Indestructible battery
Discussion
I hope this is engine and drivetrain related. If not someone will no doubt move it. My 2001 year Ford Focus is now just over 14 years old. I've had it for 11 years since 2004. I've been waiting for the original battery to die for many years based on the fact that no replacement battery I've ever bought has lasted more than 3 or 4 years. However this silver calcium OE Ford battery soldiers on for ever without apparently degrading at all. The car was off the road for three years some time ago with the battery just left to go flat which normally kills them. After a recharge it was good as new again. Today I went out with the digital multimeter to check the voltage and it's 12.49V a few hours after its last run to the shops. That's pretty much a perfect brand new condition voltage at the current rather chilly ambient temperature.
Has anyone had a battery last longer than this?
Why won't the damn thing die?
If they can make batteries last this long why don't all of them do so?
Has anyone had a battery last longer than this?
Why won't the damn thing die?
If they can make batteries last this long why don't all of them do so?
That is a pretty good life to get out of a lead-acid battery, you must have had one with optimal tolerances all around!
I've not had one last longer than yours but was impressed to discover that the battery in my 100" Bowler is over eight year's old, it hasn't had an easy life either.
100SRV
I've not had one last longer than yours but was impressed to discover that the battery in my 100" Bowler is over eight year's old, it hasn't had an easy life either.
100SRV
It depends on how many miles maybe, but yes that's pretty good going. I had a 2001 Vito in daily use which the bodywork expired on before the battery did, it was a big bugger though and it went until 2012 when I bought a second hand battery for £20 and it limped on for another couple of years before it was 'beyond economical repair' and the Eastern Europeans bought it to chop up. Due to my diligence and Mercs engineering the engine and 'box were fine so are seeing out their years in the hands of someone else in Russia or kazakhstan where they were shipping to.
Flattening a battery entirely by leaving something draining it kills it usually, but those that aren't sealed can be rejuvenated.
Flattening a battery entirely by leaving something draining it kills it usually, but those that aren't sealed can be rejuvenated.
Sardonicus said:
Your battery is a freak of science Puma.
It seems to be. I'm not complaining mind you. I'm quite happy not to have to lash out on a new one. Just wondering what if anything might ever kill this battery. I was thinking the cold winters after I moved up to Scotlandshire in 2012 would finish it off but we don't seem to be getting any of those anymore. No snow even for the last two years although it was down to minus 7C in 2012 one night. I actually went out to see if the car would start and it did so quite happily. I can't imagine we'll have temperatures lower than that very often.I had jury service for the first time yesterday so I was panicking all weekend that I'd oversleep or the car wouldn't start so I stuck the battery charger on it just in case on Sunday for a few hours. Seems I needn't have bothered. Sat in court twiddling my thumbs for two hours with 60 other people until finally someone got round to picking 15 of us, none of which was me, and then the rest of us were able to bugger off again. Seemed to be an extraordinary waste of everyone's time.
There might actually be a battery voltage related issue but I'm puzzled as to why. The engine check light came on a couple of months back when the car hadn't been used for a while and DTC code 9318 came up on the dashboard test which is low battery voltage. Not surprising as the voltage really was quite low but a good charge up fixed that. However I reset the code and put the check light out by disconnecting the battery last w/e and thought that would be the end of it. The light is back on again today though and this is only supposed to happen at 10 volts or less from what I can see on'th intergoogles. Voltage is actually 12.25 just now which is not exactly stellar but seems to be plenty to start the car. I've also just checked the charging voltage with the engine idling and that's 14.9v so no problem there.
Could it be that the voltage is dropping below 10v during cranking and this is what's triggering the check light?
I may actually have to start facing up to the fact that one day in the not too distant future I'm going to have to shell out for a new battery finally.
Could it be that the voltage is dropping below 10v during cranking and this is what's triggering the check light?
I may actually have to start facing up to the fact that one day in the not too distant future I'm going to have to shell out for a new battery finally.
Jimmyarm said:
If your alternator is charging at 14.9v, you might find that it is the issue !
I don't see why. The Smart Charge system on modern cars with silver calcium batteries can generate very high voltages and 14.9v is not unusual or any problem for the battery. The main thing was to ensure the alternator is actually charging which clearly it is.Noxious89123 said:
A good voltage output doesn't guarantee the alternator is charging well; current output is also very important.
It kinda does. The current in a circuit is controlled by the load. If for some reason your alternator effectively had a high internal resistance, it's output voltage would droop in proportion to the output current.What a high system voltage does not guarantee is that the battery still has a good SoC, as a failing battery with a high Ri, can float at high voltage, but only be absorbing a very small current (battery capacity being measuring in Ampere Hours, not "Volt hours"
Max_Torque said:
It kinda does. The current in a circuit is controlled by the load. If for some reason your alternator effectively had a high internal resistance, it's output voltage would droop in proportion to the output current.
What a high system voltage does not guarantee is that the battery still has a good SoC, as a failing battery with a high Ri, can float at high voltage, but only be absorbing a very small current (battery capacity being measuring in Ampere Hours, not "Volt hours"
I'm not sure I understand you fully.What a high system voltage does not guarantee is that the battery still has a good SoC, as a failing battery with a high Ri, can float at high voltage, but only be absorbing a very small current (battery capacity being measuring in Ampere Hours, not "Volt hours"
Current output of an alternator can and will vary independently of the voltage output. If it didn't then all alternators in 12v electrical systems would put out the same amperage; which they don't.
I've recently covered the topic on an IMI Level 2 course; Good voltage output does not guarantee an alternator is working properly and creating enough current to charge the battery. This is why we are taught to check current output as well as voltage output.
Noxious89123 said:
Max_Torque said:
It kinda does. The current in a circuit is controlled by the load. If for some reason your alternator effectively had a high internal resistance, it's output voltage would droop in proportion to the output current.
What a high system voltage does not guarantee is that the battery still has a good SoC, as a failing battery with a high Ri, can float at high voltage, but only be absorbing a very small current (battery capacity being measuring in Ampere Hours, not "Volt hours"
I'm not sure I understand you fully.What a high system voltage does not guarantee is that the battery still has a good SoC, as a failing battery with a high Ri, can float at high voltage, but only be absorbing a very small current (battery capacity being measuring in Ampere Hours, not "Volt hours"
Current output of an alternator can and will vary independently of the voltage output. If it didn't then all alternators in 12v electrical systems would put out the same amperage; which they don't.
I've recently covered the topic on an IMI Level 2 course; Good voltage output does not guarantee an alternator is working properly and creating enough current to charge the battery. This is why we are taught to check current output as well as voltage output.
Even if you do not connect any load to the alternator this control loop will result in the nominal output voltage being generated at the output terminals. However, as no load is present, there will be zero stator current flow (and only a tiny field current will be required)
Hence, the output current of the alternator, like all electrical devices, depends upon the input impedance (resistance) of the load being driven. In a car, this load is highly variable, and depends on what electrical loads are switched on, and of course the SoC of the battery (and hence it's charging current). For a modern car, the battery charging current is far far smaller than the total current consumption of the electrical consumers, with a "flat" battery charging at maybe 15A maximum, whereas things like heater screens and seats can consume 50A easily.
So, if you check the electrical system voltage with the engine running, if it is above, say 14.3Vdc, then the alternator is generating sufficient current to support the consumers. Of course, if you want to check the alternator, then you need to switch on sufficient consumers to increase system current draw to a point that makes the alternator work hard.
Gassing Station | Engines & Drivetrain | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff