THE ROVER SD1 FORUM

Chris P · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:16 am Post subject:

Out of interest, how long does everyone expect a battery to last in
their SD1? My car gets used rarely, and may go for a month without
venturing out - it's definately not a daily drive. It's garaged, but the
garage is not part of the house (i.e. unheated, not dry). Up until
now, the battery has been fine - leave it for a month and the car
will still start on first turn of the ignition with no churning.

I think the battery has failed on my Vitesse. I've noticed more churning
before the car starts over the last month or two, and the central door
locking not working - this system appears very susceptable to low
battery voltage. Yesterday, the car failed to start - and it had a run last
weekend. The battery didn't charge either - the terminal voltage was
only about 12.4V.

The battery is a reasonable quality Halfrauds item which was in the car
when I bought it nearly 3 years ago. Some receipts which came with the
car suggest the battery was bought in mid 2004 - so if that's right, the
battery has lasted only 3.5 years (guarantee was for 3 years!). Speaking
to my dad, the battery in his Honda Civic is the original one - their car
is nearly 10 years old!

Any brand suggestions?

ramon alban · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:13 am Post subject:

Chris P wrote:

Out of interest, how long does everyone expect a battery to last in their SD1?

Chris, Its winter and its getting colder - do yourself a favour and get a decent new battery - request a discount from your local motor factor.

This extract from the battery essay on my site explains:

Why do batteries die? In cold climates batteries age as the active positive plate material flakes off due to the expansion and contraction that occurs during the discharge and recharge cycles. Brown sludge builds up in the bottom of the case and can short the cell out. In hot climates, additional causes of failure are positive grid growth, metal corrosion in the electrolyte, negative grid shrinkage, plate buckling or loss of water. Deep discharges, heat, vibration, over charging, under charging or non-use (SORN owners please note!) accelerate this “aging” process. Another major cause of premature battery failure is lead sulfation. Using tap water to refill batteries can produce calcium sulfate that also will coat the plates and fill the pores. Recharging a sulfated battery is like trying to wash your hands with gloves on. When the active material in the plates can no longer sustain a discharge current, the battery “dies”. In a hot climate, the harshest environment for a battery, a survey of junk batteries revealed that the average life of a good quality car battery was 37 months. If a car battery is more than three years old, then it is living on borrowed time. Abnormally slow cranking, especially on a cold day, is another good indication that a battery is going bad and should be externally recharged and load tested. Dead batteries almost always occur at the most inopportune times, for example, after jump starting, in the airport after returning home from a long trip, during bad weather, late at night in a dark car park, or when late for an appointment. It’s easy to spend the cost of a good quality new battery or more for an emergency jump start, a tow, or a taxi. The majority of “defective” batteries returned to manufacturers during warranty periods are good, suggesting even most sellers of new batteries don’t properly load test or recharge them.

_________________
Ramon

Chris P · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:10 pm Post subject:

Thanks Ramon!

Battery prices - 072 type - are pretty high. I've had quotes from
local factors at 95 quid inc. for a 3 year warranty, 90 quid inc.
from Halfords (3 year warranty) and 85 quid inc. for a Bosch
with 4 year warranty! Despite the fact that I subscribe to the
Peter Wheeler school of where it came from "I don't want anything
German in my cars", the Bosch gets the vote at the moment.

Here is a question. Should I get a trickle charger? Will this significantly
extend the life of the battery - or will it cost more to buy and run in
electricity over a few years?

ramon alban · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:59 pm Post subject:

Chris P wrote:

Battery prices - 072 type - are pretty high. I've had quotes from
local factors at 95 quid inc. for a 3 year warranty, 90 quid inc.
from Halfords (3 year warranty) and 85 quid inc. for a Bosch
with 4 year warranty!

Here is a question. Should I get a trickle charger? Will this significantly
extend the life of the battery - or will it cost more to buy and run in
electricity over a few years?

Chris, Earlier in this thread Kerosine and PunxOr paid a lot less than that.

