Battery - which is best (regardless of cost)?

[_leon_ 0]

I've got the Braille battery (as sold by Schimmel) which is a beautiful little thing - but after 9 days of no driving (I've been on holiday), the battery was as good pretty much flat. Either it doesn't hold charge for long or it was low on charge before I left. My money is on the battery not holding much charge.

 

This is the second time it's gone flat on me after being left for a week (or up to 9 days) and last night my neighbours endured a sleepless night while my alarm rang from 2:30am. I got a charming note left on my car to make it clear this cant happen again.

 

So with that in mind - what is the best battery for a road car application - a tiny gel battery just isn't feasible on a weekend car that isn't secured in a garage. A battery smaller than the Bosch Silvers (that I used to use) would be nice - with loads of charge and cranking power. What are the options? :)

[StormchargedVR6 0]

Im using the Braille No-weight Extreme use battery B3121, this is the one you need.

 

Check out the specs http://www.brailleauto.com

[chimo 0]

my battery absolutely died yesterday, turned the key after work to nothing at all. So got boosted and drove to halfords for a battery. £89 was their cheapest battery. I nearly had a heart attack. That kind of coin (converted) buys a top range gel cell by Optima at home. I forked the £89 and had to install it in the rain in the parking lot.

 

If you have the dough (god only know how expensive they are here), I use an Optima Red Top at home in Canada, it's never let me down and I drive about 1800 watts of stereo with it. There's 0 gauge (about as thick as my thumb) power and ground coming from it.

[RallyRaddo 0]

Simmilar problem for me:

 

Used car during the week, noticed turnover wasn't as "Oomphy" as it should be.

 

Drove about 10 miles up A90 and into Aberdeen City Centre. Parked for 15 mins & on return, so dead even the stereo lost its programming. Thankfully the car park I was in, had a handy slope, so was able to bump start it without any hassle.

 

Drove 5 miles through city & parked up again at Kittybrewster. Handy as the shop I was going to had a Halfords next door. Looked at the fitting guide and the Bosch battery for a Corrado was, wait till you hear this - £95 :?

 

Car started no problem rest of the day, wierd eh?

 

Gonna look at that Braille one but also the Optima. Can anyone recommend what model though, there seems to be a few?

 

Cheers

 

Kev

[craigowl 0]

Yes, I had noticed that batteries had almost doubled in price in the last year or so. The quality calcium one I saw in Halfords for the VR6 was just under £100. I was quoted £50 for a Bosch Silver by my local tyre and exhaust man about a couple of years ago. I bought a trickle charger and have never had a problem since with my 5.5 year old Varta.

 

I did read tucked away somewhere (Autoexpress?) that the price of lead had escalated recently. S'funny this horrific price soar of batteries has escaped wide attention.

 

The Corrado itself is to blame in a lot of cases of battery drain, IMO. I have said before on the forum that many good batteries will have been ditched when they were "innocent, guv!".

 

I think dr_mat is of this belief, too, IIRC.

[joebloggsVR69 0]

I had to buy one from GSF a couple of months back, csot me about £90.... :eek:

The guy told me battery prices have shot up because of the worldwide demand for lead, or something.... :? I thought the demand was for steel :lol:

[KADVR6 0]

i'm glad i have my halford trade card then :) the battery i bought for my brorthers vr6 cost £51 after trade discount 8)

 

might buy a load and do a group buy???

 

karl

[_leon_ 0]

Thanks a lot guys for the help :)

 

 

Im using the Braille No-weight Extreme use battery B3121, this is the one you need.

 

Check out the specs http://www.brailleauto.com

 

Shaun - did you buy from Braille direct? How much reserve would you say the B3121 has - e.g. can the car be left for 10 days without going flat - and crank up perfectly fine?

 

Do you also know if the Schimmel battery holder is fine with the B3121 too - as it seems to be slightly larger?

[_leon_ 0]

The Aquamist kit fitted is in the way - so can't fit a normal sized battery.

[KADVR6 0]

The Aquamist kit fitted is in the way - so can't fit a normal sized battery.

 

move the aquamist???

[StormchargedVR6 0]

Thanks a lot guys for the help :)

 

 

Im using the Braille No-weight Extreme use battery B3121, this is the one you need.

 

Check out the specs http://www.brailleauto.com

 

Shaun - did you buy from Braille direct? How much reserve would you say the B3121 has - e.g. can the car be left for 10 days without going flat - and crank up perfectly fine?

 

Do you also know if the Schimmel battery holder is fine with the B3121 too - as it seems to be slightly larger?

 

Yes mate, bought from braille direct. Longest i've left mine is 5 days , mines in the garage with a Battery conditioner on it :)

 

The Sp holder is no good, you get a rubber clamp off the Braille site, there cheap

 

DSCF0260.JPG[/attachment:2zervbwv]

[_leon_ 0]

The Aquamist kit fitted is in the way - so can't fit a normal sized battery.

 

move the aquamist???

 

Could do - had thought about removing it altogether - as the pump doesn't seem to be a particularly robust unit. But if the B3121 is as good as I need I'll just get that - it is quite sexy after all ;)

 

Karl - back from hols mate - PM me about the protectors and lets get that sorted out for you :)

[_leon_ 0]

Yes mate, bought from braille direct. Longest i've left mine is 5 days , mines in the garage with a Battery conditioner on it :)

 

The Sp holder is no good, you get a rubber clamp off the Braille site, there cheap

 

DSCF0260.JPG[/attachment:2a0qmqi1]

 

Thanks fella. 5 days... Hmmm might have to contact them and ask for some advice on that then. They've got a specific holder now - to replace the universal one - which I think is whats pictured?

