From previous posts..
have a look at the Varta site for battery care.
eg....
Cleanliness is important for starter batteries
It's particularly important to keep the battery and its surrounding area clean. Dirty or moist surfaces may result in small continuous currents, 'flowing' from one terminal of the battery to the other. The contacts also need to be clean, dry and lightly greased, and the electrical connections need to be secure. Moreover, defective switches for lights in glove box or trunk can give drivers an unpleasant surprise. Even if the bulbs only take a small amount of power, they still considerably reduce the performance of the battery in the long term.
With cars that only do trips to the supermarket and the school run - often the second car in many households - it is also important to check whether the battery installed is powerful enough. A larger battery with higher capacity will often solve the problem of the alternator not recharging the battery sufficiently on short trips.
Last but not least, a specialist should also check that the V-belt between the engine and the alternator is in good condition and correctly tensioned before winter sets in. Otherwise the howling noise you get when you start off signifies that your battery will soon be flat.
What sort of battery problems can arise during use?
If a starter battery is poorly maintained, it can soon fail. Dirty terminals cause power trickles, causing the starter battery to lose energy. If you mainly make short trips in urban traffic with electrical systems running (air-conditioning system, ventilators, seat heaters, heated rear window and windscreen, etc.), the starter battery can become flat, even with the engine running. This can lead to starting problems, particularly in the winter.
see
http://www.varta-automotive.co.uk/
And from the Bosch site
Charging
For safety reasons, we advise connecting the battery to the charger before switching the charger on. If the battery has vent caps, remember to unscrew them and place them to one side (this is not necessary with Bosch Silver or Silver Plus, as they are maintenance free).
The charging current in amps should not be more than 1/10th of the battery's rated capacity in ampere-hours (Ah). For example, a 60 Ah battery should not be charged at a rate greater than 6 amps.
If the battery has become deeply discharged it will not accept a charge rate of more than 1/20 of the stated ampere-hour capacity. This is due to the excessive internal resistance that develops and means recharging at the appropriate rate can take 12-18 hours.
Any prolonged attempt to charge at a higher rate will probably damage the battery and will result in a less than complete recharge. The internal resistance will cause the current, which cannot be absorbed by the plates, to turn into heat instead. Using automatic chargers or boost chargers are not recommended for deeply discharged batteries. At best it will have no effect, and at worst it will terminally damage the battery (any charger will need to have a variable input with a minimum of 2 amps). Charging batteries can give off flammable fumes, so make sure no one smokes and there are no naked flames nearby, and if the battery is being charged indoors there should always be adequate ventilation.
After charging the battery check level and if necessary top up with distilled or de-ionised water. Do not use tap water.
http://www.boschautoparts.co.uk/pcBatt10.asp?c=2&d=1
Migration info. Legacy thread was 34204
