Track car battery going flat - cut off switch?

[AshWebb]

Hi all,

As title. I have a ph1 172 track car which has an odyssey race battery. I don't use the car very often so every time I go to start it the battery is flat. I assume that it's being drained by the clock, immobiliser etc.

I want to fit a battery cut off switch, as its a bit of a pain pushing the car out of the garage and jump starting!

The car has an aftermarket immobiliser. Would switching the battery off for say 2 weeks mess with the alarm / immobiliser and cause me issues?

Has anyone else had a similar scenario and if so what solution did you come up with?

Thanks in advance, Ash.

 

[172_Tom]

First thing I would do is measure how much current the car is drawing when it's switched off and locked.

If it's 'just' a track car and not a race car then you could just fit a normal battery as the power to weight difference would be minimal, especially once you take weight of the driver and fuel into account.

 

[Martin.]

I got a cut off switch on mine so never have any issues. Sometimes don't start the car for over a month.

 

[AshWebb]

First thing I would do is measure how much current the car is drawing when it's switched off and locked.

If it's 'just' a track car and not a race car then you could just fit a normal battery as the power to weight difference would be minimal, especially once you take weight of the driver and fuel into account.

Thanks Tom, I'll see how much power it's taking although I don't actually lock the car or set the alarm. It's just the immobiliser that has to be disarmed each time I start it (it's a sigma alarm).

I thought about fitting a normal battery, and agree with you I'm not too bothered about the weight saving but the race battery is relocated and fitted nicely under the passenger seat so want to avoid relocating it again if I can.

My main concern really is messing the sigma immobiliser up if it's without power for so long.

 

[AshWebb]

I got a cut off switch on mine so never have any issues. Sometimes don't start the car for over a month.

Thanks Martin, do you have a race battery fitted? And do you know whether this would affect my sigma immobiliser?

 

[Martin.]

I have a varley 25.

I don't know about the immobiliser sorry. I've never even heard of that.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Does the garage have a window? if so, get one of those solar panel chargers (trickle), always plug my race cars into one of these, and it stops them going flat.

Maplins do them.

 

[AshWebb]

I have a varley 25.

I don't know about the immobiliser sorry. I've never even heard of that.

Ok martin thanks for the help.

 

[AshWebb]

Does the garage have a window? if so, get one of those solar panel chargers (trickle), always plug my race cars into one of these, and it stops them going flat.

Maplins do them.

The garage does have a window and I do actually have a solar trickle charger, but I read about them damaging AGM type batteries because they supply the wrong voltage and current?

 

[Tony Hunter]

Rubbish, never had any trouble at all.
Just make sure the battery is charged first, then leave solar panel to keep it topped up, think mine was about £8.99, was on offer though.
Got one in the camper van too, starts every time.
As they say, it won't charge a flat battery, but stops them going flat.

 

[AshWebb]

Rubbish, never had any trouble at all.
Just make sure the battery is charged first, then leave solar panel to keep it topped up, think mine was about £8.99, was on offer though.
Got one in the camper van too, starts every time.
As they say, it won't charge a flat battery, but stops them going flat.

Sounds good that's all I need really! I'll take it for a run at the weekend (weather dependant!) and give it a try. Cheers.

 

[green]

Mine use to discharge too. Now I just disconnect the negative and reconnect it when I use the car. Just have to reset the clock and radio.
I do this all the time on mine and it starts every time! I do have butterfly nuts on my battery which makes it easy.

 

[AshWebb]

Mine use to discharge too. Now I just disconnect the negative and reconnect it when I use the car. Just have to reset the clock and radio.
I do this all the time on mine and it starts every time! I do have butterfly nuts on my battery which makes it easy.

Ah sweet that's good to know. My mate has now given me his old FIA battery cut off switch so going to wire that in just need to find somewhere to mount it!

 

[GrahamS]

Hi all,

As title. I have a ph1 172 track car which has an odyssey race battery. I don't use the car very often so every time I go to start it the battery is flat. I assume that it's being drained by the clock, immobiliser etc.

I want to fit a battery cut off switch, as its a bit of a pain pushing the car out of the garage and jump starting!

The car has an aftermarket immobiliser. Would switching the battery off for say 2 weeks mess with the alarm / immobiliser and cause me issues?

Has anyone else had a similar scenario and if so what solution did you come up with?

Thanks in advance, Ash.

I just lock the car and unplug the battery every time I put it away. Cheapest solution although cut off/trickle charger is more convenient.

 

[R26Dan]

Ah sweet that's good to know. My mate has now given me his old FIA battery cut off switch so going to wire that in just need to find somewhere to mount it!

Fitted it yet faggot?

 

[Inequality Street]

Fitted it yet faggot?

Blimey. You're either a complete dick, OR you know him and your friendship has reached "that stage" where it's acceptable to insult each other.

Either way. Gayyyy.

 

[R26Dan]

Blimey. You're either a complete dick, OR you know him and your friendship has reached "that stage" where it's acceptable to insult each other.

Either way. Gayyyy.

I gave him the FIA switch

 

[AshWebb]

Blimey. You're either a complete dick, OR you know him and your friendship has reached "that stage" where it's acceptable to insult each other.

Either way. Gayyyy.

We have quite a loving relationship [emoji6]