Thanks all: having trickle charged over about 16 hours (until rate dropped right off) it read 12.8V. On cranking, it dropped to 9.8V. Although this was very brief, as it started straight away, my confidence in the battery is such that I'll get a new one - and yes, the 'Bosch S5 Car Battery Type 096 With 5 Year Manufacturers Warranty' which Euro Car Parts have at £82.39, which appears to be the cheapest.

 

On the current battery [Varta 5Ko 915 105E, 12V 61Ah 330A etc.....] battery level indicator is either black for OK or clear for top-up. I've another which also includes a 'green for ok' possibility too. Now where did I put my hydrometer.....?!

 

Power to the People!

Do a quick search

 

http://www.tayna.co.uk/

http://www.carparts4less.co.uk 

http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/product/T57220/

 

There are a few cheap er options. Also the Varta one is cheaper on the tayna site.

Www.justcarbatteries.co.UK were £80 or ECP have a 25% discount on at the moment. Use CHILL25

DAVE

Radders, just a point on your post, better to use negative for measuring with ammeter. Reason for this is that many accidents happen when people disconnect the positive whilst the negative remains connected. Spanners weld themselves to things, and burn skin very quickly when they slip and touch metalwork.

Radders, just a point on your post, better to use negative for measuring with ammeter. Reason for this is that many accidents happen when people disconnect the positive whilst the negative remains connected. Spanners weld themselves to things, and burn skin very quickly when they slip and touch metalwork.

Yes my mistake, those pesky keys are so close together. Thanks for the correction.