Replacement Battery options

[element]

Had the humility lesson this evening of having to be pushed to bump start after the battery went dead while driving in the twilight with the lights on and switching off for 2 minutes... Need a new one methinks. I measured the bulkhead fitted battery & have to be within 24cms long, up to 18cms wide and no more than 15.5cms high.
Has anyone recently replaced theirs & if so what make/number did you use? Cheers all

[element]

Re: Replacement Battery options

Drawn a complete blank this evening trying to find a replacement battery which is only 15cms high... Read up on some old threads on here of folks maybe using high end Bike batteries... The car has a Fiat 2.0 TC - are there bike batteries out there that have enough crank power to turn this over?

[b_caswell]

Re: Replacement Battery options

Try this link to ID your requirement

https://www.tayna.co.uk/tools/battery-wizard

[CompoSimmonite]

Re: Replacement Battery options

This thread recently came up on another forum. Something like 75% of all batteries, no matter what the brand label states, are made in the same Chinese factory. The importer then gets an order for Yuasa, Halfords etc and simply then attaches the label to sellers requirements. I wonder if importer has a way of checking each battery to see what will be regarded as a premium brand of the same battery ?
Consensus was buy the cheapest with best warrantee - 2-3 years if probably longest you will get. Actual life of such battery can however be hit or miss - I've had them die after just over a year or last 5 years - there seems to be no way of knowing determining in advance when buying.
There are a few manufacturers who still make their own batteries but can easily be identified by price - maybe double what a cheap items costs yet still don't last much longer.

Paul H

[stevejgreen]

Re: Replacement Battery options

If your battery went dead, have you a problem with your alternator or charging circuit?

[chris_cussen]

Re: Replacement Battery options

It could be a charging problem, but I have had a battery completely fail between driving into B&Q and trying to leave.

[element]

Re: Replacement Battery options

I suspect the battery is as old as the car; 15 years... When I stopped, I left the lights on and the engine off for a few minutes, I haven't checked the charging circuit yet but just leaving the car in the garage for a fortnight it has a flat battery so I figure I need a new one. I'll check its charging circuit tonight. The problem seems to be that there are no car batteries made and available with this one's height (15cms). It sits in a cut out section at the top of the bulkhead with a swing locking bracket over the top. As the bracket is a snug fit; any 'higher' battery won't fit. Plus there's not much room left before the bonnet. The smallest height I could find is 17.5cms; too big.

[peterboat]

Re: Replacement Battery options

This thread recently came up on another forum. Something like 75% of all batteries, no matter what the brand label states, are made in the same Chinese factory. The importer then gets an order for Yuasa, Halfords etc and simply then attaches the label to sellers requirements. I wonder if importer has a way of checking each battery to see what will be regarded as a premium brand of the same battery ?
Consensus was buy the cheapest with best warrantee - 2-3 years if probably longest you will get. Actual life of such battery can however be hit or miss - I've had them die after just over a year or last 5 years - there seems to be no way of knowing determining in advance when buying.
There are a few manufacturers who still make their own batteries but can easily be identified by price - maybe double what a cheap items costs yet still don't last much longer.

Paul H

Jaguars come with high quality batteries they last[in petrol cars], when we replace one with something else they do 3 years on the whole whereas Jaguar batteries last 7-8 years

[CompoSimmonite]

Re: Replacement Battery options

Jaguars come with high quality batteries they last[in petrol cars], when we replace one with something else they do 3 years on the whole whereas Jaguar batteries last 7-8 years

Same with my Smart & Skoda - originals lasted around 8 years. Replacements are Yuasa as thought I was buying a decent brand until I was told they are no different to other makes but, fingers crossed, they are still OK after 2 years.
I'm still awaiting Ni MH car batteries as patent that stopped them being made (owned by petrol company) is supposed to have expired and there was a Chinese factory set up to start production of large capacity items for use in electric vehicles - supposed to be superior / more cost effective than Lithium.
More reading - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent...NiMH_batteries

[listerjp2]

Re: Replacement Battery options

Hiya

The baby you require is a Powervamp Odyssey PC680.

This will easily turn anything upto a two litre engine.

For £99 you get battery and aluminium braket.

They are small, compact and can be mounted in any orientation.

http://www.powervamp.com/?s=Pc680

Adrian

P.S. It's what I have used on my Roadster.

See thread http://www.marlinownersclub.com/foru...hlight=Battery

There is a picture of the install there, I covered up the gapping hole for the original and mounted it on the bulkhead, now the passenger has some foot room.

[element]

Re: Replacement Battery options

Ok, I looked into the Odyssey and read up what I could about it & its charging & how many cranks I would likely get - and then had another look at the car... The 'old' battery looks like its some 16.5 cms high. However instead of replacing it with one the same height - I can probably get one which is 17.5cms high & then remove and modify the locking strap to fit 17.5 cms. The only issue might be the top height of the terminals & their lead connections maybe fouling (arcing!) on the bonnet. So I'll have to remove the bonnet tomorrow evening then the battery & make notes of all measurements... then go shopping.. Should be fine...

[dave_clutterbuck]

Re: Replacement Battery options

Varta D21 will do the job it is 175mm height inc terminals 242mm length & 175mm width, I have one on my Cabrio 2ltr Efi.
Friend who uses a lot of batteries in his business recommended Varta to me on quality and price
Regards
Dave

[element]

Re: Replacement Battery options

Varta D21 will do the job it is 175mm height inc terminals 242mm length & 175mm width, I have one on my Cabrio 2ltr Efi.
Friend who uses a lot of batteries in his business recommended Varta to me on quality and price
Regards
Dave

Cheers Dave, I'll look around for it; I have used Exide for years in my other cars but Varta are also a good name brand. Size is everything
Tony

[cabrioman]

Re: Replacement Battery options

One of the Sportster guys just sorted out a compact optima battery, they might do a unit to suit, his is cranking a stroked bmw straight 6 so a smaller lower cost version may suit your needs.

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6064

John

[peterboat]

Re: Replacement Battery options

One of the Sportster guys just sorted out a compact optima battery, they might do a unit to suit, his is cranking a stroked bmw straight 6 so a smaller lower cost version may suit your needs.

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6064

John

Optima probably are the best car battery on the market long lasting and great CCA for the size