Battery Question

[Acejam]

So we have taken in my mother's '71 MGB in which my grandfather has been holding on to. He ran it regularly, and always had it plugged into a trickle charger, etc, all maintenance done, that sort of thing

Now im back on college break. My parents never run the car. It probably hasnt been driven for about 3 weeks, and this problem occurs often during the winter months. What happens is that the charger says the battery is fully charged, then when u go to start it, it wont start. I used my battery box to jump start it, started right up. Once i get it running, i turn off the box, and then it will die approximately 15 seconds later. It will only run on the battery box, although it seems like the batteries can hold charge, just not very much. Im not sure if these are the original batteries or not, all i know is that there are two of them, lol.

Any suggestions? Also, would it be worth it to buy new batteries? Is it tricky to install batteries in a car that uses two?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Steve_S]

You have the classic symptoms of a dead battery, or in this case batteries. Unless you care greatly about absolute originality, convert the car to a single 12-volt battery. The original twin 6-volt batteries cost a lot more, are heavier and don't last nearly as long. The conversion is not difficult at all.

 

[JoshP]

It's not tricky to install the twin 6 volts, however all but the most hardcore of purists has switched this configuration over to a single 12 volt battery (Group 26 battery, if you go this route). This conversion isn't complicated at all, and you can use the other battery box for storage!

From your symptoms, it sounds like you have a pair of 6 volts that won't hold a charge too well. Check into the 12 volt conversion...you'll be glad you did!

 

[Acejam]

Wow, i appreciate the quick responses!

Sounds like a single Groupe 26 12 Volt is the way to go. How would one go about installling this, with 2 sets of positive and negative connectors?

 

[tony barnhill]

Group 26? Thought I always buy Group 27..

 

[Bugeye58]

Tony, 27's are huge. Think big, diesel truck.
Jeff

 

[DrEntropy]

Yup. 26 here... 27 in Diesela.

 

[tony barnhill]

Yep, 26 - you guys are right...

 

[DrEntropy]

"Oh, yee of little faith..."

<*SNORK!*>

 

[tony barnhill]

I've gotta go put the 'offending bodyshell' on the trailer

 

[DrEntropy]

Section it with the SawzAll and TOSS it on a piece at a time!

 

[mgbmedic]

Before spending money, loosen and remove battery clamps at batterys and at the ground and the starter. clean with a wire brush and Arm-and-Hammer/water paste. Then try to charge. It's worth a try before spending hard earned dollars, but then again, I am a tightwad.

 

[Nunyas]

'posed to be a group 26? Not sure what group my battery is, but I gots this Energizer in me B that's simply massive.... barely fits through the battery box hole. I gotta tilt it one way then the other to get it into the battery box.... then I gotta fuss around to get the cables to reach the terminals.

 

[Bugeye58]

This link may help in choosing a battery.

https://www.rtpnet.org/~teaa/bcigroup.html

Jeff

 

[Guinn]

DON'T junk the batteries yet! Before you do anything else, remove the terminals and really shine them and the posts. Lots of "dead" batteries have come to life when the connections are cleaned. Lots of money has gone to NAPA or Schucks that could have bought something you really need!

Both my F150 and my riding mower batteries had the same problem within the month. Both start and run just fine now. But I have bought batteries un-necessarily in the past, usually when I forgot to clean the connections!

Guinn

 

[Bruce74B]

To answer your question, it is not hard to replace the two six volt batteries that are hooked up in series with one 12 volt battery. Just remove the cable that connects the two batteries together positive to negative and reroute one of the other cables to the other box and drop in the Type 26 12 volt battery. I find it easier to use the positive wire in the driver's side, remove the connection to the driver's side negative and the passenger side positive, and then reroute the negative cable from the passenger side to the driver's side...if you are lucky, it will reach just fine...if not, any decent autoparts store will have a suitable battery ground cable and connector. I also recommend that you get a battery cut off switch and hook it up while you are doing this...you might appreciate that later as you work on various electrical parts in the car.

Welcome, and good luck!

Bruce /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[Guest]

Have you considered converting over to an Optima Gel battery? I have one in my TR6 and now I don't have to use a battery box
anymore. Just glued several layers of closed-cell foam on the bottom and back, jerking it out is a snap, for cleaning behind the battery. You MG types do clean behind your batteries, right?

Now I don't have to carry that hot can of Coke Classic in the boot anymore.

Bill

 

[Steve_S]

Optima is the way to go. They cost a hundred bucks but will greatly outlast normal batteries, don't leak acid and hold a charge far better than other types.

 

[DrEntropy]

I've a client with a V-12 E-type. He's his own DPO. Car sits under a house against the Intercoastal. I've had this car stripped/refurb'd from the firewall, forward. He'd park it for MONTHS without starting it, then call and want to p*ss 'n moan about what a lousy job I did. We put a gear reduction starter, a Delco alternator and an Optima battery in it. THAT took care of the no-start after sitting too long problem... now if I could just wrest it from HIS hands I'd have a stone-reliable E-type convertible four speed! Some folks just have too much MONEY and not *nearly* enough SENSE. Stainless sleeved calipers all-round too... silicone fluid. Wiring back to factory spec. Lets his KIDS klank their bicycles against the sides 'cause they're too lazy to use kickstands.... the car needs rescuing, but he ain't interested in selling it. GRRRRRR!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif

 

[Bob Claffie]

You might check the batteries separately. One battery that won't hold a charge will adversely affect the other one causing the situation you have. My MG was converted to a single 12V which was a good move, but this could give you an alternative solution. Bob