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Proper Looking Batteries
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:02 am    Post subject: Proper Looking Batteries Reply with quote

Throughout the road salting period I normally try to run my engine up to temperature and slip the clutch to keep it free from welding itself to the flywheel.

Yesterday was nice and sunny and so I went to start up the SS. Unfortunately my battery is now about 15 years old and so cranking speed was, shall we say, one cylinder at a time.

There was no sign that she would catch, the load on the battery was clearly too much for good ignition and so after about three tugs on the starting handle she started.

The battery is a traditional hard rubber job with filler caps and lead inter-cell connectors. It is the second one I have bought from my nearest battery supplier (D.B. Wilson, Glasgow) and has given good service as did the first. Unfortunately, I understand that they no longer manufacture traditional hard rubber batteries so am trying to figure out what I should do for a replacement.

The batteries I have been using to date look OK but they are not really correct because they lack the fixing lugs and I was never able to find a supplier of 12 volt batteries that still provided these.



That said, I do have an old dead battery that is the correct size and has lugs and I could probably find a supplier who would rebuild it as original but to be honest I'm getting lazy and dislike topping up batteries and risking acid spills so I was wondering if I could cut the top off my old battery and somehow arrange to make connections to the old terminals from a small modern sealed battery. The old top would be complete with all its fillers and interconnectors and would be held in place by the original fixing method using long bolts through the lugs.

Here's what it should look like.



Peter
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1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon
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47Jag



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

PostPosted: Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Peter,

I had my Dagenite battery rebuilt by Lincon batteries for around £166 including shipping. Contact:-
Bill Salmon
General Manager
Lincon Batteries Ltd
Tel : 01702 525374
Mob : 07974 530910
E-Mail : Info@lincon.co.uk http://www.lincon.co.uk/contact_lincon_batteries.html

Some say that’s a bit expensive but it looks original. The only problem is you lose the original filler caps. I see you have the Lucas rubber ones. I’m trying to find a glue that will allow me to attack the tops of my caps to ‘their thread’. I’ve just bought some Gorrilla glue to try.

I’ll send you pics by email as I don’t have a hosting site.

Art
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Sun Mar 31, 2019 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Art, Thanks for your email.

Your battery certainly looks the part. I assume this is a photo of it prior to rebuilding.



Peter
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47Jag



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

PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Peter,

Yes that’s ‘as was’. My iPad seems to have lost some of my pics. because I know I took some when I got the battery back and how I had tried to glue two parts of the old and new caps together with superglue.......It failed so now I’m going to try the much vaunted Gorilla Glue.

Art
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MikeEdwards



Joined: 25 May 2011
Posts: 2463
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 1:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think Gorilla glue varies - there are several types. The one I bought is one that needs to be applied to one piece, while the other piece has water applied to it. The water activates the glue, but also produces an expansion. This didn't work well for me as it seemed to lead to most of the glue coming out of the side of the joint leaving only a small amount to actually stick.

But last time I was in Halfords I noticed there are lots of different types of Gorilla glue now, and no-one in my local branch knew what the differences were.
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Churchill Johnson



Joined: 11 Jan 2011
Posts: 359
Location: Rayleigh Essex

PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 10:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have you thought about using liquid butyl windscreen rubber,i have used it for all kinds of jobs last one recently was to refit knob [plastic] back on my freezer temperature adjuster being rubber its ok with acid, you should be able to get a part tube from a car windscreen company.
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Penman



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4749
Location: Swindon, Wilts.

PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 10:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi
Whatever you use, don't let the glue block the vent holes in the caps.
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 8:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not as good as a proper battery with ears but here's the new earless battery held in place with my modified clamp.

Peter


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Clactonguy



Joined: 20 Mar 2018
Posts: 104
Location: clacton on sea

PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2019 5:40 pm    Post subject: old style battery Reply with quote

a possible marketing gap here for a new sealed typo silver whatever battery with a clip on cover that looks exactly like old style lead bars across cells. no need even be lead . plastic that looks like lead or a cheap alloy will suffice. imagine all those car clubs..old batteries that owners would like to see looking old but in fact brand new! Shocked
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2019 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with you. I did consider attempting to make one with lead connectors and filling plugs.

Peter
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alastairq



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

PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2019 11:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like these?

https://www.batterytoppers.com/products/
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2019 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They seem to have forgotten about the lead cell connectors. Not an innocuous detail.

Peter


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