

On the other hand given many folk (including quite a few of what I would term 'non essential' folk like builders) are allowed to still go to work every day (and thus risk all the above), things are not as clear cut as some would like to pretend.

 

So, with that in mind, lets engage our own brains and actually look at the risks associated with a 'unnecessary' car trip (where you don't get out of the vehicle or interact with others) shall we?

 

Risks:-

 

• Car breakdown / accident occurring and thus exposing yourself (the driver) to others (breakdown personal, Police, other motorists to exchange details, etc), an action which wouldn't have taken place if you hadn't gone for a drive.
• Using more fuel than necessary at this time, which means having to fill up more often and thus potential exposure to the virus if it has been left on the surfaces of the fuelling equipment.
• Passing the virus on to others if they use the vehicle within the subsequent 4-5 days.

 

Yes, all the above have the potential to occur - and if you as an individual decide that they are too great in light of the Governments message then I have no problem with that.

[kevinlms]

1 hour ago, ejstubbs said:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others

 

 

"Coming up with a cover story" is basically trying to game the system.

 

But it's your conscience.

I think you are missing the point. The idea behind minimising contact with others, is to avoid spreading the virus. Going for a 20 minute drive every so often to charge the battery, is not going to spread it. Having the battery flat when you need the car next, is going to be very inconvenient and will probably invoke closer contact, with someone who needs to assist you to start your car. It will also make you look a bit silly.

 

However, if the point about not going out unnecessarily, was to save fuel, due to rationing for example, then you would be 100% right.

 

Just to clarify I'm in Australia and we don't yet, have the same travel restrictions as the UK.

[Andy Reichert]

I'd be equally concerned that the tyres were checked and pumped back up to a couple of pounds over every 2-4 weeks. Actually driving the car out and back does means that the tyres are not devtloping a "set" by being left in the same spot for too long.

 

Andy

[Colin]

This really is a difficult one - I recently changed my car and am still getting used to the new one (1 year old Seat Leon FR petrol automatic). If the battery were to fail, methinks the car would require a Seat main agent to fit the new battery and do all the resets. I’m reluctant to flout the current rules, but in view of my family circumstances (my 96 year old Mum lives a few miles away) I need my car to be available at any time. Personally I think that in view of the circumstances a weekly half hour ‘s drive to keep everything working as it should, with just me and Mrs W. in the car, isn’t unreasonable, but I’m sure others disagree ( as would the authorities, probably).

I’m not looking for justification here, just wondered if there are others in a similar position.

[alastairq]

4 hours ago, ejstubbs said:

one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household.

 There's an anomaly associated with the moral aspect of 'taking the car for a drive...for whatever reason'...and that is, there seems to be no limit as to how far a cyclist can ride, when undertaking the 'exercise' aspect of the above?

I appreciate that within the urban confines of a place like London , an exercising cyclist may not be able to travel very far....around where I live [rural East Yorkshire] everywhere is miles from everywhere else... Living as I do on a designated 'cycling route', I see many lycra-clads pedalling furiously [and speedily] past, knowing full well they are going to have to cover well over 10 miles...maybe a lot more.....to get from where they started, to where they plan to finish [the same place?}.....

Now, those cyclists may not see anyone else in their travels each day..but it appears....as far as the moral stance is concerned, that...is not the issue?

[Coldgunner]

Had to take mine for a run earlier as the battery isn't good, she's been sitting for a while and after about a week of non-use it won't start (idling won't really charge it like a short run will). I need to keep my car in running condition, and needs to be ready to be used. It does need a new battery really, but during normal use its not sitting for weeks unused. I live in a quiet suburb, contact with other people is non-existent. I also gives a chance for the fluids to warm up and the brakes to not start to sieze.

 

I live with someone who I'd consider to be at-risk, so keeping my vehicle functioning and ready to use is important. Some might not agree with me, but giving my car a run once a week mitigates the risk of not having transport when I desperately need it.

[57xx]

14 hours ago, Coldgunner said:

I also gives a chance for the fluids to warm up and the brakes to not start to sieze.

