charging the battery

[civvie]

Due to the cold weather and a change in the use of my car, Peugeot 3008 1.6hdi sometimes it can sit unused for a few days, even up to a week whilst I pop about on the bus etc. The other day when I started it, it didn't spin over as fast as I would like, I have one of those trickle/ conditioner chargers and was thinking it might be an idea to trickle charge whilst its not being used. Now I was brought up in the era of points, condensers, nipples etc, just like a few others on the forum, and these computer aided cars scare the daylights out of me, I expect it to blow up if I even touch the electrics.

The battery on my 3008 is positioned in such a way that it is partially hidden in the engine bay, I can access the +positive post but the negative post is well hidden under all the gubbins, would I blow the electronics up if I attached the positive lead from the charger direct to the battery +post and the negative lead direct onto the body somewhere with the crocodile clip on the lead. I would have thought its no different to the engine starting and the alternator charging the battery. You hear so many scare stories about battery related use nowdays just want to make sure.

Comments please for a pensioner.

Steve

[Paul-R]

The 3008 may be the same as many later cars and have a battery monitoring device. This fits on the battery terminal and there will be specific instructions on how to charge the battery in the handbook.

[white exec]

Have zapped my post above.
Wonder where the alternator output meets the battery on such a system?
Bring out the circuits, again...

[wheeler]

There should be a specific earth point on the slam panel near the passengers side headlamp for connecting jump lead/chargers to.

[civvie]

Have given this thread a few days to see what feedback would show, yes Chris saw your original post and thought, good its going in the right direction, then Paul deflated me with his post. Did actually look in the handbook and that contradicted itself, it said to start the car using another battery piggy back them as I and everyone has done for years start the car and disconnect leads when it returns to idle. To use a battery charger, disconnect the battery from the car, does that mean actually taking the battery out? or just disconnect the positive, which ever way I can't see the difference between using another battery to start, then a charger to top up the battery, am I missing something here? Plus the handbook says I have to reset the remote key.
Bloody modern cars, Bet Mr Ford didn't have this problem with his model T

[wheeler]

You will have no problem whatsoever using a battery conditioner with the battery still connected. I have done it many times without any issues. If the car has a battery monitoring system though I would normally not go directly onto the negative terminal (same goes for jump starting). If you go directly to the terminal it can upset the battery monitoring system. use the chassis or the engine block.

[civvie]

Thanks for all the replies, Paul I do appreciate your comments, its good to know people here look out for each other and flag any problems that may crop up. Wheeler many thanks, I shall do exactly as you say, I was going to put the negative onto the engine/chassis anyway, as I explained the negative terminal is well tucked out of site under all the casing around the battery.

Cheers lads.

[Londoner]

Just wanted to say a big thank you as I was really worried about charging the battery without disconnecting it. Reading about what to do and then thinking it through I realised that attaching the plus connector then negative to a part of the chassis was just the same as jump starting a car..the battery charged perfectly...
And it did not affect a thing on the car.

Thanks.

[Dave308]

Can i ask exactly where you connected charger please.

[civvie]

HI Dave.
Although I have now changed vehicles, (now have a Hyunda) I had/have one of those optimate intellegent chargers. I connected the positive lead from the charger to the positive terminal on the battery. The negative lead was connected to the bodywork NOT to the negative on he battery doing that might upset any battery monitioring device fitted.

Steve

[Dave308]

Hi steve can i ask where on the bodywork specifically i cant use the erth point on slam panel as the crocadile clip is to big and wont allow me to close bonnet.

[myglaren]

Can you bring it up from under the car?
Should be OK to connect neutral to an earth point anywhere on the engine or gearbox.

[civvie]

Hi steve can i ask where on the bodywork specifically i cant use the earth point on slam panel as the crocadile clip is to big and wont allow me to close bonnet.

No reason you can't fix the clip to any metal part on the engine or body, as long as it makes a circuit it will work.

Steve

[brianbaru0]

I have a peugeot 3008 -diesel my battery died on me this weekend i removed the whole battery so i could charge it up,
not for the faint hearted. put it on a full charge till the morning then reconnected it, what a job but i managed it now it works as it should.
but next time i will just connect the plus cable from the charger to the plus terminal on the battery,then connect the negative cable on the
charger to a earth point in the engine, the leave it to fully charge .the battery on my car is a stop-start one called AGM battery system.
so a brand new battery for this car cost £140.00 + so it is cheaper to buy a charger and recharge it is you can.

Brian

[GiveMeABreak]

Batteries only have a limited life. Over time they lose their ability to hold a charge as their capacity diminishes. A battery charger will only be ale to charge the battery up to the maximum charge the battery can hold which reduces over time.

At some point you will need a new battery - especially with a Stop Start system and you will need to replace it with an another AGM battery on these vehicles.