Our little Fiesta decided to kill her original battery after 14 years. then killed her replacement 2 years later :'(

Just goes to show that modern batteries are not always better than old technology

Recently sold my trusty 12 year old Peugeot 306 still with it's original battery.

Look after your battery and it'll look after you

*edited to delete double post.

Edited 19 December, 201114 yr by silver1011

I have booked her in to Allams for Wednesday. They want her in for 24 hours. So I will end up with a courtesy vehicle of some sort.

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You do get a leisure starter battery, I believe you can also recharge them more often and not shorten their life as quickly.

Since the construction of the internal plates is slightly different between the two, I'm intrigued as to how that works.

Can you provide a link to this battery please?

Since the construction of the internal plates is slightly different between the two, I'm intrigued as to how that works.

Can you provide a link to this battery please?

To be honest I should qualify this before we go any further, I mentioned leisure battery because this is what most people call them, the truth is there is no such thing, as it simply does not exist, its the market they are in and so the manufacturers market them as such. The standard, so called, leisure batteries, are simply starter batteries with extra support for the active lead material.

see this for information, its all I could find as the battery manufacturers will never explain this in their brochures or web sites,

.http://www.sterling-power.com/support-faq-2.htm

The battery I have in my boat is of the carbon fibre technology, I didn't pay for it as they retail at around £265 for the size I have however my company has a budget af around £15k per annum on battery replacement so the battery dealer/rep gave me one to try so to speak, I did try him for a traction battery but that was about twice the price, maybe next time.

Can't remember the make I have but here is a link to a similar type. Don't be fooled by the no weight increase, they are at least 20-30% heavier.

No plate sulphation also not true, they do.

http://www.caravantechnology.com/%2FElecsol-C29.aspx These are all advertised/marketed as leisure / starter battery

They may not be regarded or called starter batteries but believe me they do start, the battery I have installed will quickly turn over a large diesel inboard at -18. I have also seen similar set up to turn over a 8 cylinder Liebherr diesel engine in an excavator which was pretty impressive.

As I mentioned before, my so called marine battery was always failing on me, due to the bilge pump always being live and as it bypasses the isolator, outwith actually taking the battery out there was no solution. I swithed to this and problem solved. It can be completely drained for long periods although it never has even through lack of use and a severe winter, when I check it with a battery tester it shows full every time.

Edited 19 December, 201114 yr by servicepoint

Bosch Slvertop car batteries have a 5 year no quibble guarantee as standard. And they cost barely any more than other premium brands. If it fails, they authorise their dealers (including Halfrauds) to replace it with a new one, simple as that.

My 16 year old Escort's first battery (Ford Motorcraft) lasted 6 years on rather limited mileage use, I replaced it with a Bosch Silvertop which failed at 4 1/2 years (my fault - I left the interior light on for a month one winter after which it wouldn't hold its charge!) but it was exchanged for another without question by my local accessory shop.

I now put it on charge periodically using an Aldi charger/conditioner that cost me £10.99 at the time (may still be in the store for £12.99). It appears electrically identical to a CTEK one at a much lower price (& has its own 3 year warranty). Initially it charges the battery to "full" condition and then acts as a trickle charger and they guarantee that it can be left permanently connected if you so desired without damaging the battery. It is also IP65 sealed so in theory could be mounted permanently outdoors with just the mains lead fed to a convenient protected mains socket.

Bobdogs delightful MG is of course from a different generation from our SM's and when put to bed for the winter probably has absolutely no electrical drain - apart from the clock if fitted. The Yeti with it's alarm etc will have a constant electrical drain, though without doubt its battery should still last 6 or 7 years if looked after.

Bobdogs delightful MG is of course from a different generation from our SM's and when put to bed for the winter probably has absolutely no electrical drain - apart from the clock if fitted. The Yeti with it's alarm etc will have a constant electrical drain, though without doubt its battery should still last 6 or 7 years if looked after.

