Scala battery type

[Skotastic]

I am thinking of using a decent smart charger on my 1.5 Scala, so I would like to know whether the (start stop) battery is EFL or AGM.  The Halfords guy says AGM, so I tend to the opposite view!

MY 2020. Maybe somebody knows? 

Unfortunately the battery label is totally obscured by the wiring clipped to the top. Does anyone know how to safely remove it?  I have sausage fingers and don’t want to break anything!

[inspectorman]

If you can loosen off the thin insulating jacket around the sides at all, you may be able to see anything written on the sides. Maybe even loosen the main clamp and move the battery a little without disconnecting all the gubbins on top. Tayna seem to think you have a 027EFB (but you can fit an AGM if you wish ). It's not impossible (but unlikely) there's some battery info in the three letter codes printed in the handbook.

[Breezy_Pete]

If you message me the VIN I can see if that gives any definition of the factory fit battery type. I have a feeling it may not, but I could be wrong.

[Skotastic]

32 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

If you message me the VIN I can see if that gives any definition of the factory fit battery type. I have a feeling it may not, but I could be wrong.

thanks. I have messaged you.

On 03/07/2023 at 15:33, zorglub said:

also interested, start and stop is one of the most anoying thing ever created in the human history 😁

 

[Breezy_Pete]

As per reply to PM, all Scalas seem to have EFB factory-fitted, at least for similar build date.

[Skotastic]

Thank you so very much. As it happens, the Halfords guy managed to flip off the stuff mounted on the top, primarily “to test the battery” and then clipped  it down. He was 100% about it being AGM. 
So I shall proceed with caution!

Fortunately the best charger seems to be a 60 mile trip this week, which temporarily activated the Start-Stop ☹️.

Always possible that the previous owner fitted AGM.

From what I understand, Halfords just change like for like,  and code in a new battery serial number. 
Thanks again.

 

 

[Skotastic]

2 hours ago, inspectorman said:

If you can loosen off the thin insulating jacket around the sides at all, you may be able to see anything written on the sides. Maybe even loosen the main clamp and move the battery a little without disconnecting all the gubbins on top. Tayna seem to think you have a 027EFB (but you can fit an AGM if you wish ). It's not impossible (but unlikely) there's some battery info in the three letter codes printed in the handbook.

 

Thank you

[Breezy_Pete]

The Halfords employee has motivation to sell you the most expensive option.

Without seeing AGM written on it with your own eyes I would be quite sceptical. 

[nta16]

No need to go overboard on buying a charger maintainer, the "smart" ones often/always(?) sort out whether start/stop and whether EFB or AGM for themselves.

 

I've found a slower. lower charger is better so use a 4-amp, you can charge in stages if you don't have the opportunity to fully recharger the battery in one go.  A 6-amp or 8-amp would be quicker of course, VWSkoda recommend no more than one tenth of the Ah of the battery, have a look at your Owner's Manual for details, from 20.07.2020 Owner's Mamual. - To charge the vehicle battery fully, set a charging current of max. of 0.1 times the battery capacity.   - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

 

Just one cheaper example, many others available, this is the one I use on my wife's 2015 Fabia Mk3 with 60Ah AGM battery fitted - Ring Smart Charger & Maintainer 4-amp RSC804. -

 

https://www.ringautomotive.com/files/mydocs/RSC804_Spec.pdf

 

https://www.ringautomotive.com/files/mydocs/RSC804_RSC806_RSC808_Instructions.pdf

 

Charging overnight at -4c (IIRC). -

 

[Skotastic]

Thanks.  I was thinking of getting the Roco Genius 5 charger, which is highly recommended. It clearly has to be told if the battery is AGM. The instructions say that the AGM setting charges to a higher voltage. The standard 12v setting includes EFL, which I guess means that the AGM setting could overcook an EFL battery.

Regarding charging at -4 degrees, I guess we’ve all been there: there is a lot of info around suggesting it is a bad thing to do, but so is having to get to work without the car!

[Warrior193]

My Ring RSC charger has only two settings for battery type - standard or AGM/EFB - the 8 year old EFB in my Octavia has suffered no apparent ill effects from using the AGM mode.

My understanding is that both EFB and AGM use very similar, if not identical, charging voltage profiles. 

Regarding charging at very low ambient temperatures - the Ring charger has a dedicated setting for this - again, no apparent issues when I've used this.

Edited 8 March by Warrior193
added information

[Skotastic]

Thank you. I’m sure some of it is pure marketing hype. The trick is to know which bit can be safely ignored!

[nta16]

These "smart" chargers are like other "smart" devices really a misnomer as sometimes you have to fool them to get them to do what you want but for the average car owner they want plug and play, fit and forget, which is fine and what I want unless the battery has been so used and abused that it needs more to rescue.

 

The secret as usual is prevention is better than cure, a simple straightforward plug and play, fit and forget charger maintainer is all that's required if used as prevention and for normal recharging when required.

 

A mate has a couple of much more expensive CTek charger maintainers both exactly the same model yet they seem to operate slightly different to each other so as wotsit Twain sang they don't impress me much particularly at their high price but they do the job.  Whether they or the Ring RSC804 I have last 20 or 30 years we'll have to wait and see.

 

I also have a 20+ year old Accumate 1.8amp (IIRC) "smart-ish" charger maintainer and a 30+ year old simple 4amp Bradex charger I've used both of the old chargers on various batteries with a little bit of care but no worries.and I've had no issues.

 

A neighbour and a few others I know have over the last number of years bought £15 charger maintainers from Lidl and they say they work fine, my neighbour's is used regularly (32 year old Merc auto that goes nowhere regularly) and he must have had it 5 years now.

