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old battery
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emmerson



Joined: 30 Sep 2008
Posts: 1268
Location: South East Wales

PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 6:55 pm    Post subject: old battery Reply with quote

In the caravan section, back in December I told the tale of rescue-ing an old French caravan.
Well, in the battery box on collection there was an equally old battery, which I intended to throw away, but forgot! So, when I got the van home I took it out and, just to try, put it on a very low charge.
This caravan has been standing, untouched to my certain knowledge, for fifteen years, so the battery showed zero volts. I left it for a couple of weeks in the corner of the shed, on a charger with a dial instead of just lights. The dial showed zero amps going into the battery. Last week I needed the charger, and lo and behold it was showing 2 amps! So I checked and the battery showed 12.8 volts. I put it on the camp[er, and it is still holding charge.
Maybe modern batteries are not as good as they used to be, but this 20+ one, flat for many years, appears to be a good 'un!
There is no maker's name on it, so I can't contact the makers.
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COMMAD



Joined: 12 Dec 2011
Posts: 176
Location: Gold Coast. Australia

PostPosted: Sat Mar 16, 2019 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool Cool Don't make them like they did in the Good old days. Cool Cool
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alastairq



Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1950
Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Sat Mar 16, 2019 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What they called 'leisure' batteries....and tractor batteries, were [are?] made in the old style, with nice stout plates, etc......to withstand frequent charging, standing, etc....whereas modern vehicle batteries [cheaper?] are made with as little cost as possible, and a very limited lifespan......[in comparison]

My DD daihatsu fourtrak has a tractor battery..with the battery bay 'made' to fit [includes a lump of hardwood too]....Works well enough, but may be even older than the vehicle it's on? {Bought whole thing from farmer, so who knows?]
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6282
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A worker at Tayna Batteries informed me that the reason they don't last as long these days is that the plates are made from a composite lead paste rather than pure lead.
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alanb



Joined: 10 Sep 2012
Posts: 516
Location: Berkshire.

PostPosted: Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I bought my new car 2 years ago my youngest son took on my old 2001 c class merc, just after Christmas he had to fit a new battery, the one on there was the original battery fitted to the car from new, it had lasted just 18 years and 160,000 miles. Not bad for a modern sealed battery.
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6282
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Sat Mar 16, 2019 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I suppose modern cars with their pre engaged starter motors, efficient alternators, LED bulbs etc. give the battery an easier life.
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Mog



Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 661
Location: Sydney

PostPosted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 2:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the battery is fitted in the boot / trunk they last a lot longer . They do not get so hot . The one on my BMW lasted 10 years .
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Norseman



Joined: 09 Jan 2019
Posts: 78
Location: Essex UK

PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 5:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Batteries, like brake linings/pads, clutches etc. always seem to last the longest when they are the original factory fit items. My late parents had a Toyota whose original battery lasted around 12 years & was only changed to give peace of mind with the coming of the winter months that year.

nb: 12.8v is an acceptable output for a disconnected/no load battery but might not be capable of producing the necessary CCA (cold crank amps) when fitted to a car.
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Last edited by Norseman on Tue Mar 19, 2019 11:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
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ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4100
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 8:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

New batteries are a quantum leap better than older stuff, however any battery charged by electromechanical regulation will be compromised compared to an alternator charge.

D.
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Norseman



Joined: 09 Jan 2019
Posts: 78
Location: Essex UK

PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ukdave2002 wrote:
New batteries are a quantum leap better than older stuff, however any battery charged by electromechanical regulation will be compromised compared to an alternator charge. D.


Interesting statement Dave, could you elaborate please as I'm ignorant of any difference in the effectiveness of the two different methods & even at my age life is a learning curve Embarassed
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A great many models have served me well since the 'sixties, all of them old & some even older than me.
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Phil - Nottingham



Joined: 01 Jan 2008
Posts: 1252
Location: Nottingham

PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 8:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Modern cars with alternators are kinder to batteries giving a smoother and more precise charge. Dynamos are more robust and a rougher charge that may not fully equal the load under certain driving conditions but especially irregularly used cars.

We have 3 classic cars with their original dynamos and 4 with old alternators. All cars are used at least once a week and the batteries 069 budget batteries bar 1 from Taynor last 10+ years. The one without is smaller 015 but we get the same life.
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Mog



Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 661
Location: Sydney

PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 7:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was told Mazda always fitted Yuasa batteries as they were the best . My mother had a new Datsun 120Y . The battery was Yuasa and lasted about 5 years , at that time other batteries only lasted about 2 years .
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Norseman



Joined: 09 Jan 2019
Posts: 78
Location: Essex UK

PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fitted one of these to my RRC last winter, not had this make of battery in a vehicle before but know the manuf. has a good name for rechargeable batts. used in the electrical equipment used by infirm or disabled people.
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1998 E39 523i SE sedan

A great many models have served me well since the 'sixties, all of them old & some even older than me.
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badhuis



Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 1390
Location: Netherlands

PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

According to the Jaguar specialist who replaced a rear wheel bearing half a year ago, the battery on my X-type is still the original. 15 years old!
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47Jag



Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 1480
Location: Bothwell, Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 12:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The battery in my wife’s 2002 BMW Mini appeared to be failing two years ago so I replaced it. So that was after 14 years. I put it on charge and left it for a couple of weeks. I wanted to give my old Jaguar engine a run and put the ex-Mini battery in and it started it no problem. I’ve left it there and as of Sunday last it still does the business when I ran the old girl up again.

Art
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