Flat Battery

[Peter 62]

Car has been parked in the street for a few weeks and the battery has gone flat.

Issue is that there is a car parked in front of it that has been there for months. There is only room for 1 car to drive up or down the road at a time, so if I parked alongside to jump start it I would block the road.

Would I be ok to park behind the car and jump start from that car direct onto the Volvo's battery (that is in the back under the floor)?

Am thinking it should be ok, but don't want to interfere/damage with any other electrics or electronics.

54 plate, phase 2 facelift.

[myfirstv70]

Do it late at night when nobody's around or take the battery out and charge it in the house....driving around with a flat battery won't charge it up to any degree....it will keep a good battery charged. Your battery should last a lot longer than a few weeks if it's in good shape....Maybe your alternator is struggling? Get it charged and get it tested .....SiRobb on youtube has done many V70 related battery/ charging videos....It's worth getting it sorted as there is never a good time for your car to not start.
HTH,
Nobby

[Lancee]

I would agree that it's safer to remove the battery and fully charge it.

Then refit and start.

[Simmy]

i would charge the battery insitu disconnect both leads from the battery before attaching the charger. do it over night to minimise any chance of causing a trip accident.

[4x4]

If the battery has been drained it will most likely need to be replaced

[Simmy]

use a battery optimiser for best results with a completely discharged battery if no luck charging. tanya do a well priced yuasa battery with quick delivery.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by Peter 62

Car has been parked in the street for a few weeks and the battery has gone flat.

Issue is that there is a car parked in front of it that has been there for months. There is only room for 1 car to drive up or down the road at a time, so if I parked alongside to jump start it I would block the road.

Would I be ok to park behind the car and jump start from that car direct onto the Volvo's battery (that is in the back under the floor)?

Am thinking it should be ok, but don't want to interfere/damage with any other electrics or electronics.

54 plate, phase 2 facelift.

Yes you can jump start the car by connecting the jump leads to the + and - of your cars battery and there there is no risk to damaging electronics etc. form doing do. I would personally connect it and leave in running for 10 mins or so to try and get some charge into the battery.

The reason this is not the prescribed method is the risk of hydrogen emissions from the battery being ignited by a spark when the jump leads are removed (hence the advice to connect the negative lead to metal work). Hence - disconnect the leads from the battery which is in the most open space first. If you have a tow ball you could clamp the -ve lead to that otherwise just go straight to the battery - it will be fine.....

[stuart bowes]

of course one of the inconveniences of a bloomin' automatic is you can't just roll it down the road and bump start it

I remember back in the day I used to have an old escort I had to bump start pretty much every other day, when you're a student a new battery is expensive

got to the point I could do it myself just shoulder into the A post and run along, hop in and go

[ASt85]

Originally Posted by stuart bowes

of course one of the inconveniences of a bloomin' automatic is you can't just roll it down the road and bump start it

I remember back in the day I used to have an old escort I had to bump start pretty much every other day, when you're a student a new battery is expensive

got to the point I could do it myself just shoulder into the A post and run along, hop in and go

My mini was probably even easier as significantly lighter than the Escort and with the bigger doors the leap in didn't need gymnastic skills

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by stuart bowes

of course one of the inconveniences of a bloomin' automatic is you can't just roll it down the road and bump start it

I remember back in the day I used to have an old escort I had to bump start pretty much every other day, when you're a student a new battery is expensive

got to the point I could do it myself just shoulder into the A post and run along, hop in and go

I had a Chevette were I did exactly the same thing until I saved £15 for a battery from a scrap yard....

Also did it one on a Volvo 440 when the starter motor packed in...