RS2 battery question

[hiscocks]

Hi folks

The battery in my RS2 needs trickle charging, but it's been so long since I last did it I can't remember what I used as an earth point. The battery is in the back as you may know and there's plenty of painted metal back there but I don't recall there being anything like a ground point. I'm sure I used the negative terminal on the battery last time but not sure.

Any advice welcome!

Thanks

[phumy]

Hi I have an RS2 too and recently changed my battery as the old one which was about ten years old had just given up the ghost and wouldnt hold any charge, I bought a new battery and also bought one of these "maintenance" chargers, as the car in the garage for a long time over Winter. Just connect red/live to live/+ post and black/earth to the Earth/- post on the battery.

[hiscocks]

Thanks, that's what I thought but I vaguely remember hearing about the risk of explosion(!) doing it that way, but I guess these trickle chargers are so gentle it isn't a risk?

[hiscocks]

It's been on charge over night with clips on battery, no explosions yet. Hoping to take the old girl out for a spin later

[phumy]

Why would you get an expolsion?????

Did you go for your spin?

[hiscocks]

Various threads say that connecting like that will build up poisonous gasses and an explosion, or words to that effect. The batt has been on charge since I posted and still showing as 'charging' so haven't tried starting it yet. I will do later today. It's been still for about three months and I think there's a slight battery drain problem anyway so my fault - may need to jump it if it doesn't work.

[phumy]

If your battery isnt charged by now there is a problem, normally a decent working charger will put enough charge or fully charge a working battery with in 8 to 12 hours. Check your charger is OK, how old is your battery, if that is knackered and wont hold a charge then you will never charge it. If i were you i would give the car a try on the battery now, if you just get the obligatory "click" when attemting to start then its not charged, if it runs give the car a run out do not just let it idle as that wont put enough charge into the battery. Go out for a good drive and that will allow the alternator to put a decent charge into it.

A battery, when under charge, will give of very small amounts of Hydrogen gas, its not poisonous but can be explosive in the right concentrations (4% to 74% in air) however as long as you have the battery in the open air or is well ventilated it will be no problem.

[hiscocks]

Cheers. It’s showing as charged now. I should be able to go for a drive in it tomorrow and put it back on the conditioner. Ended up spending the day erecting a garden fence

Looking forward to a blast tomorrow, will let you know how it goes!

So tell me about your car?

[phumy]

I bought one Ragussa Green (OJK) in Jan 2016 then in Sept `16 I bought another one (ORS) so had two in the garage, one was keeper one i intended to sell on after doing some work on it. OJK was the keeper as the mileage was relatively low and had good pedigree and history.



I did the work on ORS and then sold it again after about 18 months and kept OKJ, which i still have today.



Its going for a full refresh underneath in April, everything blasted and coated/painted, new suspension, brakes, pads, calipers refurbed, all new lines, fuel and brakes and a repaint on the body underneath. Im hoping it will look almost like new. I will keep a log of the work and might post it on here as its going on.






It doesnt get used enough really but i will keep it anyway as its so nice to drive, i have other toys to play with so the RS is normally tucked away until the Sun comes out.

[Yertis]

phumy said:

I bought one Ragussa Green (OJK) in Jan 2016 then in Sept `16 I bought another one (ORS) so had two in the garage, one was keeper one i intended to sell on after doing some work on it. OJK was the keeper as the mileage was relatively low and had good pedigree and history.



I did the work on ORS and then sold it again after about 18 months and kept OKJ, which i still have today.



Its going for a full refresh underneath in April, everything blasted and coated/painted, new suspension, brakes, pads, calipers refurbed, all new lines, fuel and brakes and a repaint on the body underneath. Im hoping it will look almost like new. I will keep a log of the work and might post it on here as its going on.






It doesnt get used enough really but i will keep it anyway as its so nice to drive, i have other toys to play with so the RS is normally tucked away until the Sun comes out.

Out of interest who are you getting to do that work Phumy? I need the same doing to my MB PM me if you like (IIRC you're not that far from me)

[phumy]

Hi Yertis, Im in the South West, not sure where you are but im getting the work done near to Silverstone by an ex F1 engineer who has started up his own business doing blasting and coating and sorting out the whole underneath of the car, he is accustomed to stripping cars down and re-building them, mine is the first car he will have done. I will pm you, plus I will run a seperate thread on the work being done.

[hiscocks]

Failed to go out yesterday - baby was asleep above the garage and starting the car shakes the whole house so decided to wait until the weekend....

Will get some pictures too as mine has had a lot of work done to restore it to standard.

Mine's RS2 Blue and with 90k on the clock

[Yertis]

phumy said:

Hi Yertis, Im in the South West, not sure where you are but im getting the work done near to Silverstone by an ex F1 engineer who has started up his own business doing blasting and coating and sorting out the whole underneath of the car, he is accustomed to stripping cars down and re-building them, mine is the first car he will have done. I will pm you, plus I will run a seperate thread on the work being done.

Really appreciate that, thanks.