Which starter battery?

[blackrose]

If you're charging your start battery with a battery charger alongside your domestic batteries it might be worth thinking about battery types. Some multi-output chargers only have a single battery type setting so if your domestics are wet-lead acids or sealed, etc, it might be an idea to have the same type of start battery. If you don't you could be charging at the wrong voltage.

 

If you're not using a battery charger with multi- outputs and a single battery type setting then you can ignore all of that. 

[BlueStringPudding]

Thanks everyone 😊

[MtB]

I agree with Tracy, pretty much any battery will start your engine. The hard bit is if you buy one different, is fitting it.

 

So look carefully at your old knackered one and just get another one exactly the same in every respect. Particularly the three dimensions (LxWxH) and the terminal type and layout. 

[David Schweizer]

I used a standard 663/664, 110Ah lorry starter battey, available for about £100. I only ever had to fit one replacement, which was still holding it's charge after more than 12 years.

[churchward]

On 18/02/2022 at 11:28, BlueStringPudding said:

I need to buy a new starter battery. But I've no idea which to get. 

I've got a fairly basic 12v set up, with 4 × 12v wet domestic batteries charged by their own alternator, and a 12v wet starter battery with its own separate alternator.

 

Looking on Midland Swindlers website they've got sealed starter batteries, wet lead starter batteries, 2 different brands, some with 2 terminals, some at £60 and some at £85. I don't know what's best to get, or whether I should go for a different brand from somewhere else? https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/search?query=Starter+battery

 

(Having just had a chat with a chap from a nearby boatyard, he's made buying a starter battery sound very complicated and expensive (£125) and that it takes up to a month to order one in. Midland Swindlers have them in stock ready to dispatch, but boatyard guy said their batteries are rubbish (I paraphrase). He wouldn't tell me what brand battery it would likely be for £125, so I felt a bit fobbed off.)

 

Any starter battery buying advice, please? 

I have a Beta B38 and have used the following battery model type, either "017" or "019" . The reason for this is that the dimensions are the same as the usual 110A leisure batteries in terms of width and length. However the 017 and 019 is not as tall.

 

These batteries have good cranking amps delivery (around 700-800A) and are common as they are used in many vans and cars of around 2ltrs including diesels. So being common they can be bought anywhere and are not expensive.

 

The last one I had (a Numax offering) lasted 10 years.

[jam]

 The following company have a wide range of batteries at reasonable prices and quick delivery (in some cases next day)

 

Advanced Battery Supplies

[blackrose]

I'd not seem that supplier before.

 

They're selling these big 230 AH leisure batteries quite cheaply. That's the price for 3 which includes vat and delivery. I don't know the Powerplus brand though. Anyone know if they're any good?

 

500 cycle lifespan doesn't sound a lot. But what does that even mean? 500 cycles to 50% capacity?

 

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by blackrose

[Alan de Enfield]

Or, even cheaper to buy individually and a 'known brand' at £189 each.

 

 

Exide EG2153 PROFESSIONAL 210ah 1200CCA 12v Type 625 Commercial Battery 3 Year W | eBay

 

The same batteries are given different ratings by different sellers, they vary from 200Ah to 210, to 220, to 230Ah.

Batteries weigh 53kgs each so are not easily thrown about when lying down, working upside down in an engine 'ole.

[Momac]

On 18/02/2022 at 15:01, Ronaldo47 said:

I don't suppose you would go to Halfords for boat batteries,  

They may not be cheap but otherwise why not?

 

[Tony Brooks]

6 minutes ago, MartynG said:

They may not be cheap but otherwise why not?

 

as long as you can be assured that it has not been sitting uncharged, in stock for months so has started to sulphate.

[Momac]

32 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

as long as you can be assured that it has not been sitting uncharged, in stock for months so has started to sulphate.

The same can apply to any supplier.

 

I replaced a Halfords  battery in 2021 that had been in use for the bow thruster since 2014.

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, MartynG said:

The same can apply to any supplier.