Oh, and I've got a battery isolator switch fitted

The Yeti with it's alarm etc will have a constant electrical drain, though without doubt its battery should still last 6 or 7 years if looked after.

6-7 years. I wish

Though it should last more than 24 hours.

This is my looking after a battery:

My typical usage. Drive locally for about 20 mins (2-3 miles) in the freezing cold. electric seat on, lights on as it is dark (video cameras on as well) Then maybe across london for 8-9 miles, about 45 mins to an hour. stop see client for 5 mins to 2 hours depending on type of visit then maybe drive home again about 10 miles & 1 hour. The electric seat will be on until the car is comfortable. Sometime I will be seeing 4-6 clients in one outing depending on workload.

How can you drive a car and look after a better properly....I am confused. My engine as I have mentioned before will be running for maybe twice as long as the average vehicle for the same distance, because I drive in a very congested area. (My average speed is around 18-19mph over 15,000 miles.). It should charge up when idling the engine. It ought to charge enough to power all the electrics, or the alternator is not fit for purpose......

But I am not an electrical engineer.

Unless you have some serious battery drain going on-and I doubt your video set up draws enough on standby to make a difference-the answer is simple you have a bad battery. The warranty on batteries is often 12 months......because they do occasionally fail.

I would buy myself a Bosch with its' own warranty if Skoda won't replace it on a warranty/goodwill basis.

Your usage should keep a good battery in good nick without worry but you may want to re-consider your video wiring and have it fed through a relay switched by an ignition live.

Thanks Sevicepoint.

I note they do not state a cranking power.

I shall be looking to replace the caravan battery next year, but at those prices................ :'(

Thanks Sevicepoint.

I note they do not state a cranking power.

I shall be looking to replace the caravan battery next year, but at those prices................

Unbelievable prices, I certainly wouldn't have paid that for a battery but it has solved a problem for me. I never knew whether I was going to a flat battery and with the boat being moored March until October/November, charging would mean removing the battery, back to shore then charging, back to boat etc. Worst case being, battery flat, bilge pump hasn't been working, engine bay flooded :(. On second thoughts perhaps I would have spent £200.

If your buying an expensive battery, go to a specialised dealer, we have several in Glasgow like D B Wilson, big discounts are available on them. I would offer to get you one through the supplier we used but at the moment we are trying to negotiate a full repair / maintenance contract to cut out different contractors for different products, going down the one does all route,I think the battery supplier has got wind of it, haven't seen them for 4 weeks and no Christmas card.

My wifes diesel Fabia batterry is in its ninth year and still seems fine. Has a terrible life though with lots of short trips, often in the dark.

How can you drive a car and look after a better properly....I am confused. My engine as I have mentioned before will be running for maybe twice as long as the average vehicle for the same distance, because I drive in a very congested area.

It's not so much what your doing with the engine running, its more what is using the battery whilst the engine isn't running.

I collected Elsie from Allams today.

There was a problem with the main relays coming on too soon and possibly staying on and draining the battery. All sorted now. There was a fault code logged thank goodness which made it a little easier for them to sort out.

There was another little problem that was dealt with at the time which was my drivers heated seat squab. it didn't heat, but the back did, so I had a cold bum and a hot back. Waiting for some new parts to fix it.

I collected Elsie from Allams today.

There was a problem with the main relays coming on too soon and possibly staying on and draining the battery. All sorted now. There was a fault code logged thank goodness which made it a little easier for them to sort out.

There was another little problem that was dealt with at the time which was my drivers heated seat squab. it didn't heat, but the back did, so I had a cold bum and a hot back. Waiting for some new parts to fix it.

Good to hear they found the problem and it was logged , any affect on the battery or is it showing a good discharge rate when tested

I collected Elsie from Allams today.

There was a problem with the main relays coming on too soon and possibly staying on and draining the battery. All sorted now. There was a fault code logged thank goodness which made it a little easier for them to sort out.

