Flat battery

[E.L.M.O]

My partner and I are now engaged

I proposed to her at a classic mini show (the same show I met her at 3 years previous)

Today we woke up a little late (it always happens on the days your running late, right?) and we were in a rush because we were due to go visit another possible wedding venue. the place is called Maiden Barns http://www.maidensbarn.com/ (if anyone has been there, please feel free to let us know whats its like as we never made our appointment today!) We were going to go in one of the minis but by the time we got the 8 out of the way (as it was blocking the minis) and then sorted the never ending 8s Alarm it was to late.

anyway, Ran out to the 8 as we were late and the car wouldnt unlock, so I ran in to get another key as I presumed the battery in the key had gone. Second key, nothing. So I manually opened the door and it didnt take long to realize that it was actually the 8s battery that had gone flat.

The thing is, it hasnt been used as much as it used to be, but its still had some fairly long runs recently. The battery is now on charge but I dont understand how it could have gone flat. Do you think it could have been fault?

Thans

[Architex_mA8tey]

Congrats on the engagement ELMO
I thought you were already married to several minis lol

ps a relative has just started restoring a RHD innocenti mini which should be cool when done

[E.L.M.O]

Originally Posted by Architex_mA8tey

Congrats on the engagement ELMO
I thought you were already married to several minis lol

ps a relative has just started restoring a RHD innocenti mini which should be cool when done

Thanks! I proposed by writting on her Minis car bonnet with UV paint the night before we went to a Mini show. She drove from London to Newquay with it written on there and didnt notice it! That evening I left her with friends while I went back and strung up some fairly lights over a gazebo, and a black light. Then I went back to get her while a friend was hidding near by to switch on the black light at the right time. She had no idea what was going on!

Innocenti! Nice! There are plenty of liited edition minis (honestly I really dont think any other car has EVER had more special edition models than the mini. And most of them are exactly the same!) But the innocenti mini truely is a special edition.

Its almost up there with the Mini pick ups!

[B@fink]

Congrats on the engagement.

As for the dead battery, i hope you don't have a fault but it could be that the battery has turned up its toes...the problem with more modern batteries (not the old school original lead acid used up to the 90's, the newer higher output ones with all kinds of silver tech and such) is that the don't degrade slowly like they used to and recover for weeks at a time with "boost" charges (because of a slow build up of sulphation coating the lead making them lazy being returned to suspension with a charge). Typically its a matter of hours from lazy start to deader than flared trousers. Its happened to me, started the car in the morning without trouble but it sounded just slightly slow, 30 mile drive, park for 8hrs at work, get in, turn key and click..nothing! best of luck!

[IT]

Congrats

On the flat battery issue, its worth double checking things like the interior lights to see if one has been left on. They are a bugger for draining the battery completely flat without you realising, especially with the light nights means you dont realise its sat out there with a light on !

Its rare for even a poor battery to drain completely unless there is a constant power drain running, and the alarm is very low current... ?

[ulfilias]

Hi There,

Had a continual drain on my batery for a while due to an after market stereo leaving the Bose amps on. It was sometimes posible to have the thing unlock via the remote and then on starting it would completely flatern the battery (lost clock/date settings etc).

Found the alternator charges the battery quite well and they are big beasts of a battery so it does take a fair lot to kill them. Am still cautious as when you switch the ignition on, but turn the stereo off, it still leaves the amps on as the stereo live is still there until the key is taken out, so has fooled the odd mechanic before.

*ALWAYS* worth having a pair of jump leads in the wheel well or squirled away somewhere as you can't bump start an auto (you'd need to be doing 30 or something when i looked into it).

BTW Mini's rule. Had a couple my self. The first having an innocenti interior an origional F reg that i swear only the number plate and maybe the heater were orgional on. Alas it got nicked and i ended up with a cheapie 1l white one with a bad MOT that the brakes failed on as the mechanic had tightened them so hard on i'm almost supprised it moved. Took the drums off and they were scored by the rivets. It got a very silly pain job after that for an alternative festival !!!

cya,
Lee

[E.L.M.O]

Originally Posted by Ian@A8Parts

Congrats
On the flat battery issue, its worth double checking things like the interior lights to see if one has been left on. They are a bugger for draining the battery completely flat without you realising, especially with the light nights means you dont realise its sat out there with a light on !
Its rare for even a poor battery to drain completely unless there is a constant power drain running, and the alarm is very low current... ?

Yup, You got it, I think i found the fault yesterday.
Last time the misses drove she must have used the mirror on the sun visor and didnt close the shutter when finished. I know the light is meant to turn off when the visor is put in its full upright position, but it never was fully pushed all the way "flat" against the roof, just up enough that I couldnt see that the light was on. I hope that was it anyway!

Originally Posted by ulfilias

Hi There,
*ALWAYS* worth having a pair of jump leads in the wheel well or squirled away somewhere as you can't bump start an auto (you'd need to be doing 30 or something when i looked into it).

Hi Lee.
Its a good idea, I have a set in all 3 of the minis but never thought to put some in the Audi!

Originally Posted by ulfilias

BTW Mini's rule.

Yeah they do!

[ulfilias]

Originally Posted by E.L.M.O

Its a good idea, I have a set in all 3 of the minis but never thought to put some in the Audi!

You have them in the Minis ???....But you can almost bump start them on your own....Well i have done a few times by parking stratigicaly, ie on hils, facing the right way on an incline.

cya,
Lee

[E.L.M.O]

Yeah you can, but the misses cant can she! And she drives most of the minis (not the pick up though! - Thats mine!)

Plus, its always possible to get stuck somewhere where a bump start isnt an option.

[Singh]

Congratulations, I like how you proposed to her too. Is this the same girl you were with when we met last year? Hope your battery isn't buggered, although I think I read somewhere the lifetime of car batteries is something like 6 years.