Jump Start The Zoe

[DSLiverpool]

The Zoe is not being used, it can fully drain its "car battery" in 10 days and its flat as a fluke.
I am nervous about jumping after frying the very first in car CD (Blaupunkt discs in a case individually) in my XR4i 1983.
Anyhoo do I need to disconnect it from the car ? both legs ? can I just put a trickle charger on the terminals whilst its connected ?
Cheers

[AW10]

I'd vote for the trickle charge as best to keep the 12v battery healthy.

And a jump start shouldn't be a big issue because your Zoe isn't going to draw a silly amount of current in one go from the 12v battery system. What does the owner's manual say?

[DSLiverpool]

It says it's ok to charge but I can't work out if its ok to jump

[AW10]

If in doubt shut off the engine of the other car and then it's just two 12v batteries in series with no chance of any alternator-sourced voltage spikes/changes.

[Magic919]

AW10 said:

If in doubt shut off the engine of the other car and then it's just two 12v batteries in series with no chance of any alternator-sourced voltage spikes/changes.

Wiring them in series sounds like it would bring problems of its own.

[AW10]

Sorry! I meant parallel!!

[anonymous-user]

Surely if you leave Zoe parked you should leave it plugged in (to charger) and hence it should keep the 12v battery topped up automatically?

The thing about EV's is that because they have a huge amount of 'lecy in the HV battery, the 12v one should never go flat!! (typical 12v battery is only about 1kWh or so)

Looks like Zoe can have charging issues:

ZOE_IS_FLAT

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 15th January 17:24

[DSLiverpool]

Max_Torque said:

Surely if you leave Zoe parked you should leave it plugged in (to charger) and hence it should keep the 12v battery topped up automatically?

The thing about EV's is that because they have a huge amount of 'lecy in the HV battery, the 12v one should never go flat!! (typical 12v battery is only about 1kWh or so)

Looks like Zoe can have charging issues:

ZOE_IS_FLAT

Edited by Max_Torque on Sunday 15th January 17:24

The battery lasts a week, the traction battery hardly loses anything.

[anonymous-user]

DSLiverpool said:

Max_Torque said:

Surely if you leave Zoe parked you should leave it plugged in (to charger) and hence it should keep the 12v battery topped up automatically?

The thing about EV's is that because they have a huge amount of 'lecy in the HV battery, the 12v one should never go flat!! (typical 12v battery is only about 1kWh or so)

Looks like Zoe can have charging issues:

ZOE_IS_FLAT

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 15th January 17:24

The battery lasts a week, the traction battery hardly loses anything.

Something is broken then!

[anonymous-user]

Mine has been stood since 20 Dec, not plugged in

12V battery fine

[DSLiverpool]

JPJPJP said:

Mine has been stood since 20 Dec, not plugged in

12V battery fine

Yep ours is faulty but goes next week so cant be bothered getting it fixed.

[Modiman46]

Its easy to do a parallel jump onto the 12 volt or if you have a 12 v mains charger direct onto the 12 v battery. The traction battery or EVSE will NOT charge the 12 volt until turning car "ON", the DC to DC inverta will then charge, this is why the 12 v will drain if not using the car. The controls for all operations of ECU, lights , wipers, etc. all work from the 12 volt battery as in a Dino car, but the lack of "feeding" the 12 v every week or so will drain it. The mains EVSE will not charge the 12 v directly unless the car`s DC to DC inverta is switched on for at least 30 mins.

[HTP99]

You've got a problem somewhere; one of the earliest ZOE's that I sold, sat out the back of the dealership for a month due to constant delays with British Gas installing the charge point, the battery didn't go flat, we also have ZOE's regularly sit at our dealership for 2-3 weeks when they have been delivered quickly and there is a long lead time to have the charge point installed, never have they gone flat either.

I am also led to believe that the main traction battery keeps the battery topped up too, unless it falls below a certain level.

[DSLiverpool]

HTP99 said:

You've got a problem somewhere; one of the earliest ZOE's that I sold, sat out the back of the dealership for a month due to constant delays with British Gas installing the charge point, the battery didn't go flat, we also have ZOE's regularly sit at our dealership for 2-3 weeks when they have been delivered quickly and there is a long lead time to have the charge point installed, never have they gone flat either.

I am also led to believe that the main traction battery keeps the battery topped up too, unless it falls below a certain level.

Yep your right but its in for a service on weds and goes back next week - HTP can you see my issues on the "giving the Zoe back thread" please, see what you think