Amazon: New (to me) 1963 Volvo 122

[Derek UK]

13 years for a battery is very good. Tanya batteries offer very good prices. Best brands and excellent service. I have no connection with this company other than being a customer.

[Wagon Sailor]

I'm so used to having batteries last much longer than their stated expected life that I was cross yesterday to find the one in the 240 absolutely flat. It's a Halfords special and has a 4 year warranty. It's 4 years 6 months old ...
The car has been standing for a few weeks while I gather together some spares. It's a 1991 model. Did I read somewhere that current leaks aren't unusual?

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

I suspect the desulphation part of the CTEK charging procedure probably helped a bit too. You can buy desulphators quite cheaply for permanent installation.

http://extralifepulse.com/

Cheaper to buy from the seller direct as they offer free P&P but charge P&P on ebay sales. At least that was the case, haven't checked to see if it has changed though.

Gosh Dave, one learns something new every day, I'd never heard of desulphators. I can see they are sold on eBay for only about £20 delivered, but then a new battery only costs £58; if that lasts another 13 years I'll be happy enough :-).



PS. I charge the Porsche's battery (AGM) about once a month with the CTEK on the recommendation of the Porsche specialist that services it for me. So far (8 years) it seems to work. I use the CTEK charger on the Skoda (also AGM) every now and then, that also seems to work well, both motor cars still have their original batteries and have no issues.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Wagon Sailor

I'm so used to having batteries last much longer than their stated expected life that I was cross yesterday to find the one in the 240 absolutely flat. It's a Halfords special and has a 4 year warranty. It's 4 years 6 months old ...
The car has been standing for a few weeks while I gather together some spares. It's a 1991 model. Did I read somewhere that current leaks aren't unusual?

If you invest in one of those desuplhators i linked to above and put you flat battery on an "old skool" charger on trickle for a few days with the desulphator also connected, it should revive the battery if there is any revival to be had.
Even without the desulphator there's a chance a long, slow trickle charge might revive it but over the course of a few weeks the clock will discharge a battery.

If the battery rejects revival, have a chat with Hellfrauds, you might find a sympathetic person who gives you a discount on a new battery.

Avoid calcium/silver-calcium as the alternator on a 240 won't charge it properly.

[Moomoo]

I’ve a few NOS conditioners. They were aimed at the caravaner market for winter lay-ups. They’re effectively a 30v , 200mA charger. I’ve used them for years for charging all voltages of battery for drills , torches and other stuff!😀

[c1800]

Originally Posted by Wagon Sailor

. Did I read somewhere that current leaks aren't unusual?

Yes, not uncommon, there’s a leak in my 1800, I suspect from my modern radio. When it’s laid up for some time (like the 5 months of winter here) I simply disconnect the positive battery cable and put the battery maintainer on it.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Wagon Sailor

I'm so used to having batteries last much longer than their stated expected life that I was cross yesterday to find the one in the 240 absolutely flat. It's a Halfords special and has a 4 year warranty. It's 4 years 6 months old ...
The car has been standing for a few weeks while I gather together some spares. It's a 1991 model. Did I read somewhere that current leaks aren't unusual?

I think your observation that batteries generally last much longer than their predicted life is a very valid one. I'm my experience modern, sealed batteries last a decade or more. I only changed the original battery on my 2006 Triumph Scrambler last year, and that was more as a precaution than through necessity. The original batteries on my Skoda and Porsche both seem to be lasting very well also. I do think the rejuvenating type chargers such as the CTEK do help - probably due to the de-sulphication process Dave and Andrew describe in the above.

Very modern motor vehicles are very demanding on batteries, I think because the myriad of electrical and electronic systems need very precise supply voltages to operate. This seems to lead to batteries having to be replaced more frequently, whereas when used in an older vehicle with less electronics (or none in the case of my two Volvos) the same item might remain within tolerances for many years more.

Current leakage is pretty common, particularly in machines that have circuits that are permanently live and not switched by the ignition (interior lights, central locking, ICE, alarms... ). A really effective way to counter it is a simple battery isolator switch like this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374368453...Bk9SR-L3u4CgYQ

... I recall fitting one to a Mazda MX5 Eunos many years ago. It was a really effective anti-theft device (far better than an alarm that no one takes any notice of). On a more modern motor car the downside would be having to re-programme the ICE after every use.



Bobwalkin time.

PS. I'm pleased I've reminded myself of those simple battery isolator switches this morn. I may fit one to GAM; for a motor car that is used infrequently and has no electronics it might make good sense.

[Wagon Sailor]

Originally Posted by Othen

Current leakage is pretty common, particularly in machines that have circuits that are permanently live and not switched by the ignition (interior lights, central locking, ICE, alarms... ). A really effective way to counter it is a simple battery isolator switch like this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374368453...Bk9SR-L3u4CgYQ

PS. I'm pleased I've reminded myself of those simple battery isolator switches this morn. I may fit one to GAM; for a motor car that is used infrequently and has no electronics it might make good sense.

Thanks for this. I've just ordered a double pack.


As it is, the old battery may be able to be resuscitated. It was barely making 8v when I took it off the car in an ambient temperature of about +1'C. 11 hours on the charger later (indoors) and it's hovering around 12v.

We'll see.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

Current leakage is pretty common, particularly in machines that have circuits that are permanently live and not switched by the ignition (interior lights, central locking, ICE, alarms... ). A really effective way to counter it is a simple battery isolator switch like this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374368453...Bk9SR-L3u4CgYQ

... I recall fitting one to a Mazda MX5 Eunos many years ago. It was a really effective anti-theft device (far better than an alarm that no one takes any notice of). On a more modern motor car the downside would be having to re-programme the ICE after every use.



Bobwalkin time.

PS. I'm pleased I've reminded myself of those simple battery isolator switches this morn. I may fit one to GAM; for a motor car that is used infrequently and has no electronics it might make good sense.

I've removed and binned countless versions of the battery isolator you mention Alan, they fail in service and no longer allow enough current to flow to start (and often charge the battery) so yes, you're right they are an effective anti-theft measure, so effective they often prevent the owners driving them away!

This is a better option :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325282653231

That will isolate everything including the starter. An alternative arrangement would be to leave the starter feed as is and disconnect the smaller heavy cable from battery +ve (this may in fact piggy-back off the starter feed terminal) and fit a relay between this cable and battery +ve with a remote switch (toggle or key, your choice) to control a high current relay :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164906524330

That one is from the UK, same relay a couple of quid cheaper from China :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115430229339

If you really wanted serious current capacity (not necessary on GAM or the Barge) you could use one of these :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204167807643

A whopping 200A capability! As the starter would still be separate, the starter feed wouldn't need to be factored in, just the charge/discharge under normal circumstances. Having the remote switch to control the relay saves all the messing around with spanners to remove a battery terminal and alsoprovides a measure of anti-theft protection. If either car is fitted with a clock, this could be direct wired to save having to reset it each time but you're starting to let in circuits you deliberately want to isolate then.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Wagon Sailor

Thanks for this. I've just ordered a double pack.


As it is, the old battery may be able to be resuscitated. It was barely making 8v when I took it off the car in an ambient temperature of about +1'C. 11 hours on the charger later (indoors) and it's hovering around 12v.

We'll see.

That sounds hopeful at least! See my post above about those "Dis-car-nect" battery isolators though..........