Battery tyoe and size - this seems to work

[rjahunter]

I've seen a few posts on this topic, and recently went to Halfords to get started (excuse the pun).............

LD Parts do a very good description on their website of what's needed, and you seem to be after an 072 if you want heavy duty. I accordingly bought a Halfords HB072 and took it home, only to find it too big for the new battery box ! Went back to Halfords after noticing that the "lugs" on that battery make its dimensions exceed those recommended by LD parts. Found that Halfords also sell an HCB072, which is £10 more expensive and is a Calcium battery. More importantly, it apparently comes from a different supplier and the casing is a tighter size, with no "lugs". To cut a long story short, it fits snugly in the battery box, and with a little persuasion, the left hand battery retaining rod fits down the inside of the battery box also, with the shorter right one down inside the offside wing - all well and we now have a power source !

Richard

Stag Battery 040311.jpg

[StagnJag]

Thanks for posting that, I may well be in need of a new battery soon. I haven't used my Stag much, recently but I got the jump leads out last weekend, got it going and let it run for 20mins or so, and the battery was completely flat again today.

Unfortunately the first symptom of a flat battery for me is my alarm going off continuously and it is completely unresponsive to the key fob until I can get juice to the battery. I had to pull the battery from my modern car and carry it over to the Stag as it was the only way to get at it. Sods law then dictated that I couldn't locate my jump leads. Thinking that they were in the boot of the modern, I had to lug the battery back to the other car and connect it back up as it is the only way to get the boot open . All the while my alarm was going off. I am sure my neighbours were really happy with me!

Rgds

Dave

[martin]

I know it's completely bloody irrelevant, but that does look good. Martin.

I've seen a few posts on this topic, and recently went to Halfords to get started (excuse the pun).............

LD Parts do a very good description on their website of what's needed, and you seem to be after an 072 if you want heavy duty. I accordingly bought a Halfords HB072 and took it home, only to find it too big for the new battery box ! Went back to Halfords after noticing that the "lugs" on that battery make its dimensions exceed those recommended by LD parts. Found that Halfords also sell an HCB072, which is £10 more expensive and is a Calcium battery. More importantly, it apparently comes from a different supplier and the casing is a tighter size, with no "lugs". To cut a long story short, it fits snugly in the battery box, and with a little persuasion, the left hand battery retaining rod fits down the inside of the battery box also, with the shorter right one down inside the offside wing - all well and we now have a power source !

Richard

[ATTACH=CONFIG]8681[/ATTACH]

[V Mad]

Interesting, but quite complex subject. It seems that although there are benefits for classic cars such as lower discharge rate, there may be problems with charging as a higher voltage is needed, and you cannot adjust the alternator voltage. I found this on google:

Calcium batteries are acid batteries, however the lead plate is impregnated with calcium rather than antimony as in a conventional lead acid battery. Antimony and calcium are used to strengthen the plates as lead is relatively soft. Both calcium and antimony batteries have disadvantages and advantages. The main advantages of a calcium battery are longer shelf life (they self discharge very slowly), more resistant to vibrations, higher cold cranking amp ratings, less prone to sulphation. The disadvantages of a calcium battery are they are more expensive, harder to recharge once flat, shorter service life, older vehicles cannot charge them properly and they require a certain type of charger to recover them.

[Andy Rundell]

i wouldn't get to concerned over the info found regarding charging...... i know of many older cars using Halfords Calcium batteries with no charging problems. But, if you were to experience a problem, Halfords do a no-quibble replacement - with an extra year for the 'C' ones so you have plenty of come-back.

Regarding lugs, i have had a few of these type of 'not quite fitting' problems due to helpful plastic lugs. My solution is just to trim them off with a hacksaw blade or a Dremmel if you are feeling lazy

............Andy

[milothedog]

There has been a lot R&D at my work recently regarding batteries and what we should fit to minimise the cost of breakdown's and down time. I must admit it's all got a bit technical, and some of it is going outside what I understand but the specialist suppliers that have been involved have all said the same thing, once you let a battery go below 10.5 volt's, it's days are numbered. As Dave mentioned previously about his battery in most cases our cars stand idle for long periods in winter which in turn is not good for the battery. and what I have just said ring's true for Dave unfortunately, I even take the face off my radio when its in the garage as I discovered there is a very small current draw (back lighting)when it's fitted I have also got a socket fitted to the car which I can plug in and leave a battery optimiser connected when standing to monitor and maintain the battery charge.

The simple answer I suppose is use it more

Ian.

[Andy Rundell]

The simple answer I suppose is use it more

Ian.

Bingo !

[rogerc]

Had to replace my battery today, and went to Halfords for an HCB072. Whilst comparing the HB072 with the HCB072, physically they are identical - lugs and all. Guess they've standardised their suppliers...
Anyway, it was tight, but I did get the HB072 in the car.
Price wise, £89.99, but with a trade card, £57.49!
This would be an area where the club could offer a real benefit to members - being able to offer trade cards to members. I've heard, but can't verify, that Halfords have supplied trade cards to other clubs - don't know if anyone can verify or not. It seems that store managers have some discretion in issuing them, and being a regular customer and keen amateur (i.e. Running a classic) is sometimes sufficient...
Food for thought!