I've not used a continuous trickle charger for over-wintering a battery.

My remote lockup has no mains feed so the car is disabled with battery and ECU removed.

The battery just sits on my garage work bench hooked up to an array of wires and connectors to test things from time to time, lamps, motors et al.

It also runs an old car radio for in garage entertainment.

All that makes use of the battery which will discharge properly, over time.

Then about once every one or two months, I recharge it with a small charger capable of about 2 amps.

A trickle charger would provide that or less so its not much more than a 15 watt bulb in a light socket.

The light over my front door in on every winter night, and that is prolly 40 watts. No big deal.

If the battery is in the car continuously (say) over winter, then the residual radio/alarm load will gradually discharge it and there would be something to be said for having it topped up at the same time.

Its a balance between trying look after the battery with the minimum of fuss and simply abusing it in the ways described in my article.

_________________
Ramon

Punx0r · SD1 Regular Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Posts: 252

12.4v should comfortably start a car, but as with the last two batteries on our SD1, they may show good terminal voltage but just lost capacity and/or oomph (CCA). Both would easily turn the engine over, but only for a couple of seconds before giving out. So if the engine didn't catch first time it was unlikely to go.

Re: central locking, my front passenger door lock is a little sticky and is a surfire indication of the battery going flat as it'll be the only door that won't unlock.

A solar trickle charge may be a worthwhile investment for a laid-up car, I think they're only about £20

Chris P · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 7:07 pm Post subject:

I bought a new 072 battery from a local battery supplier (Bristol Batteries).
The battery is a no-brand item, but well made with a three year guarantee.
Cost was £56.66, which was pretty much the cheapest I could find - only
one motor factor was cheaper by a few quid with a 'value' battery.

An amazing transformation. I hadn't noticed how slow the Vitesse
had got churning on the starter. Now it's a fast whizz and instant
start.

Central locking works everytime now, and even the after-market alarm
arming fault appears to have gone away!

I also replaced my (pretty decent) charger with one which can also act
as a trickle charger - so I can keep the battery topped up if I'm not going
to use the car for a few weeks.

ramon alban · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 7:46 pm Post subject:

Chris P wrote:

An amazing transformation. I hadn't noticed how slow the Vitesse
had got churning on the starter. Now it's a fast whizz and instant
start.

Central locking works everytime now, and even the after-market alarm
arming fault appears to have gone away!

I also replaced my (pretty decent) charger with one which can also act
as a trickle charger - so I can keep the battery topped up if I'm not going
to use the car for a few weeks.

Hello Mr Chrisp.

The transformation is amazing isn't it? I Assume you may have asked for the best possible price? As you know I have long advocated that "only the rich can afford cheap car batteries", but I also advocate eroding the suppliers profit margin!

Any idea of the non discounted price?

Happy new year.

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Ramon

Chris P · Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 12:17 am Post subject:

Well, I didn't try to get the price down to be honest - the price quoted
was way below most places I tried, which were in the £80+ bracket.
Halfords wanted £89.99, one motor factor I use regularly (and did a
good rebuild job on the radiator) wanted nearly £100, as do Rimmers!
I was pretty happy to pay £56.66 (inc. VAT) for a well made battery
with 3 year guarantee.

Happy New Year Cool

GrimV8 · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:19 am Post subject:

Interesting thread (I must be getting old Embarassed

) had to throw away a few batteries lately that have lost the will to live but I should know better. Bike batteries seem even more sensitive to car ones IMO My bike with alarm etc and a new battery will not start after only 1 week left standing Shocked

They cost 70 quid ish for a tiny little thing and stand for very little abuse before the recycle bin is calling. My bike lives on an Optimiser battery conditioner which is hard wired with a simple plug in connector.
I keep meaning to sort out a solar panel for the car, even in a lockup you could hide it on the roof or something if no power was available Smile

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Have had V8s all my life and can't grow up- Is that wrong?