How long before an Elise battery goes flat?

[Tommy Twist]

I'd be interested to hear of your experiences.

My S2 'Yota Elise was left sitting for ten days, over the recent snowfall, and it turned over pretty strongly when I eventually went to start it. However, I now have the car under its cover, and TBH I'd be quite happy to leave it there until at least the xmas hols... but from all I've read, three weeks would probably be pushing it for an Elise battery holding a charge during winter. What do you reckon?

Should the battery go dead, I take it I can still operate the door locks manually? Anything else that I should be aware of (e.g. alarm issues)? If it came to it, I could temporarily run a cable to the car for emergency recharging, but unfortunately a mains-powered trickle-charger just isn't practical.

Thanks again folks!

[puffin]

My S1 battery survived the last 6 weeks while I was unable to drive so it's probably not as bad as people make out.

Caveats:

- Alarm disabled
- Car stored in underground parking so temperatures weren't as bad as they could have been
- No electric central locking!

[Shug]

Massively temp variable.

In winter, with a strong battery (seems the Yotas are less prone to supping up current than the Ks - if you take my S1 and Elaines S2 as a sample) three weeks should be absolutely fine. I think part of the problem with S1s was that the battery sat right on the ally floor at the front - a great heat sink. S2s with the batt in the boot seem to have a better time of it.

[tut]

Not worth taking a chance, especially as it is not good for the life of the battery to completely discharge.

With a good battery you would probably manage three weeks, but it does vary across models. On the S1 you can just pull a battery terminal off, but not sure about these new fangled S2's.

tut

[Tommy Twist]

Thanks for the replies, folks.

Sounds like three weeks isn't totally out of the question, so I might try that, assuming that the Scottish weather doesn't throw us a stunner one Sunday between now and xmas, such that I can take it out for a 'spirited recharge' (some hope!). The car had a good hour's run before parking up, so fingers crossed it'll be OK laid-up...

Tut, I take your point about discharging the battery. I guess I'll try it once just to get a benchmark, and if it doesn't work then I'll put it down to experience (and a dose of willful ignorance).

Considered disarming the alarm, but was concerned about implications on insurance cover. I've binned the stereo, if that makes any odds! (probably not)

Cheers!

[Tommy Twist]

P.S. When I first picked the car up from Murray's, Craig warned me not to expect the battery to hold charge for more than four days (!)... but I guess he was looking to cover his Kyber. Understandable, I suppose, but seems just a wee bit on the pessimistic side

[point n squirt]

Get a trickle charger,sorted.

[IanD]

I found recently S2 lasted 3 weeks with alarm off but battery still connected. With alarm on, the car sitting outside was fine after a 2 week gap but dead after the 3rd week so now I just plug in a battery charger every 2nd weekend with a long cable and leave it switched on for a day as well as leaving alarm off. Trickle charger would be better so will probably buy one soon.
So wouldn't guarantee it to last more than 2 weeks with the alarm on as we hit the colder weather and if you really flatten the battery, it might not recover making it a bit of an expensive trial

[Tommy Twist]

Get a trickle charger,sorted.

Just wouldn't work with the car on the driveway, unless I can find me one of those wireless trickle chargers

[Tommy Twist]

I found recently S2 lasted 3 weeks with alarm off but battery still connected. With alarm on, the car sitting outside was fine after a 2 week gap but dead after the 3rd week so now I just plug in a battery charger every 2nd weekend with a long cable and leave it switched on for a day as well as leaving alarm off. Trickle charger would be better so will probably buy one soon.
So wouldn't guarantee it to last more than 2 weeks with the alarm on as we hit the colder weather and if you really flatten the battery, it might not recover making it a bit of an expensive trial

Thanks for sharing. Actually, that's not a bad idea – to give the car a little boost charge the odd day while the weather's fair - means I have to remove the cover, but I don't have to go through the lengthy process of:

- Go for a drive to recharge battery
- Clean car
- Dry car
- Drive car around the block to remove rust from brakes
- Hose lower part of car to remove any grit that might've been picked up while removing rust from brakes
- Cover car

!!!

...what a guddle that is at this time of year!

Cheers.

[Lazydonkey]

Or go to maplins and get a solar charger.

Problem solved.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

[Tommy Twist]

Or go to maplins and get a solar charger.

Thanks for the suggestion, although I already have a solar charger (from Maplin). I bought it for those periods when the car's laid-up without the cover fitted. Unfortunately I can't see how I could practically use the cover and the solar charger at the same time

[mark7]

Take the cover off for a day every week when sun is forecast? and let the car get some fresh air at the same time. Assuming these new fangled yoto models have an internal power point.

[Tommy Twist]

Take the cover off for a day every week when sun is forecast? and let the car get some fresh air at the same time. Assuming these new fangled yoto models have an internal power point.

I suppose I could, but if I'm taking the Danny Glover off, I'm as well running an extension out of the house and giving it a good solid charge from a mains charger.

Life would be so much simpler if I had a garage, eh?

[Tommy Twist]

P.S. "Car cover with in-built solar panel", now there's a thought...