Battery No Longer Powerful

Optima YellowTop battery since 5/07

Recently if I just play radio (engine off) for just under 10 mins, the
car won't start. Is it because it's not being charged ? or is the
battery a goner - Is there anything I can do to revive the battery ?

thanks

Terry > wrote:
> Optima YellowTop battery since 5/07
>
> Recently if I just play radio (engine off) for just under 10 mins, the
> car won't start. Is it because it's not being charged ? or is the
> battery a goner - Is there anything I can do to revive the battery ?
>
> thanks

Normally my Z4 stays in the garage until the weekend. Then I started
driving it every day to the P.O. and back (10 mrt). Then one day it didn't
start. I took the battery to the parts store and they checked it out for
an hour. It was O.K. Then I contacted the BWM shop and took it in. Again
it checked out O.K. The mechanic asked about my driving habits. He said I
had a bad driving profile. The battery would be drained a little during
non-use and more upon start-up. I was not driving far enough to charge it
back up. He said he has had this discussion with people who buy a new 7
Series and come back a month or two later complaining about a dead battery.
Anyway, I bought a trickle charger for $70. I connect it and it "tops
off" the battery every 2-3 days.

Terry > wrote:
> Optima YellowTop battery since 5/07
>
> Recently if I just play radio (engine off) for just under 10 mins, the
> car won't start. Is it because it's not being charged ? or is the
> battery a goner - Is there anything I can do to revive the battery ?
>
> thanks

Normally my Z4 stays in the garage until the weekend. Then I started
driving it every day to the P.O. and back (10 mrt). Then one day it didn't
start. I took the battery to the parts store and they checked it out for
an hour. It was O.K. Then I contacted the BWM shop and took it in. Again
it checked out O.K. The mechanic asked about my driving habits. He said I
had a bad driving profile. The battery would be drained a little during
non-use and more upon start-up. I was not driving far enough to charge it
back up. He said he has had this discussion with people who buy a new 7
Series and come back a month or two later complaining about a dead battery.
Anyway, I bought a trickle charger for $70. I connect it and it "tops
off" the battery every 2-3 days.

Terry > wrote:
>Optima YellowTop battery since 5/07
>
>Recently if I just play radio (engine off) for just under 10 mins, the
>car won't start. Is it because it's not being charged ? or is the
>battery a goner - Is there anything I can do to revive the battery ?

Measure the battery voltage with the engine idling. Measure the battery
voltage with the engine and everything on the car turned off. Post the
numbers here.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Terry > wrote:
>Optima YellowTop battery since 5/07
>
>Recently if I just play radio (engine off) for just under 10 mins, the
>car won't start. Is it because it's not being charged ? or is the
>battery a goner - Is there anything I can do to revive the battery ?

Measure the battery voltage with the engine idling. Measure the battery
voltage with the engine and everything on the car turned off. Post the
numbers here.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

In article
>,
grinder > wrote:
> Terry > wrote:
> > Optima YellowTop battery since 5/07
> >
> > Recently if I just play radio (engine off) for just under 10 mins, the
> > car won't start. Is it because it's not being charged ? or is the
> > battery a goner - Is there anything I can do to revive the battery ?
> >
> > thanks

> Normally my Z4 stays in the garage until the weekend. Then I started
> driving it every day to the P.O. and back (10 mrt). Then one day it
> didn't start. I took the battery to the parts store and they checked it
> out for an hour. It was O.K. Then I contacted the BWM shop and took it
> in. Again it checked out O.K. The mechanic asked about my driving
> habits. He said I had a bad driving profile. The battery would be
> drained a little during non-use and more upon start-up. I was not
> driving far enough to charge it back up. He said he has had this
> discussion with people who buy a new 7 Series and come back a month or
> two later complaining about a dead battery.
> Anyway, I bought a trickle charger for $70. I connect it and it "tops
> off" the battery every 2-3 days.

Never mind the battery - it kills an engine never getting to full working
temperature. Which it won't in five minutes regardless of what the temp
gauge says.

I have a charger bought from Lidl for 12 GBP. Charges the battery then
switches to a maintenance charge which can be left on indefinitely. Small
enough to just about fit in the pocket, but powerful enough to charge a
flat battery overnight. Very handy for my other car which doesn't get as
much use as my BMW.

--
*Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article
>,
grinder > wrote:
> Terry > wrote:
> > Optima YellowTop battery since 5/07
> >
> > Recently if I just play radio (engine off) for just under 10 mins, the
> > car won't start. Is it because it's not being charged ? or is the
> > battery a goner - Is there anything I can do to revive the battery ?
> >
> > thanks

> Normally my Z4 stays in the garage until the weekend. Then I started
> driving it every day to the P.O. and back (10 mrt). Then one day it
> didn't start. I took the battery to the parts store and they checked it
> out for an hour. It was O.K. Then I contacted the BWM shop and took it
> in. Again it checked out O.K. The mechanic asked about my driving
> habits. He said I had a bad driving profile. The battery would be
> drained a little during non-use and more upon start-up. I was not
> driving far enough to charge it back up. He said he has had this
> discussion with people who buy a new 7 Series and come back a month or
> two later complaining about a dead battery.
> Anyway, I bought a trickle charger for $70. I connect it and it "tops
> off" the battery every 2-3 days.

Never mind the battery - it kills an engine never getting to full working
temperature. Which it won't in five minutes regardless of what the temp
gauge says.

I have a charger bought from Lidl for 12 GBP. Charges the battery then
switches to a maintenance charge which can be left on indefinitely. Small
enough to just about fit in the pocket, but powerful enough to charge a
flat battery overnight. Very handy for my other car which doesn't get as
much use as my BMW.

--
*Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.