Battery saga

Ok Richard. Electrician here, speaking off the top of and slightly out the back of said head.

Logically, what does your battery do? = gives you energy to run things.
Think of your pocket torch. Switch it on. Light appears Ok. For how long? Until battery expires.

Bigger battery lot more capacity lasts longer. Battery dies.

Rechargable battery ! Ah Good idea. Should last forever. Forget it.
No money in the production of something that's not got to be replaced.
A battery is doomed from birth. Bit like us humans. We just have no idea of how long.
When new and given it's first charge to bring it up to effect a battery will falsly tell you that it is producing "X"
A volt meter reading will also give you a number of volts. Usually over what the battery says it has. i.e. 12v = 13.5v etc.
An ampmeter will give a simullar falsification. This is just to get your hopes up that you are on to a winner.

The internal ressitace (and there is one) in the battery is downloading (Now you IT guys know what that is) "X" amps whilst it's standing there doing nothing (Or so you think)

Being constantly charged and re-charged enduces more sediment internal, increasing the internal ressitance even more so there is more, "leakage" as it's known. Your battery is slowly loosing it's effect the more you use it and even whist you don't use it.

Specific gravity. i.e. the electrolite in the battery cells can be measured to see if the battery is charged or flat or somewhere in between. Should be about 1240 if my memory serves me right. Somewhere on the green area of the hydrometer syringe that you stick in the cell to see if you have any life in the thing.

Fill with distilled water only when required and only to just above the level of the plates in the cell (about 1/8th. inch above) More will weaken the electrolite Recharging will be less effective and you're going downhill. Recharge the battery imediatly when adding any distilled water. Very important that.

Set your charger to as low as possible. A long low charge has more staying power.

Normal running of a car during the winter period will have minimal charging effect on the cars battery. Think it out. You have the lights, the heater, the radio, Car seats, electric windows, Windscreen wipers and spray. Cigarette lighter socket. (What have you got plugged into that? The mobile phone? The cooler box? In your case the Fridge!) Short journey's don't give the internal system a chance to reccuperate the losses. The cars internal system only gives a topping up effect. It won't rectify any serious loss.

The battery should be removed and placed on charge in the garage/kitchen table at least over night even all day if possible. Twice during the winter time.

It will also help the battery if it is purposly drained electrically completely and set on charged again SLOWLY. Gives it a "Kiss of life" so to speak.

Hope some of it helps

Chas