Kezman Posted March 21, 2019 Posted March 21, 2019 Being a bit Lazy here I will admit, but can anyone point me to the standard Varta Battery that was typically issued with a 2009 build Westy Located at the scuttle? Got round to taking the dimensions (forgot to take the width. doh) but the length is approx 195mm, Height approx 150mm.Terminals seems to be 10mm head M6 for ring connectors. Don't want to weight save or anything like that... just want an exact Varta replacement, as believe it or not it's the original Varta on there at the moment, somewhere in the region of nine years old! and in likelihood I'm confident would start the car come April 1st. For the 6 yrs it's been with me it has always spent winter lay ups outside under it's car cover as well so for me, you can see why I want to go Varta and nothing else! Thought I would treat the starting system and give it a new one. Engine it's starting is a standard tune C20XE on TB's. Thanks in advance.... Quote
GaryH Posted March 21, 2019 Posted March 21, 2019 Try a varta 530 030 030, one was fitted to my factory car of a similar age. Gary 1 Quote
Kezman Posted March 22, 2019 Author Posted March 22, 2019 Well....I do stand corrected. All these years and I could of sworn my battery was a Varta, but it isn't! It's a "Platinum" VRLA Pag 33-12. 12v 33ah/20hr. bit of googling VRLA is Valve Regulated Lead Acid and I think is a fancy term to mean it's an AGM battery. Clearly it's 33 AH. flat terminals, or F11 apparently. One outfit that sells this battery is electroquest. https://electroquestuk.com/product/hgl-33-12-fullriver-sealed-lead-acid-battery-12v-20ah/ it ends up at £77/78 delivered. Generally speaking, I can't find a CCA value for this battery and having a word with electroquest above, they say that the application it is generally used for which is mobility/golf buggy/jet ski and the like, may be the reason. But, they also went on to say that they have sold to the "Rally Boys" I've never really encountered a situation where it struggles to turn over, if it has a little on occasion say the last couple of years I've simply put it down to that it is either 2-3 weeks since I last used the car or as said before down to maybe the fact it's 8-9 yrs old. So If any one in the know could chime in with their opinion on the suitability of this battery, being as though as I said it would be in charge of a Standard compression C20XE (redTop)...then I"ll press the button and get it. I didn't build the car, so it wasn't my battery choice but obviously it would have the plus points of just being a straight swap and no issues with not fitting in the tray and the pos and neg being the right orientation etc... Thanks again. Quote
Jon Wilkinson Posted March 22, 2019 Posted March 22, 2019 If it's lasted 9 years then I would go for it, with the small battery terminals it might of had a odyssey battery fitted in the past, but found another suitable option and a bit cheaper it seems, will make a note for my xe, thanks. 1 Quote
Jon Wilkinson Posted March 22, 2019 Posted March 22, 2019 Just compared the odyssey to your battery, a 16ah has cca170 but can peak at 580 for 5secs and nearly 4kg lighter, yours has superceded the 30/34ah so assume got around 300ish cca, great for fast road car. 1 Quote
GaryH Posted March 22, 2019 Posted March 22, 2019 Interesting enough that's very similar to the specified uses (jet ski) for the battery I replaced the factory fitted Varta 530 030 030, I was recommended this one by my local motor factors - Tungston platinum C60-N24L-A - it's been faultless . Gary 1 Quote
Kezman Posted March 25, 2019 Author Posted March 25, 2019 Well I took my battery off my car, and 1st off I weighed it, and it is indeed right on the money at 10kg as advertised. I the put the multi meter on it, and got a reading of a solid 12.6 volts! This remember has been outside on the car ( wrapped in bubble wrap admittedly) and laid up since Nov 1st. I then put on my Ctek charger on a recondition charge, which the ctek manual advising this is done typically once a year anyway. Took it off charge this morning. I’ve deliberately left it till tonight to take another meter reading......and it is now reading 13.1 volts. Admittedly I've not put it back on the car and took a reading with the car being started but as I understand it, the numbers are seemingly saying “ hey the battery's fine” just don't quite understand it with the view that the battery is minimum 6 yrs old, as that is how long the car has been with me, but as I said before I strongly think the battery is in likelihood 9+ years old! Was in honesty prepping myself to buy a new battery but don’t know what to do now. I suppose I’m looking for a problem when perhaps there isn’t one?! Quote
neptune Posted March 25, 2019 Posted March 25, 2019 If you want to check if the battery is aging. Refit it, crank the engine a couple of times for around 5 seconds a time with pump off so it doesnt fire. Leave it for 1/2 hr and re measure the voltage. If its still over 12.5 volts its good. Alternatively switch head lights on for 5 mins leave for 1/2 hr and re-measure. 1 Quote
Kezman Posted March 26, 2019 Author Posted March 26, 2019 Yes, I’ll try that, when I pop it back on. Thanks. I know some batteries have their 1st charge date etched on and some don’t. Shame really. Quote
Jon Wilkinson Posted March 26, 2019 Posted March 26, 2019 If you don't have a drop tester and hydrometer, go to local garage to test Yr battery, but if it starts Yr engine OK and not going flat overnight then sounds fine. 1 Quote
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