 

I replaced a Halfords  battery in 2021 that had been in use for the bow thruster since 2014.

 

Of course it can, but I would suggest fewer commercial operators would use Halfords and boat sized batteries are not very common on cars so stock turnover at Halfords is more likely to be slow. I would say the same for motor factors that specialize in car and van parts. I think that you are more likely to get a fresh battery from a national or local distributor or supplier specilalizing in trucks.

Edited February 22, 2022 by Tony Brooks

[BEngo]

These days any battery you can get is pretty likely to be fresh. The supply chain disruption of the last couple of years has really ensured stock turnover and cleared out a lot of dusty corners.  (Except if you have a shelf full of Jowett Javelin bits, of course)

 

N

[Ronaldo47]

For the avoidance of doubt, my comment about Halfords merely reflected my impression that all the batteries I had seen used on boats had been somewhat larger than those I had seen in Halfords. I had missed an earlier post mentioning that the poster had got theirs from Halfords.   

 

As an aside, it would be mildly interesting to know if others had had my  problem of  being asked to supply  car registration plate info when attempting to order from them on-line, when the battery was not for use in a motor car. 

Edited February 22, 2022 by Ronaldo47
typos

[Momac]

1 minute ago, Ronaldo47 said:

My comment about Halfords reflected my impression that all the batteties I had seen used on boats were somewhat larger than those I had seen in Halfords. I had missed an earlier post mentioning that the poster had got theirs from Halfords.   

 

As an aside, it would be mildly interesting to know if others had had my  problem of  being asked to supply  car registration plate info when attempting to order from them on-line, when the battery was not for use in a motor car. 

A starter battery for a narrowboat engine does not need to be any bigger in capacity than for a car with the same or similar  engine. But a big battery is more easily accommodated on a boat.

Walking into Halfords and buying a battery they may ask what car it's for but that's not an issue when you say it's not for a car.

On two occasions I needed a battery on a Sunday and Halfords was the only place open.

I dont think their batteries are a problem but they are not cheap.

[David Mack]

44 minutes ago, MartynG said:

Walking into Halfords and buying a battery they may ask what car it's for but that's not an issue when you say it's not for a car.

Their parts system is based around identifying the car make and model from the registration number and the particular part from that. It is not so clear whether staff have access to alternative searches using part number (or a part number equivalent in the case of generic items like filters) or whether you have to strike lucky finding a staff member who knows their stock.

[Momac]

42 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Their parts system is based around identifying the car make and model from the registration number and the particular part from that. It is not so clear whether staff have access to alternative searches using part number (or a part number equivalent in the case of generic items like filters) or whether you have to strike lucky finding a staff member who knows their stock.

It's the same with GSF car parts and Euro car parts . 

I have kept a list of alternative part numbers for my filters  which makes it easier when ordering.  To be honest I rarely use Halfords but they are no worse than anywhere else really.

 

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

7 minutes ago, MartynG said:

It's the same with GSF car parts and Euro car parts . 

I have kept a list of alternative part numbers for my filters  which makes it easier when ordering.  To be honest I rarely use Halfords but they are no worse than anywhere else really.

 

 

 

Halfords and many other car bits outlets have used the registration number database as a way of deskilling the job and employing spotty 17 year olds on the parts desk at minimum wage, instead of people who actually know about what they are selling. Not that I wish to make light of the distress that teenage acne can cause to the afflicted.

[TheBiscuits]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

Their parts system is based around identifying the car make and model from the registration number and the particular part from that

 

It really threw them when they asked my registration number.

 

509241 doesn't get many matches on their stock management system ...

[BEngo]

23 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Halfords and many other car bits outlets have used the registration number database as a way of deskilling the job and employing spotty 17 year olds on the parts desk at minimum wage, instead of people who actually know about what they are selling. Not that I wish to make light of the distress that teenage acne can cause to the afflicted.

