Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[amba]

Got a good deal on a Bosch S5 which according to speak has 780 CCA.

It spins the motor round like a whirlwind and has missed a beat since...think I paid sub £100 with some voucher codes etc

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Tempting, no very tempting as the super cheap one is, I'm thinking go for the cold cranking amps rating, as that's the most critical figure.
 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Have a look on the Tayna website. Their prices are usually pretty good.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Will see if I can find a varta equivalent with that CCA, for reasonable pennies.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

These are all via tayna (on their ebay shop) ta. Will look. 

[amba]

Bosch S5 096 on the RAC website at £86-97.Not sure what T@C,s are .Sorry cant post link but google and you will find

[Enceladus]

Tempting, no very tempting as the super cheap one is, I'm thinking go for the cold cranking amps rating, as that's the most critical figure.
 

UK spec V6s and later 4 pots left the factory with Delco Freedom 66AH batteries, rebranded as Vaux or Opel. I seem to recall these 66AHs were 580CCA and reputed to be better quality than their TradeClub replacements. Plods had Delco 70AH and 6 pot diesels Delco 85AH, which were around 600 - 640CCA.

Most decent quality batteries of the right size available today will exceed the required CCA.

The problem with all the maintenance free / sealed for life batteries is that short journeys or infrequent use will degrade them very quickly, regardless of make or how much they cost. Eventually they reach a point where they can't be charged at all. Keeping them topped up with an Aldi or similar charger is a good idea, it prolongs the lifespan. Once per annum, around this time of year or a bit earlier, it's good practice to put the battery through the desulfating maintenance cycle found on CTEK or Optimate chargers, there are others. That restores the capacity and prolongs reliability. And you want reliable max capacity and current delivery in the cold weather.

I have an Aldi and a CTEK MXS 5.0. The Aldi is great at charging or topping up a battery that's in good condition. It can't recover a battery that's too discharged. For that you need the CTEK. It's not a fault it's a limitation.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

I'm thinking I should be choosing this on CCA figure over other factors, if only to offer a 'prolonged' life in the long-run. Just checked, my Vauxhall branded 70ah has 540CCA, lower that I'd have guessed  . So clearly any on the list exceed those specs... which can only be a good thing.

For a smidge higher £ up there's Vartas Silver range (one up form 'Blue') which offer 5 year warranty. That can be had for £71.16 with code from Tanya Batteries. That comes with 750CCA, enough to start a Deltic Locomotive!

Just for comparison I paid £70 for the genuine Vx one 4 years ago.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Right, gone for the Varta with 5 year warranty, and the 750CCA. Made in the same factory as Bosch which is the 'money no object' choice, bit like buying a Skoda over and Audi, really. Only £15 between the Exide and Varta between a 'ok' name and a 'v good' name.

Time will tell. I'd have loved to have bought the £35 one, and the Varta, swapped them every week, and come back and done the Kevin Wood guide once every 12 months, see how they are getting along.

[dave the builder]

Right, gone for the Varta with 5 year warranty, and the 750CCA. Made in the same factory as Bosch which is the 'money no object' choice, bit like buying a Skoda over and Audi, really. Only £15 between the Exide and Varta between a 'ok' name and a 'v good' name.

Time will tell. I'd have loved to have bought the £35 one, and the Varta, swapped them every week, and come back and done the Kevin Wood guide once every 12 months, see how they are getting along.

why swap them 
buy both batteries and another Omega and compare the batteries like that 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

 

Because there's only about £5 left in my bank account now after all this spending, and to buy another whole Omega would cost at least £6... £7 for a good one. 

[dave the builder]

Because there's only about £5 left in my bank account now after all this spending, and to buy another whole Omega would cost at least £6... £7 for a good one. 

oh yes , Lincolnshire in your avatar box 
it's grim up north
Opti will buy you one ,he lives next door to you no ?
time to sell a few more turnips perhaps ? bump up the bank balance 

£6 is about a gallon of petrol , you need that much to get an Omega to position 1 on the ignition key ,let alone start one 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

 

The only inaccurate thing in that post is that we've moved to Coventry. 

[dave the builder]

The only inaccurate thing in that post is that we've moved to Coventry. 

your avatar box hasn't    it's still up north

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Aye, I'm not wearing out my keyboard typing out a replacement, we're frugal up North you know! That's why we remove so many letters from words, save us time