 

A lot of chargers have a cold/winter setting, sometimes with a temperature stated at which this should be used if not I take it as +5C or below it just ups things a bit but it's not a make or break thing.

 

Up to you what you buy and how much you spend of course, personally I've have preferred a switchable/programable 2 and 4 amp charger maintainer but with modern car eating battery power like it's going out of fashion 4-amp is more practical.

 

Good luck. 

[Skotastic]

Thanks for all the help. I may well get the RSC804. 
Another thing I have just noticed: my Scala alternator (smart-ish?) always, at least in winter, charges  at 14.8v, which I assume is right for the battery, if it was coded correctly.

14.8v is also the winter setting for the RSC804, and probably many others.

[Skotastic]

Finally managed to ease the two main clips holding the start-stop  "gubbins" to the top of the battery (Just as Alf Ford did the other day) and glimpsed underneath. Behold, it is 59Ah 320 amps EFB (ie it is probably the factory-fitted battery), which presumably was why contrarian Alf was so adamant it was AGM. Obviously his real name is not Alf, but when you know, you know!

 

Thanks again everyone. As someone posted on here in this topic, don't believe it until you have seen it!

[J.R.]

On 07/03/2024 at 14:07, Skotastic said:

The Halfords guy says AGM, so I tend to the opposite view!

 

👍👍👍👍

[Warrior193]

32 minutes ago, Skotastic said:

Finally managed to ease the two main clips holding the start-stop  "gubbins" to the top of the battery (Just as Alf Ford did the other day) and glimpsed underneath. Behold, it is 59Ah 320 amps EFB (ie it is probably the factory-fitted battery), which presumably was why contrarian Alf was so adamant it was AGM. Obviously his real name is not Alf, but when you know, you know!

 

Thanks again everyone. As someone posted on here in this topic, don't believe it until you have seen it!

Especially if coming from Main Dealer - or Halfrauds.

[nta16]

Double/treble check any info you get from anywhere (including manufacturers) - so don't just buy a Ring RSC804 on some bloke oft t'web's say- so and if you wanted you could get a RSC806 for a 59Ah battery - and keep to VW's orders.

 

You could guess it'd be an EFB as VW are too tight to fit AGM from the factory even on their products with their glorious name badge on let alone their "lesser" brands, 😄

 

Use the charger maintainer after the hot summer bit and cold winter bit and between the two if or as required as preventative measures and you should see a lot longer out of your battery and less hassle than most other owners of 2020 Scalas.

 

Do read and follow the instructions for the charger maintainer and those for the car (in Owner's Manual) despite what some think it's not against any law for a man to do so (though many are incapable especially tradesmen I've found).

 

Of course it wouldn't kill VWSkoda to put information about the battery in the Owner's Manual (along with other stuff they don't divulge that most other manufacturers do) but it doesn't seem to be the way they do things.  Keeps forums going at least.  😄

 

Good luck.

 

[Skotastic]

6 hours ago, J.R. said:

 

👍👍👍👍

Many thanks. The RSC range still looks good value for  occasional use, and they never claim to “wake the dead”.

The 800 series is now looking a bit ancient - there is a new trendy 900 series…

[nta16]

900, to me, pluses - covers for battery lead connectors, perhaps longer mains lead (don't know), better display, trendy it aint (a plus to me)

minuses - some too tiny 12v on screen and the 'FUL' is still there that annoys me, and the same mode function button that outfoxes me, new so not time tested in real world use.

 

Evolution rather than revolution, worth a go, probably lower priced from other retail providers, but if the 800 is on special offer at significantly lower price (than it was) to clear stock I'd go with it instead as it's been Ok in my use and others seem to say it's OK.  Anything that cuts down on time farting about with the car is good by me and if its easy to use the better, and if it's reliable and long lasting even better.

 

If either blows your car up let us know. 😄 

[Skotastic]

Will do. If the Scala blows up, it will be the fastest it has moved since I bought it 😂

[Skotastic]

Just an update. I have bought a Ring smart battery charger, direct from Ring.  It is the latest 2024 version, 6 amp. (Model 906). 
Works well. Took around 12 hours. Glad I did not get the 4 amp, although if you have the luxury of a garage it could be that using 4 amps, all night,  is better for the battery.

My Scala now has a fully charged 4 year-old battery. Sadly the start-stop is working again 🥲, but you can’t have it all!

[nta16]

Thanks for reporting back.  Glad you're happy with your Ring RSC906 and that it works well for you. - https://shop.ringautomotive.com/rsc906-6a-smart-battery-charger-maintainer.html

 

12 hours ago, Skotastic said:

Took around 12 hours. Glad I did not get the 4 amp, although if you have the luxury of a garage it could be that using 4 amps, all night,  is better for the battery.

Took 12 hours that time, future preventative charges shouldn't take as long.

 

You don't need the luxury of a garage to use the 4-amp and you can fully recharge the battery in more than one session if required.  In the photo I put up in this thread earlier I think it was a 14 or 15 hours session outside when the temperature was around or below +5c to -4c followed by a one hour session, with the car being used on a very short daily work commute between the two, to get the 60 Ah (AGM) battery to fully charged.

 

[Skotastic]

Thank you. The unit looks very robust and I realise that it is pretty much waterproof. I just felt that leaving the car on my drive all night with the bonnet open would be too much temptation for some!

[Warrior193]

If you feed the mains supply cable into the engine compartment beneath the edge of the LH headlight trim panel, you will find you can fully close the hood with the charger in place.