Not only deskilling the trade counter, but improving the accuracy of the transaction.  Car specifications are much more complicated these days, and the makers will build to order so buyers can add all the factory bells and whistles, or at least enough to get to their company car price limit.  Working from a reg number enables the first-time supply of the right variety of filter or whatever for that particular vehicle. It also works Into the workshop as well as over the counter.

N

[Ronaldo47]

That only works when the data is accurate! When the rear windscreen wash failed on my wife's VW Polo, the main dealer looked it up and said her car had a third party part for which a repair kit was available, at a considerably cheaper cost  than the £100 + price of a complete replacement. Of course the parts didn't fit and on taking the old unit in, it was confirmed that it was in fact  a VW manufactured part for which no repair kit was available. I got a refund and managed to fix it myself with a few inches of small bore brass tube.

[Guest]

6 hours ago, MartynG said:

A starter battery for a narrowboat engine does not need to be any bigger in capacity than for a car with the same or similar  engine. But a big battery is more easily accommodated on a boat.

Walking into Halfords and buying a battery they may ask what car it's for but that's not an issue when you say it's not for a car.

On two occasions I needed a battery on a Sunday and Halfords was the only place open.

I dont think their batteries are a problem but they are not cheap.

 

Halfords batteries are (or at least used to be) made by Yuasa.

 

A well regarded manufacturer in the leisure vehicle arena.

 

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by The Happy Nomad

[CanalRetentive]

On 19/02/2022 at 12:09, David Schweizer said:

I used a standard 663/664, 110Ah lorry starter battey, available for about £100. I only ever had to fit one replacement, which was still holding it's charge after more than 12 years.

 

Same, I recently replaced a type 644 90ah/620a that I had killed (couldn't see the label, learned the hard way topping it up with battery water kills it, why do they use a case with screw caps on top when not user serviceable?! Oh well 😑) with a 664 110ah/750a. Same price, same size, same connector locations. Engine starts fast as lightning now.

 

Point being its worth measuring the space you have and getting a battery to fit it. If I'd just searched for another 644 I wouldn't have found out I could fit a stronger 664 in the same place for the same price.

[Tony Brooks]

35 minutes ago, CanalRetentive said:

 

Same, I recently replaced a type 644 90ah/620a that I had killed (couldn't see the label, learned the hard way topping it up with battery water kills it, why do they use a case with screw caps on top when not user serviceable?! Oh well 😑) with a 664 110ah/750a. Same price, same size, same connector locations. Engine starts fast as lightning now.

 

Point being its worth measuring the space you have and getting a battery to fit it. If I'd just searched for another 644 I wouldn't have found out I could fit a stronger 664 in the same place for the same price.

 

I would like to know more about this. At present it makes no sense to me - the topping up and killing it. Make, model, type/chemistry, and what the labels actually say. Even if it was an AGM I can't see just topping up with distilled/demineralised water would do more that degrade its performance. I think you can even top up Knife cells with such water as long as it has no acid in it, but I can't see anything exotic having a 644 designation.

[CanalRetentive]

4 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I would like to know more about this. At present it makes no sense to me - the topping up and killing it. Make, model, type/chemistry, and what the labels actually say. Even if it was an AGM I can't see just topping up with distilled/demineralised water would do more that degrade its performance. I think you can even top up Knife cells with such water as long as it has no acid in it, but I can't see anything exotic having a 644 designation.

 

That's what I first thought but battery definitely failed within days of topping it up. Wouldn't hold a voltage and managed a couple of jump starts off the domestic before it wouldn't even accept that. It was a Lucas 644 90ah 620a. Once I removed it and unpeeled the label instructions it says not to top it up so I assumed me doing so had finished it.

 

The plates and water were very low in the case so took a fair bit of water to get back near the top. I thought maybe they used an oversized case for the small plates (marketing?) and by topping it up I've diluted it to the point it no longer works?

 

Like I said this is all guesswork I'm not an expert. It definitely failed after I topped it up with deionised water, I remember it needing a fair bit too.