There was another little problem that was dealt with at the time which was my drivers heated seat squab. it didn't heat, but the back did, so I had a cold bum and a hot back. Waiting for some new parts to fix it.

Hi Mike,

glad to hear they found the fault Think Freshacre had a similar issue with the seat, possible back not bum in his case

Still getting nowhere with my radio volume reduction with PDC issue; dealers round here appear tone deaf :S SUK next methinks :wonder:

TP

Good to hear they found the problem and it was logged , any affect on the battery or is it showing a good discharge rate when tested

All seems to be fine they have assured me. Battery in good health.

Hi Mike,

glad to hear they found the fault Think Freshacre had a similar issue with the seat, possible back not bum in his case

Still getting nowhere with my radio volume reduction with PDC issue; dealers round here appear tone deaf :S SUK next methinks :wonder:

TP

Thanks TP.

I've not played with my reduction radio volume/PDC, but I know it is annoying if I'm listening to the radio and then select reverse, I can hardly hear the radio..

Yep

Cold bum, boiled back - sorted by Sinclair in Swansea..

Not a HUGE problem, but I like to have my chubby cheeks nice'n'toasty when needs be.

Enjoy!

Yep

Cold bum, boiled back - sorted by Sinclair in Swansea..

Not a HUGE problem, but I like to have my chubby cheeks nice'n'toasty when needs be.

Enjoy!

Me too.

Will enjoy again when the parts come in, and I can get over to have them fitted whilst I wait. probably be after new year now. Just hope it doesn't get too cold in the mean time....

Hi Graham, why not try these when you get a caravan bettery, I got one of the XV27's and it was delivered within a couple of days of them getting them back in stock. You can always tell when a "leisure" battery can be used for starting purposes as it will have the cold cranking amps (CCA) figure quoted on the literature or battery.

http://performanceleisure.co.uk/products/group/?c=Leisure+Batteries&sc=Leisure+batteries+250+lifecycles

Ian

Hi Mike,

glad to hear they found the fault Think Freshacre had a similar issue with the seat, possible back not bum in his case

Still getting nowhere with my radio volume reduction with PDC issue; dealers round here appear tone deaf :S SUK next methinks :wonder:

TP

OT: This is avaibale direct from the radio (I can't remember the exact settings on top of my head) but somewhere under the sound settings. In my Roomster I accidentally turned down this feature which meant that the radio would not turn down the volume when in reverse, and as a consequence of this I reversed into a wall :S

No major damage luckily, only some scratches on the bumper but anyway - so beware!

End of OT

OT: This is avaibale direct from the radio (I can't remember the exact settings on top of my head) but somewhere under the sound settings. In my Roomster I accidentally turned down this feature which meant that the radio would not turn down the volume when in reverse, and as a consequence of this I reversed into a wall :S

No major damage luckily, only some scratches on the bumper but anyway - so beware!

End of OT

Hi,

that's the problem it won't adjust in the settings menu in the low and medium setting; same volume level as off, although the dealer says it does but I cannot hear the difference myself :wonder:

TP

On my greenline when i select reverse and the volume lowers for the parking sensors i can adjust the volume higher or lower by adjusting the (twiddly knob) LOL. on the right hand side of the radio the volume then stays at that level every time i select reverse.

Hope this helps.

On my greenline when i select reverse and the volume lowers for the parking sensors i can adjust the volume higher or lower by adjusting the (twiddly knob) LOL. on the right hand side of the radio the volume then stays at that level every time i select reverse.

Hope this helps.

Thanks will give that a try

edit; no still the same

TP

Update on this failure to start.

Elsie was at the garage today and they discovered that there was a loose connection on the main relay, so rather than replacing it, which didn't clear the fault, they cleaned up the terminals and put everything back properly. I certainly started better afterwards.

Whilst Elsie was in they replaced the electric heated seat pad in the drivers seat which was faulty. I now can have a nice toasty bum....Bliss

All seems to be back to normal now.