Conference terri::cars_uk

    
    
    Possibly because it was fully charged?
    
    

Seems very peculiar.  Charging current dropping like that over a (much) 
longer period is perfectly normal.

Perhaps there's a gremlin in the battery?

jb

I had a four year old battery that exhibited those characteristics - it would
sometimes appear to be totally flat, but a 15 minute charge would reduce the
charging current to a very low value.

After an AA callout one morning (late to work again...), the AA man said that
one of the plates in the battery was unwell - and a discharge test showed the
weak plate up immediately - off to ATS and �38 for a new battery !

Nigel

    Graham,
    
    I've got a cheap ASDA battery charger,, it's got this bi-metallic strip 
    thingy, as after a while the charge current drops considerably, and
    then cycles from high current to trickle.
    
    But then again I expect you've got an expensive model :-)
    
    Huw.

Has any one ever bought a standard rated battery, and regretted it, i.e. wished
they had bought a heavy duty one ?


Thanks, Mark.

    
    I once owned a Cavalier Coupe (with a tractor engine :^)) and it needed
    a new battery within 3 months of buying it. Generously the garage I
    bought the car from agreed to split the cost of replacing it, but had a 
    lower than required battery put in. The following winter I was stranded
    a number of times due to a dead battery (This time also lead to my
    total disillusionment with the AA, but that's another story).
    Eventually I returned the battery to the vendor for replacement under
    guarantee and, although they agreed the battery was faulty, they told
    me I really needed a bigger one for my car (the faulty one didn't fill
    the battery tray). I payed a small amount extra (to cover the
    difference between the faulty one being replaced and the bigger
    replacement) and got a full year's guarantee. After that I never had 
    a problem with battery.
    
    I couldn't swear the problems were related to the rating of the
    battery, but it couldn't have helped.
    
    Mark

    It depends on how hard are the winter conditions in your living area.
    As far as what I know about the British "winter"; no, you don't need a
    heavy duty battery if your car starts well and is in good condition.
    
    But if you happen to live somewhere where -20�C is normal winter
    temperature and if you happen to drive a 20 years old Lada and use
    25W50 oil; yes then you should have a battery over 70 Ah. But maybe
    then better winter transportation might be bus or train...
    
    - Jyri -

    this is interesting. How 'bout my battery? It doesn't fill up the tray.
    Perhaps I've been ripped off, and the seller replaced the dead-good
    battery for a mickey mouse one before selling. I got the cars second
    hand from a garage btw.
    
    Dougie
    
    

    
    The fact that the battery tray isn't filled by the battery isn't a 
    guarantee of an undersized battery (especially on a car like the Fiesta
    which comes in many engine sizes). The only way to be sure (ish) is to
    have a look at a similar car, or better still find out the approved
    battery rating for your model and check that against the battery.
    
    Mark

  I think the battery tray argument is a bit of a red-herring. Fords trays are
  suitable for the old big black rubber types, but they always fit Motorcrap
  parts (makes sense I s'pose), and these only have about 2/3 the footprint of
  the older style batteries. I don't think Ford would fit these if they didn't
  think they were 'man' enough - they do give a 3yr guarantee on them!!!

  Cheers
  Andy

    
    
    Question on batteries here....
    
    I have a Ford Fiesta with what looks and feels like a very lightweight
    battery on it. I also have a virtually brand new heavy duty battery in
    my garage originally fitted to a Volvo 240. Is there any reason why
    (apart from physical reasons) I cannot put this battery in the Fiesta?
    Will the alternator cope with the requirements of a physically larger
    heavy duty battery?
    
    Richard

	In simple terms, the Alternator is called upon to make up the charge
that is taken out of the battery - which won't change in you car unless you
add a new electrical device, so there's no problem!

	One other consideration is initial charging if the battery is flat when
you first fit it. Your Alternator shouldn't encounter any problems with this
one-off job.

				Malcolm.

    
    Hello
    
    some time back one of the vehicles was having a few starting
    problems as the battery appeared to be on its last legs.
    
    so i removed the battery and topped it up and charged it up.
    
    In parallel I dropped into the dealer and couldn't resist the
    special offer on new batteries.
    
    I bought the new DRY CHARGED battery and pack of acid.
    
    The original one still works so didn't get replaced.
    
    How long does the CHARGE last on the DRY battery ? - the acid has not
    been added.
    
    I know that normally all one has to do is put the acid in and all will
    be ok - but will that remain the case or will I also need to charge it
    at some (theoretical) point in time?
    
    cheers
    
    Gary
    
                                                        

From my experience, 12v 100Ahr dry charge batteries
have a very long shelf life.

Simon

RE .13

>How long does the CHARGE last on the DRY battery ? 

In theory indefinitely, as there is no charge when
its dry. 

Adding sulphuric acid creates the charge by changing 
the oxidation state of lead oxide in the plates.  
Drawing a current from the battery moves the oxidation
state one way, and charging it restores the previous
oxidation state.

I know of cases of people who've come across dry black 
lucas batteries from the '30s, filled them with acid
and put them on their vintage motorbikes, and had no 
problems.

Regards,

Huw.