Turning alarm off & battery issue

[Dean250]

I don't get to use my williams as much as I would like with work, the car lives in my garage locked but as the battery starts to die out the alarm goes off! when it does it resonates like mad off my garage/house walls!

I have a trickle charger but it's difficult to trickle charge as the alarm keeps going off as soon as it has a tiny bit of charge. I don't know how safe it is to keep the battery on trickle charge for long periods? the transformer/plug gets pretty hot and i don't want to burn the house down to keep a battery ready to start the car!

i noticed when changing the coolant bottle recently that the cobra alarm had a little cap on it and realised the key on the key ring was for the alarm, so I turned it off (I think?)!

the battery isn't charged at the moment but will the remote central locking not work with this off?

what do others do to keep their batteries topped up? mine usually only lasts a week or two, I think it could do with being replaced due to the lack of use possibly.

[jock]

Sounds like your battery is on its way out as should last more than a week or two.
It may be sulphated, letting them discharge completely more than a couple of times damages car batteries and they never hold a full charge again. If you get hold of a CTEK charger (you might be able to save it) but in any case you can leave them on charge permanently long term, with no ill effects. :-)

[ianbirch]

You can have the alarm switched off and the remote locking will still work but it does sound as if your battery is knackered.

Give the battery a full charge and then test it with a volt meter.... without the engine running it should read at least 12.3 volts, then start the engine and do the same test with the car running it should read something like 13.7- 14 . something volts.

Hope this helps.

Cheers Ian

[Dean250]

Cheers guys, yeah I think the battery is shot purely from being discharged for periods and not being charged much.

Will get it replaced with a decent new one!

[scream1]

Hi Dean, i presume this is the 3 you bought from me? if so, i left the car on charge for very long periods with no problems, just make sure when you have had it on charge for 8 hours or so that the charger has switched to trickle as if it doesent, the transformer will heat up, i used to unplug and replug straight away and it did the trick and trickle charged, you can tell as the green LED glowed instead of the red. as previous posts have said, a CTEK charger will be able able to recondition the battery. when i had it and the battery discharged, the alarm would sound if a little charge was apparent, simply opening and closing the door seemed to cure this. i never turned the alarm off as you have done as the door trick sorted it.

hope this helps

Steve

[Dean250]

Hello Steve

Yes it is the 3, the door trick did used to stop the alarm but it was going off quite often when the battery got low and I was away much to my neighbours annoyance! from time to time I did used to let the battery fully charge then put it back on trickle charge (Green LED).

The battery died in the end it wouldn't charge above 2.6V so I've just replaced it. While I am away from home I am going to keep the alarm turned off but the car locked in my locked garage, although I am sure now with a new battery that the alarm indicator wouldn't drain the new battery as quickly!

how you enjoying your NSX?

[scream1]

Hi Dean , glad you got it sorted. as for NSX, its going great thanks, totally different experience obviously, but really good.

thanks

Steve

[Dean250]

Yeah easily sorted!, i was just worried really about leaving the trickle charger on while I am away, keeping the weak battery topped up whilst it was being drained by the alarm light!

Still loving owning the car, I've done around 500 miles since xmas, just been very busy with work.

Changed the coolant bottle and flushed with the type D coolant in although need a bit more to get rid of the pink stuff! I've changed the drivers interior door handle, fitted a poly bushed dog bone mount to take the rocking out of the gear stick and had the wheels balanced! thats it really apart from keeping her detailed in the garage!

I am still on restoring my williams 2 when I have spare time, she's almost ready for a full respray!

[scream1]

you should post up some arty pictures on the site to show her off!

[Dean250]

I know I really should, I keep thinking would like to get all four of my renault sports cleaned up and get some nice pictures before I get a new daily drive! I just never have time with work and studying!

hopefully in the not too distant future will get an R5 GTT to store away for a future project!