 

That is a good point, it is important to get the engine up to operating temperature to ensure you don't turn it to mayonnaise. If you don't get it hot enough it will emulsify with condensation and turn to gunk. Had that problem with a car the then missus drove to work. It was only 2 miles away and the car never got up to operating temp on such a short journey.

 

On SORNs, if anyone is thinking of doing it, now is the time. Leave it till April 1st and you will get charged for the whole month of April. The DVLA have a nice little money spinner going on there.

[Coldgunner]

As I drive a diesel its also important to give it longer runs and let it warm properly. It takes a bit more oomph from the battery to start it so keeping the battery tip top is important.

[Jamie]

Funnily enough, my partner's classed as a 'key worker' and this morning went out to find the car wouldn't start to take her to work.  We'd spotted the battery being on its way out, but I think some safety critical stuff took priority on funds, and the poor battery was forgotten... oops.

 

So my permitted daily exercise this morning took the form of pushing a dead Micra up the hill and onto the drive so that some life can be coaxed into the battery - enough to take it for a replacement later anyway.

 

 

Good fun (!) and some entertainment for my self-isolating neighbours watching me struggle, no doubt. 

 

 

If you've got a driveway Coldgunner and the main concern is the battery, what about getting a trickle charger to keep it topped-up?  Won't help with brakes/tyres etc, but unless it's sitting for months I'd be less concerned about those.  Not much use if you're in an upstairs flat or similar, I know.

 

[Jonboy]

I have the “quandary” that although I work from home, but take my non-driving wife to her job each morning and then drive home. There is not an early enough bus if we wanted it, more so now they have cut back with a temporary timetable.  I am now picking her up as well so she doesn’t need to use the buses home (that are not cleaned throughly in normal time’s).

 

As she makes ventilators for a living full time I am not going to lose any sleep over breaking the rules in this way.

[Butler Henderson]

18 hours ago, alastairq said:

 ... there seems to be no limit as to how far a cyclist can ride, when undertaking the 'exercise' aspect of the above?

As a cyclist I can assure you is a vastly debated topic on cycling forums; the vast majority of cyclists seem to limiting the extent of their rides to around half what they would normally do although to date the only advice has been to keep to your normal exercise. One big benefit of motorised vehicles being used less is that cyclists can more socially distance pedestrians by riding down the middle of the road as necessary or on narrow lanes on far side of the road, on the other hand it equally means many cycle routes are no go areas due to their relative narrowness, 

[Coldgunner]

28 minutes ago, Jamie said:

If you've got a driveway Coldgunner and the main concern is the battery, what about getting a trickle charger to keep it topped-up?  Won't help with brakes/tyres etc, but unless it's sitting for months I'd be less concerned about those.  Not much use if you're in an upstairs flat or similar, I know.

 

We do but its not really practical as its an 'open' front area. I'm going to check it every few days and give it a quick blast up and down the parkway for a few minutes to keep things in check. A new battery would cost £130/£150+ which I'm a little reluctant to swap out as its current battery drain isn't going to be a problem.

[Derekl]

I have left cars sitting for 6 weeks (both Mercedes), despite the advice in the manual that they should be run more frequently. Both diesels. No problem with either, started without hesitation.

 

I was told by a dealer principal (mind you, these chaps don't always know everything - tend to know about managing the business rather than the product) that modern cars tend to shut right down and do not have much battery drain.

 

Currently, I am doing the supermarket shop every week. It is a few miles (I go to the one I prefer, rather than the closest) which should see it through (I hope).

[Coldgunner]

Had to take it for another quick run today, battery nearly flat and almost didn't start. Have to collect equipment from the office for homeworking tomorrow so should hopefully get a good spirited run out. Need to really get a new battery fitted.

Edited March 30, 2020 by Coldgunner

[Butler Henderson]

Have a solar panel charger plugged into the OBD Port - seems to do the trick as the car gets little use at the best of times and even then rarely a 20 min or more run (and if does take more than 20 mins its because its got stuck in traffic going nowhere quickly)