[StormchargedVR6 0]

Yes mate, bought from braille direct. Longest i've left mine is 5 days , mines in the garage with a Battery conditioner on it :)

 

The Sp holder is no good, you get a rubber clamp off the Braille site, there cheap

 

DSCF0260.JPG[/attachment:ro96ahk8]

 

Thanks fella. 5 days... Hmmm might have to contact them and ask for some advice on that then. They've got a specific holder now - to replace the universal one - which I think is whats pictured?

 

I had the same battery has you got, and updated to this one. 1380 pulse cranking amps, 550 cold start .check out the specs.

[dr_mat 0]

It really doesn't matter how much you spend on a battery for your corrado. If you leave it alarmed and leaking current it will most likely be flat in a fortnight. Best case scenario with a fully charge battery will give you two weeks sitting time.

 

Also note that it takes a good hour and a half or more of driving to fully charge your battery (and that's assuming that your alternator is working 100% and you don't run any major electricals while you're doing it). If you don't use the car frequently chances are the battery is pretty low charged all the time, so you really can't expect it to last long.

 

Talk to Mr VW about this, they just leak power. It's a badly designed electrical system, or some flunky control box that's sucking too much juice when idle or something. It's funny how the missus' Peugeot can be left for 6 weeks without being touched and it's still got enough juice left (in it's 45 Ah battery) to start both it's own engine AND jump start my flat VR6 too.. !

[_leon_ 0]

I had the same battery has you got, and updated to this one. 1380 pulse cranking amps, 550 cold start .check out the specs.

 

I love the size of it - hate the crap lifetime of it. How long did Braille take to get it to you?

[KADVR6 0]

if you need one quickly, strictly dubs have them on the shelf.

 

pm on its way mate 8)

[_leon_ 0]

if you need one quickly, strictly dubs have them on the shelf.

 

pm on its way mate 8)

 

StrictlyDubs have the B3121 on shelf?

 

Cool thanks :)

[KADVR6 0]

if you need one quickly, strictly dubs have them on the shelf.

 

pm on its way mate 8)

 

StrictlyDubs have the B3121 on shelf?

 

Cool thanks :)

 

well they had them on the shelf a few weeks back.

[junkie 0]

When you came over Leon i had a battery fitted that day a cheapo £50 55Ah battery and as you know it came off the road that night, not knowing it was coming off, it sat in the garage for 4-5 weeks all connected up and clifford alarmed, then i disconnected the battery where it sat for a further 3 months, connected it all up it cranked over 1st time and didnt start as it always does then cranked it over the 2nd time and it fired up as it always does.

 

Yes maybe get another battery but it may be worth looking into the electrical system to be sure.

 

How was the hol?

[_leon_ 0]

When you came over Leon i had a battery fitted that day a cheapo £50 55Ah battery and as you know it came off the road that night, not knowing it was coming off, it sat in the garage for 4-5 weeks all connected up and clifford alarmed, then i disconnected the battery where it sat for a further 3 months, connected it all up it cranked over 1st time and didnt start as it always does then cranked it over the 2nd time and it fired up as it always does.

 

Yes maybe get another battery but it may be worth looking into the electrical system to be sure.

 

How was the hol?

 

The layout of everything in the bay is nicely done just now so don't want to move things around too much - otherwise would just get a Bosch Silver which never let me down before. 3 weeks is the ideal - but 2 would probably suffice.

 

Spoke to Nick and he reckoned a week was the limit for the braille i have - thats just not long enough for me personally.

 

Holiday was awesome - Hk was a bit boring - Tokyo was awesome - got some great pictures (gf was pissed off I was spending so long taking photos) - will post some from the Nissan store later this eve. Tokyo - pure sensory overload. And...yes theyre hot!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

No Braille will crank a VR after 10 days. I had one too and it was noticably slow to crank after 3 days. They're great if the car is used daily or if you have a garage and can use a trickle charger.

 

I bought an Odyssey PC1200 dry cell battery last year and that's been the best battery I've used to date. Better even than the Optimas I've used previously.

 

It's only about 45ah, but it started the car first turn after being left 16 days. I'm sure it could be left longer too!

 

Bad news for you is it weighs 17Kg compared to the Braille you've got's 6.8Kg. It's also about £180 :lol:

[Jim Bowen 1]

i've never ever had a flat battery :lol:

 

everything else on my cars breaks, but the battery has never died :lol:

 

am sure i can leave the corrado for more than 10days and it starts fine

[_leon_ 0]

No Braille will crank a VR after 10 days. I had one too and it was noticably slow to crank after 3 days. They're great if the car is used daily or if you have a garage and can use a trickle charger.

 

I bought an Odyssey PC1200 dry cell battery last year and that's been the best battery I've used to date. Better even than the Optimas I've used previously.

 

It's only about 45ah, but it started the car first turn after being left 16 days. I'm sure it could be left longer too!

 

Bad news for you is it weighs 17Kg compared to the Braille you've got's 6.8Kg. It's also about £180 :lol:

 

I notice the difference in a few days too. Bit sluggish and needs a few revs. Theres a really noticeable difference - like you say - fine if you have a home for it and use it daily - but I use the tubes everyday.

 

The Odyssey still seems quite small - is the holder decent? 17kg I can live with if its right for the application - sounds so. Was there a UK distributor you used?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah the Odyssey isn't big, but it hasn't got any mouldings on it for mounting though :cuckoo: .

Mine's boot mounted so I made up some way of holding it in, but it might be awkward for you as you can't use the braille mount or the standard 13mm bolt and clip arrangement.

 

I got James at Audioscape to get my Odyssey, but there are UK dealers. I would ask them about 'fitting kits' to make your life easier though!

 

Brilliant battery. I was at stealth doing some wiring and we must have cranked it over 25 times with no fire up and it took it in it's stride.