Flat battery riddle, whats going on!

[Brettster]

Totally perplexed by this and wondered if anyone had similar problems,

So left Zed at train station sat afternoon ( no need for lights) and returned sunday afternoon with flat battery.

Monday am got it jump started, (by mechanic, and he took a reading and battery was fine) drove 15 miles to work, At end of day left to drive home and again flat!! So i stayed on and got the battery charged. Few hours later drive home no problems.

This morning car starts fine, Drive to work 15 miles, and leave, Then i just go out to leave and its flat again!

No lights on anytime.

Is there anything i could have accidently tripped on inside the car, pressed a button that would drain the battery that im unaware of.

Or is it just a ropey battery??

Confused!!

[rtbiscuit]

Sounds like a dopey battery, or your starter motor isn't charging the battery properly

[Brettster]

Im hoping that for some reason now battery is failing, and thats all. This is first Zed i had and as it come on all of a sudden wondered if i tripped something inside that is on and is draining the battery.

[BillyZed]

It would appear that your alternator isn't charging your battery as you drive which would indicate

 

A. Your alternator is dead

 

B. your battery is nearly dead so the alternator won't charge it

[Azzer_R]

If your alternator was dead then you'd notice power loss on the volt gauge when driving. Duff battery by the sounds of it.

[rtbiscuit]

Oops I meant alternator, not starter motor, brain lapse

[glrnet]

Next time you leave it for a few hours or overnight, before you start it check the voltage reading on the voltmeter, if it's below 12 volts then it is possibly the battery, you can confirm this by checking the voltage output from the alternator by putting a volt meter across the battery terminals with the engine running, if you haven't got a voltmeter use the one in the car as a guide, if this reads over 14v then the alternator is ok and your battery is on the way out. Once one cell collapses it will never recover nor have the current to crank the engine.

[Brettster]

Thankyou guys for all the advice. Im go get it tested tomorrow. I could see a new battery being dropped off!i

[BillyZed]

Just don't buy a halfords one! I got a Bosch one for £80

[glrnet]

Europarts offer great discounts

[BillyZed]

Europarts offer great discounts

 

Exactly where I got mine

[Azzer_R]

Yup, euro car parts. Reserve online, usually can get a 15% discount using BATTERY15 as a discount code. I've had a Bosch off them in the past.

[glrnet]

Eurocarparts. That's what I said

[onthatB0MBSHELL]

I'm sure this has been done, but... Have you checked battery terminals for tightness? I say this because I a few random flat battery experiences in the first couple of weeks of ownership, would return to car to find it completely flat, turned out loose terminals on battery.

Just a tought. Hope you get it sorted.