Battery Completely Flat After Power Pack Boost. Help!!!

[FordFocusLover]

Hello,

The battery for my Ford Focus Zetec Climate 55 plate was completely flat after I went to start it one day, I figured it was flat as a result of me not using the car for over a month and it was idle. Anyway I bought a power pack to jump start the car. I charged the power pack for 36 hours as instructed and then proceed to jump start the car. All worked fine and I then drove around the block for 2 minutes or so ( I think that is not enough right as you need to at least let the battery charge for 15 minutes plus right). So yeah careless on my part. Also I had a new alternator fitted last year. So it can not possibly be that. I think its the battery, So I'm just going to buy a new one and get it fitted.

Also I was wondering about this smart charge battery thing. Does my car have one also?? Do they come warehouse fitted with all ford focus's?? Thanks

[jeebowhite]

All modern Ford's have smart charge so yes, you will have it. You will need to replace the battery with a silver calcium battery only (lead acid, silver, or calcium alone are the wrong ones). EuroCarParts currently have a 51% off sale so you should be able to buy a battery fairly cheaply in comparison to normal right now.

the battery pack probably had enough power to jump it once, but I expect you have a dead cell in the battery, thus the drive might have given some charge but nowhere near enough. Once its died though it tends to trouble from thereon, so definately get yourself a new silver calcium variety.

[FordFocusLover]

Thanks for the reply. I was wondering if I could try and jump start it again using the power pack and drive it to my local garage which is not far away. Do you think it will give out on me?? Thanks

Also I was looking at getting a Bosch 45 amp Silver line battery is that a good battery?

[jeebowhite]

If you can get it jump started, you should be alright, as the power pack will spike the supply to get the starter and the engine turned over. Once this is done your running on the alternator. If you lock the car and leave it to idle for 15 minutes before driving it, that should start to pump some juice into the battery but if the cell is dead, then you wont get anything really from it.

I have the Bosch S4 which is a great battery its more than enough for what I need, the LED sidelights, and all bulbs bar the major varieties means that S4 is actually too much, but better too much, than not enough!

[mgaking]

15 minutes is nowhere near enough time to charge a flat battery.

If you have a charger then give it an overnight slow charge.

[jeebowhite]

I agree 15 minutes isnt enough to charge it, you would be looking at a good hour on a motorway to get it up to a decent charge, but a 15 minute idle should put enough juice in there for "one more turn" (or so I was informed by my recovery agent at the start of the year). To be honest, when my battery first died, he jump started it, and I left the car locked but running outside the house for a good 25 minutes, then drove to EuroCarParts, bought a few things (battery included) then came back and did the same. Approximately 75 minutes spent running and charging and although the battery was on its way out, I managed to do a good 6 turnovers and short drives before it died and I chose to replace the battery then.