Long-lived battery

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rmunns
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2019 C4 Cactus manual. Didn't like it, lots of niggling points. sold.
2011 C4 Picasso excl. - shaping up to be a disaster, bought June 2019. P/X'd
2009 Citroen C5 X7 exclusive, auto, LHD, 207500km (129000miles) now sold
Citroen Xsara Picasso excl. 2004 2.0 Hdi, RHD, 64000miles. (sold)
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Long-lived battery

Post by rmunns »

I changed the battery on my Sept. 2000 (registered then, but various date markings shows manufactured in May 2000) Xantia Hdi90 the other day.

When I moved the battery into the garage this morning I noticed the date on it - the date it was manufactured.

020500.

So it was the original battery! Practically 11 years old.
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spider
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Post by spider »

Done well :)

The 'Freedom' batteries fitted to GM stuff in the '90's were excellent too, I had one last 9 years.

The other ones I recommend now (if you can find them) are Motaquip but you must have a VBY or VBZ one not a VBX (the cheap ones) , the one in my 205TD lasted five years.
Andy.

91 205D-Turbo, gone but still missed
02 106D, TUD5B, gone but not really missed apart from the MPG
rmunns
Posts: 611
Joined: 09 Jul 2009, 22:09
Location: Southern Dordogne, France
My Cars: 2019 C5 Aircross 2litre diesel, auto.
2018 C4 Pic2 Spacetourer auto. Seems nice so far.
2019 C4 Cactus manual. Didn't like it, lots of niggling points. sold.
2011 C4 Picasso excl. - shaping up to be a disaster, bought June 2019. P/X'd
2009 Citroen C5 X7 exclusive, auto, LHD, 207500km (129000miles) now sold
Citroen Xsara Picasso excl. 2004 2.0 Hdi, RHD, 64000miles. (sold)
Citroen C3 Picasso excl. 2016. sold.
Two Xantias, one petrol, one diesel. sold.

In the past: Renault 16 (in about 1977, for a year). With front pass. seat out transported full bathroom suite from Cambridge to Derby!)
Renault 4TL (in 2011, for a year)
x 9

Post by rmunns »

This is a Varta, standard fitting on Frenchcars I think.
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spider
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Post by spider »

rmunns wrote:This is a Varta, standard fitting on Frenchcars I think.
:o

Even more so then, I bet they have changed them slightly as they did not do very well in my experience.
Andy.

91 205D-Turbo, gone but still missed
02 106D, TUD5B, gone but not really missed apart from the MPG
Toby_HDi
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Post by Toby_HDi »

Just changed the one in my Coupé. It is a Bosch S5008, 77Ah and 780cca. 5 year guarantee on it so we shall see if it lasts that long.
Toby


Previous:
2004 Peugeot 407 HDi 138 SE Luxury Pack
2001 S2 Xantia HDi 110 SX
2001 Peugeot 406 V6 Coupé
1998 S2 Xantia Activa
2000 S2 Xantia HDi 110 SX
1999 Peugeot 406 2.0 16v Estate
Peter.N.
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Post by Peter.N. »

Battery life, apart from the quality, has a lot to do with how easily the engine starts, car batteries are not designed to be deeply discharged, only to provide a few hundred amps for a few seconds then the alternator takes over. If you have to churn the starter over several times or for a long period it will kill a battery quicker than anything.

Liesure batteries of the deep cycle kind can be fully charged then discharged about 500 times during their life, do that with a car battery and its life will be nearer 20 times. It has a lot of very thin plates designed to allow it to give a very high current for a short time, continually charging and discharging it will cause to plates to fall to pieces.

Using the highest capacity battery you can fit will also extend its life as you use a smaller percentage of its capacity each time you start. Batteries do vary in quality though - the best ones are usually the heaviest, either the plates are thicker or there are more of them.

Peter
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Citroening
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Post by Citroening »

...last year we had a BX TXD on a K plate that had it's original battery on it.

It was quite a special car though...31,000 miles and one lady owner.

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Franklin
Peter.N.
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In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
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Post by Peter.N. »

I wish my car was that clean under the bonnet :( :oops:
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