No Electricity!
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skyblue465

Original Poster:

100 posts

244 months

Saturday 22nd March 2008
quotequote all

Went to re-commission the VXR 6.0 today after Winter hibernation. The battery was dead....ABSOLUTELY DEAD! No interior immobiliser/alarm lights or anything. I've started it a few times over the Winter, but not driven it. I put the battery on trickle charge at mid-day. It was on for 7 1/2hrs. Only just turned over after, but certainly won't start. Maybe 7 hrs isn't enough on a totally flat battery? Or maybe it's toasted! Just in case I need to get a replacement, can anyone recommend one? I seem to remember a thread saying it's not that easy to find one for some reason?...can't remember why.

Thanks.

BO55 VXR

4,373 posts

274 months

Saturday 22nd March 2008
quotequote all
I'd like to know too... Went to take the beast out for a spin and has been sitting a while, absolute zilch... Gonna jump it tomorrow and take it for a nice long drive and hopefully charge the battery up but just in case i need a new battery

DevilYellowCV8

745 posts

246 months

Saturday 22nd March 2008
quotequote all
skyblue465 said:
Went to re-commission the VXR 6.0 today after Winter hibernation. The battery was dead....ABSOLUTELY DEAD! No interior immobiliser/alarm lights or anything. I've started it a few times over the Winter, but not driven it. I put the battery on trickle charge at mid-day. It was on for 7 1/2hrs. Only just turned over after, but certainly won't start. Maybe 7 hrs isn't enough on a totally flat battery? Or maybe it's toasted! Just in case I need to get a replacement, can anyone recommend one? I seem to remember a thread saying it's not that easy to find one for some reason?...can't remember why.

Thanks.
'twas my thread last weekend..

If you go to your VX dealer, you should be able to pick up one of their 'GO' batteries that will be a good fit.

Problem with non 'official' replacements from H'ford's or other suppliers is that they are usually too big in length,width and height. I had to go to the above store as the car was urgently needed.

Some have managed to make 096 batteries fit, how I don't know how as the wiring loom prevents longer batteries from locating onto the tray thus preventing the clamp from holding the battery.

The battery I got to fit reasonably well was HB010. Slightly longer, and a tad shorter than the OEM but with some fiddling about of the loom, I've managed to get it fit onto the tray and clamp it. just make sure you get a rating of at least 640CCA. However, the cost of the battery hurt my wallet....

anonymous-user

77 months

Saturday 22nd March 2008
quotequote all
get an optimate

ads_green

838 posts

255 months

Saturday 22nd March 2008
quotequote all
wormus said:
get an optimate

yep

Any car battery that goes flat is stuffed.
The lead plates crystalise when there is zero charge causing the capacity of the battery to drop considerably. An optimate reverses most of the crystal buildup bring it back to operational use

V2RAC

463 posts

222 months

Monday 24th March 2008
quotequote all
ads_green said:
wormus said:
get an optimate

yep

Any car battery that goes flat is stuffed.
The lead plates crystalise when there is zero charge causing the capacity of the battery to drop considerably. An optimate reverses most of the crystal buildup bring it back to operational use
Sounds good. What is it and how does it work,will it rejuvenate any knackered battery?

ringram

14,701 posts

271 months

Monday 24th March 2008
quotequote all
There are known issues with the VE and radio/dvd's etc not fully powering down leading to flat batteries. Take a search on ls1.com.au you will see what I mean.
You might find a new battery ends up the same. I think there is even a Holden Tech Reference for this. Might require a Tech2 BCM flash etc.
Brian/Caspy might know.

S600VXR

5,877 posts

223 months

Tuesday 25th March 2008
quotequote all
Go to Vauxhall. Correct battery for the cat for about £55 and that comes with either 4 or 5 yr garentee! ant beat it!

ads_green

838 posts

255 months

Tuesday 25th March 2008
quotequote all
V2RAC said:
ads_green said:
wormus said:
get an optimate

yep

Any car battery that goes flat is stuffed.
The lead plates crystalise when there is zero charge causing the capacity of the battery to drop considerably. An optimate reverses most of the crystal buildup bring it back to operational use
Sounds good. What is it and how does it work,will it rejuvenate any knackered battery?


There's a couple different types - some you use a bench battery charger and theres some that you plug into the cigarette socket and leave in the car when it's running. I'm not sure of the details but as far as I know it causes the voltage to ocillate (but still within limits) wich causes the battery to recover. It won't restore 100% of any dead battery - the longer a battery is left discharged the less you'll be able to restore. However, an optimate on a new battery will make it last longer.

SteveMJ

919 posts

219 months

Wednesday 26th March 2008
quotequote all
Something like this may help:

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/Test+Equip £3.56
or
http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/pro £6.95

I think the first part containes only the means to measure - you will still need a ammeter or multimeter of some kind.

(err you'll have to sort out the added linefeeds)

Steve

ads_green

838 posts

255 months

Wednesday 26th March 2008
quotequote all
SteveMJ said:
Something like this may help:

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/Test+Equip £3.56
or
http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/pro £6.95

I think the first part containes only the means to measure - you will still need a ammeter or multimeter of some kind.

(err you'll have to sort out the added linefeeds)

Steve


They look quite good actually. If you were to use these probes on the primary always on fuse (you'll lose you're radio settings but hey if you're tracking down a drain it's not the end of the world) and then start pulling out other fuses you'll be able to track down a drain quickly as as soon as you pull out the culprit you'll see a change on the readings.

It's be good to get a baseline figure from a car that is known to work so at least you can guess what you are aiming for. You can also see how much difference switching on various bits makes (like the headlights).

I manage to swipe my dad's corporate battery tester when I had problems a few years back. It's a great (if costly) unit that does a full check on the battery and starting systems. This is when I found out that a battery showing 14v can be shot to hell - mine was showing a nice high voltage but the plates had crystalised so it couldn't hold any amps meaning the car wouldn't start no matter how long I charged it.

Edited by ads_green on Wednesday 26th March 09:19

BO55 VXR

4,373 posts

274 months

Thursday 27th March 2008
quotequote all
S600VXR said:
Go to Vauxhall. Correct battery for the cat for about £55 and that comes with either 4 or 5 yr garentee! ant beat it!


£49 from local main dealer...