Battery Charging

[beefio]

I only use my F about once a week and the battery doesn't hold charger particularly well, it's only a Halfords 063/430cc battery which isn't correct for my mk2 VVC with PAS so planning to replace with a 075/600cc battery but I'll lap want to check that the alternator is working correctly so I tested the before and after startup with a multimeter which gave the following results...

Is this normal?



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[Blackwell Bandit]

The first with the engine off is ok

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[Blackwell Bandit]

But the second with running is wrong unless the pics are the wrong way round then yes it's ok

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[Helsbyman]

Yes both right

[beefio]

First pic is engine off. Second is engine running.

[beefio]

So what is the consensus, is my alternator working ok?

[daz]

Yes it's fine

[scimitargtc]

12.74v on a standing battery is fine, charging @13.95 is ok if not startling i'd expect around 14.2/3 v . my 2004 1.8 flattens her battery in 2 -3 weeks if left standing - no curent drain, ecu goes into sleep mode fine so fitted an old tech car-disconnect to the battery £12 and fine ever since as long as i remember to screw the knob back in when i want to use her and not panic as to why no electrickery & have the remote to hand to unlock/disarm the alarm when its powered up

[Kasper]

2 to 3 weeks wow, can't make that with either the MGF or the TF. Both being technically ok!

Like scimitargtc I have introduced the old fashioned battery disconnect switch on all cars. In the end I simply turn the engine of the MGF off in late october and firing it up again in March without taking any additional action. No drain means no charging needed. (OK Ok not for the full 100%) but it works both on the MGF and the MGCGT.

[beefio]

Yeah I probably only get about a week, so I brought a CTEK MXS 5.0 battery conditioner for £46 which works well, but it never seems to get up to the 'trickle charge' stage which suggests the battery is past it's best, it's not the end of the world I just have to remember to plug it in and take it off...

Still I will upgrade the battery soon and hopefully that will help the situation, as long as the alternator is working ok, which apparently it is!