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[Grrrrrr]

Anyone know what's the biggest Ahr battery you can safely stick in a 2.6? I kind of assume it'll just pull whatever current it needs and no more but modern electronics can be so tempermental I don't want to push my luck!

I assume it is OK to use my jump-leads to put another battery in parallel so I don't lose the radio code and have to reset the windows / sunroof etc afterwards?

Cheers.

[Osprey]

As many as you like - the car won't know the difference as long as it's a 12V battery.  The limiting factor is that larger batteries won't physically fit in the battery bay. 

Out of curiosity, why do you need a bigger battery?  Thinking of running a fun-fair from it?   

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Out of curiosity, why do you need a bigger battery?  Thinking of running a fun-fair from it?   

Bigger is always better. Always.

[Cliffo B]

I got sick of new top name top price batteries going duff/mediocre within a few months
Did some research and came to the conclusion that I'd try the same technology as used in my wifes buggy batteries
Had to bite the bullet and pay more
Now have had a ABX AGM (Absorbant Glass Matt) technology battery for the last 8 months
Must say it seems to be giving excellent service Miggy's electrics have been more consistantly livelier than ever before
Just thought I'd pass on this info
Like you I thought I need a bigger battery 
I now know it's not storage capacity that counts
But something to do with the efficiency of Absorbant Glass Matt technology

[Cliffo B]

Forgot to mention it's a 70Ahr battery

[Kevin Wood]

I got sick of new top name top price batteries going duff/mediocre within a few months
Did some research and came to the conclusion that I'd try the same technology as used in my wifes buggy batteries
Had to bite the bullet and pay more
Now have had a ABX AGM (Absorbant Glass Matt) technology battery for the last 8 months
Must say it seems to be giving excellent service Miggy's electrics have been more consistantly livelier than ever before
Just thought I'd pass on this info
Like you I thought I need a bigger battery 
I now know it's not storage capacity that counts
But something to do with the efficiency of Absorbant Glass Matt technology

Indeed. Storage capacity doesn't matter much. It doesn't take many amp-hours to start an engine, just a LOT of amps for a few seconds, and a higher capacity battery isn't necessarily going to be better at delivering that.

Mrs. KW's MX-5 came with an AGM battery as standard. It was built in 2000, has the original battery and starts perfectly every time.

[TheBoy]

Mrs TB's Rover 25 still has the original battery, no idea on make, probably Unipart?  I was nervous about it as it sat for 2.5 weeks unused over Christmas, but no, it was fine

[Grrrrrr]

Past experience has shown that the bigger the battery the more stress it seems to be able to take without burning out. Normally manufacturers give a range. If you get the bottom end battery it burns out within a few years and if you get one from the top end it'll last 5 - 7 years.

I've had some odd symptoms lately and was musing on possible reasons as I was passing ASM in Thame so I stopped and got a second-hand battery (£20 so not bad). The one on the car was an original Vauxhall 66 Ahr one but the one I got was 70 Ahr. Not a lot more but I didn't want to push my luck! Having said that, a second hand one probably is about the same as 66Ahr anyway!

You might be interested in the symptoms. A few months ago my mig didn't start on the first turn. Unusual for her. After a while things degenerated. She fired but almost immediately stalled and then just turned over and over. I tried re-arming and disarming the alarm and she started, eventually with some gas. After the first start of the day she was fine. Then it got worse. Everytime time she fired then stalled, after which the engine just span until eventually with some juice she fired.

Anyway, I tried the pedal trick and the code that flashed out was immobiliser. Bugger! 4 things sprang to mind:

1) Key's had it.
2) The induction coil thingy in the ignition has had it.
3) Immobiliser's had it.
4) Battery might be on its way out and causing immobiliser to lock when cranking drops voltage too low.

Figured the battery was the cheapest option!

Anyway, put the new one on (well, it is second hand but new to the car) and so far so good. Starts first turn and everything back to normal. Battery that came off it was reading 12.7V so I guess that is a little low. Just shows, these electronics can be fiddly little sods. More than enough power to turn the car over but voltage not stable enough for the immobiliser. Joy!

Anyway, thanks for the confirmation. Always nice to know I'm being reasonably safe!

[Grrrrrr]

Did some research and came to the conclusion that I'd try the same technology as used in my wifes buggy batteries
Had to bite the bullet and pay more
Now have had a ABX AGM (Absorbant Glass Matt) technology battery for the last 8 monthsMust say it seems to be giving excellent service Miggy's electrics have been more consistantly livelier than ever before

Never had much trouble with batteries. All have lasted 5 years or more and the second-hand ones I've had have all outlasted the car! ABX/AGM ones are about double the price? That's a lot of £20 second hand batteries, although I can fully understand not wanting to do it too often. Space is a little tight.

Incidentally, the second battery in parallel to stop the radio locking out etc worked like a dream.

[D]

I got sick of new top name top price batteries going duff/mediocre within a few months
Did some research and came to the conclusion that I'd try the same technology as used in my wifes buggy batteries
Had to bite the bullet and pay more
Now have had a ABX AGM (Absorbant Glass Matt) technology battery for the last 8 months
Must say it seems to be giving excellent service Miggy's electrics have been more consistantly livelier than ever before
Just thought I'd pass on this info
Like you I thought I need a bigger battery 
I now know it's not storage capacity that counts
But something to do with the efficiency of Absorbant Glass Matt technology

Indeed. Storage capacity doesn't matter much. It doesn't take many amp-hours to start an engine, just a LOT of amps for a few seconds, and a higher capacity battery isn't necessarily going to be better at delivering that.

Mrs. KW's MX-5 came with an AGM battery as standard. It was built in 2000, has the original battery and starts perfectly every time.

Thats interesting. I wasn't aware of any cars as early as that being sold with AGMs, more so in that price bracket. Was it an import?

I have heard of AGMs lasting unto 9 yrs, but 12 must be a record of some sorts.

I looked at AGMs when replacing mine but at nearly £260 for a battery I wasn't too keen. Plus the warranty for the AGMs weren't particularly long. I would rather buy 2 silver calcium's that would last about 14 yrs between them and still cost less than the price of a single AGM.

We used to to use AGM for all our racing buggies in Dubai.

[Kevin Wood]

Thats interesting. I wasn't aware of any cars as early as that being sold with AGMs, more so in that price bracket. Was it an import?

No. Uk spec. car. As far as I know Panasonic AGM batteries have always been standard fitment from the first cars due to it being in a small compartment in the boot thus small physical size but a decent CCA required, combined with a sealed construction that won't vent or leak.

They don't make sense in every application, of course.