Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Battery Drain

Evening All, have just acquired a 2017 plus 4. Drove 220 miles 5 weeks ago so battery fully charged. Tried to start it today after 5 weeks of non usage and got the click/click. Battery almost flat. Battery is now 7 years old (not be changed since car was brand new) so battery may be on way out. I got it started via jump cables.

My question is about battery drain. Would you expect a good battery to drain most of its charge if not used for 5 weeks due to various components continually taking some power? Is that typical of Morgans?

Thanks.

Niall
No is the simple answer. If the mileage is low and it hasn't been on a charger / conditioner it could be dead. Gell batteries in my experience fail rapidly.


Time to replace it I suspect

My 2018 +4 would do the same if I did not use an Optimate. Other chargers are available. I don't leave the car more than 2 weeks without it being on charge. It might last 3 to 4 weeks but it's not worth the risk. I have a lead wired in so it's easy to put on charge.
The alarm system takes power all the time.
Cheers
John.

Your battery is toast Niall as there is very little capacity left. In answer to your question a good fully charged battery should start the car after five weeks but you haven't got a good one! Batteries are consumables and the ageing process which normally relates to ever diminishing capacity starts soon after first use or even earlier if its been on suppliers shelf for any time. Seven years is a good life for a poorly maintained battery anyway. Your long run will have charged the battery fully but only within the constraints of its much reduced capacity compared to a new one. Although battery drain from the cars electrics/electronics is minimal there is also natural battery drain to contend with. The only point regarding this issue being typical of Morgans is their lack of use.

Buy a new one (type 075) and if you are not going to use your car for such extended periods leave it on a smart charger.

Hi John, thanks. When you say you have a lead wired in to plug in the charger, do you have any more details on that? Sounds like a good idea.

As Richard says, dead battery. I had one give up on thePlus8 after 10 years and regular use (50k+ miles). I use a Ctech conditioner and bolt their connector lead onto the battery terminals so a simple plug in to that fly lead. I prefer that to the power socket/cigar lighter method as they can be a bit loose fitting.
A useful additional check is to clean and refit earth connections from the battery to the chassis and to the starter motor.

When you buy one of the good chargers it will usually come with a variety of connectors in addition to crocodile clips for quick uses. Mine has

1. Croc clips
2. o rings that go on the main cable clamps and have a connector (waterproof) so I can just push it on.
3. o rings that can go on the main clamps but have bare ends (fit to a socket in the main cabin to avoid lifting the bonnets. Do beware of the amp level for the socket you use etc. Not my favourite solution as it needs a lot of fiddling.

Example of connectors I got with mine
[img]http://frazerpart.com/cdn/shop/products/MXS-5.0-Charge-o-mat_1_300x.progressive.jpg?[/img]
(Not recommending this site or charger just the first right picture i found)

One thing few people have found is that the cables can chafe around the chassis over time which can induce loss shortening the time it keeps charge for. My older S2 can run for weeks after I got the cables through the chassis to the drivers door sorted. They had worn and some electrons were clearly escaping into the wild.

I would agree re fitting a new one and using a conditioner. When choosing the battery include the warranty length in your decision and keep the receipt safe - if it does bork then you can swap it 5 years in etc.

Niall

I have a 2019 Plus4 kept under a canvas garage on the driveway. It gets used regularly but in the winter (and over spring/summer/autumn if it is unlikely to be used for more than a couple of weeks) I plug it into a c-tek battery conditioner. I have been meaning to put in a charge lead direct from the battery but haven't got round to it and simply plug it into the 12v socket under the dash - as previously said it can feel a little loose but but once I've checked it is charging it has always been ok for me. I have adopted this approach after I got caught out a year or so into ownership (had the car from new) with a flat battery after being away for 6 weeks. I replaced the battery and have not had an issue since.

Niall,
Here my charger set up. Just a lead through the bulkhead behind the passenger seat, RHD car.
NB The lead must be fused!!! sorry if you already know this.
As others have said the main cause could well be the battery. However if you do not use the car in the winter you'll need some sort of charger setup anyway.

Cheers
John

Niall,
I use a CTEK with a fused lead ( the so called comfort lead). Ebay has a pricey example. Item #321743773864. I paid far less.
I have a drilled hole in the ali plate on the back board in front of the battery for the lead to pass through with a rubber grommet to prevent chaffing.

Changing the battery is pretty simple.

I remove the tool tray to give access & light from above as it is easier but I believe not essential if your arms bend in ways mine don't.

1. Move the passenger seat forwards.
2. unscrew the plate.
3. remove the -ve lead first avoiding shorting both terminals
4. remove the red positive lead. The new battery will have terminal cover caps in plastic put those on the old battery terminals to be safe.
5.unscrew & remove the carrier top bar & wing nuts.
6. the battery should if slid forward come out vertically
7. clean up the carrier & rust proof as needed . I also loosen the earth wire nut & bolt onto the chassis & cleaned it with contact cleaner followed by lelctrical grease. Have a coffee to ease your back
8. Put the terminal cover caps back on the new unit & slide it in.
9. replace the carrier top bar & screw down securely.
10. fit first the +ve red lead to the +ve terminal, using elctrical grease on the terminal post.
11. Ditto for the -ve black lead. You can also have added the CTEK lead to each terminal if you want to.
12. Check the car starts before replacing the cover & tool tray.
13. Put the cover caps on the old battery & dispose of it.

As Richard says it is a type 75 calcium battery you need not a lead acid or and AGM type. The type is important as it needs to physically fit the carrier.