Will having the radio on run the battery flat

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Starting on tramping soon and i sleep better with the tv on. Will having the ignition on overnight with just the radio on run the battery flat. Im in a 11 plate volvo fh rigid

2

At the risk of ruining some possible light trolling, of course itll flatten it
Your unit might have a low power cut off to protect the battery but id be surprised if it didnt and your battery lasted all night right through to the morning.

3

Cheers snowman. Thought it was worth asking. I left the lights on over the weekend a few weeks back and they were still on on monday and it started fine. Thought it might be ok with it not taking up much power

4

Battery powered/rechargeable portable radio is the way forward.

I used to be the same and had to have background noise to sleep.

Now I’ve finished tramping Ive either have the wife’s snoring or the dogs snoring on the settee having pointed out the wife’s snoring. (Now I realise why I quite liked being away)

5

Shut down the truck electrics and use a portable radio of your own.

6

paddy1882:
Cheers snowman. Thought it was worth asking. I left the lights on over the weekend a few weeks back and they were still on on monday and it started fine. Thought it might be ok with it not taking up much power

should have no problem add the night heater on all the time when i did nights out

7

Night heater runs on a seperate system though doesnt it?

8

I have been parked up overnight with the sidelights on all night, surely that would use more power than having the radio on?

9

What do you leave the tele tuned on to comfort your way up the wooden hill to bedfordshire? That Beep with the picture of that kid and his evil clown (do they still have that)?

I’ve got a cheap fix for you. Wind the window down when you park up. It’ll sound like British tele. A summers night in an MSA on the M25 can bring you Jeremy Kyle one evening, a re run of the Brexit campaign the next, a polish war film maybe if you park up in a Lincolnshire transport yard. Or, in the north perhaps an episode of open all hours. so much variety, and all free.

10

you forgot to mention that parking within a 10 mile radius of whatever halting site the ( insertyour own word to replace the blanks here as your not allowed to mention anything resembling jipjops here or its deemed innappropriate by the powers that be) diddycoys seems to be ok though.and you can have your very own ringside seat for a live episode of big fat diddycoy wedding,just open the curtains and itl be like freeview,whilst playing a game of…where did my diesel go,i never heard those curtains getting ripped,and i wonder if plod will appear before they get the wheels off?..all tried and tested favourits for a relaxing sleep,(or lack of it).

11

If you cant leave your radio on overnight without flattening the batteries then I suggest there’s something seriously wrong with them and they need changing !

12

raymundo:
If you cant leave your radio on overnight without flattening the batteries then I suggest there’s something seriously wrong with them and they need changing !

First and only sensible answer. If your radio flattens your battery overnight, your batteries are sagged.

9

13

You may not need the ignition on. I leave the radio on when I night out but with the ignition turned back 1 click. Its never been an issue but that said, any issue would be an easy fix for me. A jump start via the Anderson lead but obviously a rigid wont offer that peace of mind

14

scanny77:
You may not need the ignition on. I leave the radio on when I night out but with the ignition turned back 1 click. Its never been an issue but that said, any issue would be an easy fix for me. A jump start via the Anderson lead but obviously a rigid wont offer that peace of mind

As long as you have a truck with an Anderson connector parked next to you… :grimacing:

15

the nodding donkey:

raymundo:
If you cant leave your radio on overnight without flattening the batteries then I suggest there’s something seriously wrong with them and they need changing !

First and only sensible answer. If your radio flattens your battery overnight, your batteries are sagged.

9

Really?
Id have thought a few hours of being drained with the radio pn and no charging going on by the alternator would shag them

16

the nodding donkey:

scanny77:
You may not need the ignition on. I leave the radio on when I night out but with the ignition turned back 1 click. Its never been an issue but that said, any issue would be an easy fix for me. A jump start via the Anderson lead but obviously a rigid wont offer that peace of mind

As long as you have a truck with an Anderson connector parked next to you… :grimacing:

The shunters are good lads at stenaline. I know they do not have Anderson leads but I cant imagine any tug not being fitted with the connector no matter who the buyer is

17

Just get a solar powered radio and jobs a good un.

Or sing to yourself till the sandman comes. Or even better let me know where you park up and I’ll come and sing to you.

18

Just park in an MSA, windows open & listen to the Soothing sound of the Thermo king Symphony kicking in every half hour [emoji6]

19

If your batteries can’t cope with having the radio on overnight you need new batteries

Edit; I see this has already been said by others. Should have read all comments first. As you were

20

Talking of batteries. I don’t understand why trucks, with all the gizmos that are used when parked up, don’t have dedicated leisure batteries, with separate starter batteries. One big 120 amp leisure battery and a split charger can’t cost more than £200 to install at the factory. More than enough power to run a TV, laptop, phone charger etc overnight.