battery life

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Irishrover said:
I have found the Bosch "Silver" batteries to be superb.
Don't buy those "Budget" batteries they are a waste of money !!!
Click to expand...
I've had Varta fail very early on, my Alphaline is 4 years old and still going strong. The supermarket battery in my MR2 is 12 years old and still spins over very well.
All batteries seem to suffer random failure these days. it's called progress.
 
cheers guys

have been measuring up the 110 batteries and looks like it will fit but wondering if anyone has replaced there 96 model with a 110 please

reason I ask is some batteries have mouldings etc on the bottom and concerned it may not fit the carrier

thks guys
 
gstuart said:
cheers guys

have been measuring up the 110 batteries and looks like it will fit but wondering if anyone has replaced there 96 model with a 110 please

reason I ask is some batteries have mouldings etc on the bottom and concerned it may not fit the carrier

thks guys
Click to expand...
The thing you need to worry about fitting a modern battery to an old car is the alternator output voltage, 13.8/13.9 volts is not sufficient to charge modern batteries, you need 14.2/14.5 volts. May need a regulator change.
 
Datatek said:
The thing you need to worry about fitting a modern battery to an old car is the alternator output voltage, 13.8/13.9 volts is not sufficient to charge modern batteries, you need 14.2/14.5 volts. May need a regulator change.
Click to expand...

thks buddy

the exisitng battery is a 75 AH with 660 cca and going to upgrade to a 85 AH and a 800 cca

this was the one im currently looking at

http://www.amazon.co.uk/F18-Varta-Silver-Dynamic-Battery/dp/B007NY6GMM/ref=pd_cp_auto_0

I popped into my local motor factor to get a price and they informed me they wouldn't supply a 110 battery as I could overload the system

maybe they meant what ur talking about is the alternator may not have enough output to keep the new battery charged up

the hippo is a 2002 td4

will have a look online to see what the spec is on my existing alternator

I think mine is the 150 amp as I've got the ptc heater fitted

don't imulse buy and been looking at quite a few companies in order when I get the battery it will be suitable for my hippo and improve the starting ,especially in the winter months

plus I will this time use a multimeter to test the voltage, amps and voltage drop

if I remember rightly using a multimeter,if I put test leads on the battery posts that should give me the voltage and amps as the engine idles

then on the voltage drop don't i put one test lead on the plus side on the alternator then the other on the plus side of the battery and see what the voltage is,

then do the same on the neg side

I think that's how u do it with a multimeter , but will write down the readings first via the hawkeye as I can then Rev it up to 2.5 revs etc

thks again for the input
 
Last edited:
gstuart said:
thks buddy

the exisitng battery is a 75 AH with 660 cca and going to upgrade to a 85 AH and a 800 cca

this was the one im currently looking at

http://www.amazon.co.uk/F18-Varta-Silver-Dynamic-Battery/dp/B007NY6GMM/ref=pd_cp_auto_0

I popped into my local motor factor to get a price and they informed me they wouldn't supply a 110 battery as I could overload the system

maybe they meant what ur talking about is the alternator may not have enough output to keep the new battery charged up

the hippo is a 2002 td4

will have a look online to see what the spec is on my existing alternator

I think mine is the 150 amp as I've got the ptc heater fitted

don't imulse buy and been looking at quite a few companies in order when I get the battery it will be suitable for my hippo and improve the starting ,especially in the winter months

plus I will this time use a multimeter to test the voltage, amps and voltage drop

if I remember rightly using a multimeter,if I put test leads on the battery posts that should give me the voltage and amps as the engine idles

then on the voltage drop don't i put one test lead on the plus side on the alternator then the other on the plus side of the battery and see what the voltage is,

then do the same on the neg side

I think that's how u do it with a multimeter , but will write down the readings first via the hawkeye as I can then Rev it up to 2.5 revs etc

thks again for the input
Click to expand...

Sorry no, you're not correct.

The voltage of the battery, at rest (which is the normal way to measure a lead acid battery) is to put the DVM in parallel across the battery. ie, one lead on each of the battery posts.

To measure the current (amps), you have to remove on battery connection and insert the DVM in series, ie, one lead on the removed lead and the other on the battery post from which it was removed. This then measure the current flowing through the battery. I suggest you only do this (if at all) with the engine not running as most DVMs do not have the capability of measuring (or dealing with) high current and you could end up roasting it, and its leads.

What "voltage drop" do you wish to measure ?

If you want to measure the alternator (charging) voltage, put the DVM leads on each battery post (as point one above), and in increase the engine speed to about 2500 revs. If the alternator is working correctly, the voltage should increase from the standing voltage measured in point one above to anything from 13.4 - 14.3.

Hope this helps/clarifies.
 
Unless you use a clampmeter :).

Yo factors have told yu bollocks,

Take yo motor to the nearest halfrauds and get yo alternator checked.

If it isok then get the biggest CCA battery that will physically fit.

Think of the battery as a tank full of water, all if yo lights, screen heaters and other electrical items as holes in the tank allowing the water out. The alternator is the pump trying to refill the tank. Ifthe pump is bigger that the holes, the tank will never empty. The bigger the tank, the longer the water will last.

The alternator, if working correctly, will never overcharge the battery as it is the battery voltage that determines how much the alternator charges.
 
Last edited:
The Mad Hat Man said:
Unless you use a clampmeter :).

Yo factors have told yuu bollocks,

Take yo motor to the nearest halfrauds and get yo alternator checked.

If it isok then get the biggest CCA battery that will physically fit.

Think of the battery as a tank full of water, all if yo lights, screen heatersand other electrical items as holes in the tank allowing the water out. The alternator is the pump trying to refill the tank. Ifthe pump is bigger that the holes, the tank will never empty. The bigger thetank, the longer the water will last.

The alternator, if working correctly, will never overcharge the battery as it is the battery voltage that determines how muc the alternator charges.
Click to expand...


Nice analogy mhm! I may have to use that one in the future.......
 
Hi Gary,

i know you had a couple of issues with the local independent, which I won't go into here.

However, whilst I was standing in the queue at halfords with my new bosch silver battery for my FL1, I rang them and asked the price, and it was over £30 cheaper for the same battery. Put it back and picked the other one up that afternoon.

Might be worth thinking about as £30 is £30, but then halfords might be easier to argue when it fails again.

I've fitted bosch silver on both the FL1 and FL2, both been rock solid. Once left the FL1 for over a month and it started 1st turn of the key.

oh, and don't worry about getting rid of the old battery - either leave it outside your house on the drive and the local scrappy will take it, or give me a shout and I'll come and get it, usually have a few batteries to get rid of so can just add it to the pile.

good luck
 
Last edited:
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Cyrus 200
Battery Drain
Replies
6
Views
738
Cyrus 200
Cyrus 200
C
Auxiliary Battery
Replies
3
Views
310
ChrisMidWales
C
M
2003 TD4 Battery negative clamp
Replies
1
Views
200
Arctic2
Arctic2
J
Clicks when wet.
Replies
3
Views
544
Judd8008
J
A
SRS warning light Pretensioner problems
Replies
6
Views
638
Anan
A
Back
Top