what size battery

[kerrinmay 0]

So does anyone think that 54Ah isn't 'man' (or 'woman'!) enough for a 2.0 16v (or a G60)?

 

What is the 'standard' Ah battery for the different models of Corrado?

 

Somebody please tell me! As I want to get my new battery ordered!

[DUB 0]

Me too :brickwall:

[dr_mat 0]

The 16v cars with minimal gadgets would be absolutely fine with a 54 Ah battery. The only one that needs significantly more juice is the big VR, since it has 50% more engine to crank over from cold.

Even a 54Ah battery should deliver >500 Amps for starting current, which is plenty - even a VR will start ok from a 54 Ah battery, but longer term it might not hold up, particularly in the winter.

[colinstubbs 0]

Also if you've got a decent sized stereo you'd probably benefit from a bigger battery, I've got a 72ah in my 1.8 valver cost me £42 from a local car electrical place, had it nearly 2 years with no probs and I've got 3 seperate amps and none of that fancy split charging double battery stuff.

[stevemac 0]

I fitted a 74Ah on my G60 so that it would comfortably power my rather large sound system for 2-3 hours & then still have enough power left to start the car.

 

Batteries are generally just used to start the engine & power the alarm while the car is parked. 62Ah is easily enough for Corrados during general usage. If you plan to leave the car parked for longer than 2 weeks with the alarm armed - fit a bigger battery. If you use your sound system for entertainment on campsites (like I used to do) - fit a larger battery.

[dr_mat 0]

If you want a battery for powering the sound system when the car isn't running you should really look for something listed as a "deep cycle" battery. Standard car batteries (even big ones) are not designed to EVER be discharged to very low levels. Deep cycle batteries are designed for exactly this - and will last much longer as a result (in terms of number of discharge/recharge cycles).

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Ignore the CCA and AH numbers, read up on it and you'll find it's all bull sheet sales pitch.

 

I've got a tiny little Braille battery in mine, rated at 21AH but it cranks 1100 MCA and runs my pair of Genesis Dual Monos and the car electrics just fine.

 

The Optima I had in before was only 45AH, and again, no issues what so ever starting and running a VR.

 

Ironically, the 74AH Bosch Silver top I had in prior to that, was useless and lasted a year, but was the biggest current rated battery - on paper.

 

I went for the Braille ($150) because it's dry cell and the lightest car battery in the world at 11lbs (5.2Kg). The Optima was 20Kg and the Bosch 74AH was 28Kg.....but I like doing things to excess :lol:

[DUB 0]

I've got a tiny little Braille battery in mine, rated at 21AH but it cranks 1100 MCA and runs my pair of Genesis Dual Monos and the car electrics just fine.

 

where did you get it from mate?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

http://www.spturbo.com/mainpages/parts/ ... attery.htm :-)

[davidwort 0]

Ironically, the 74AH Bosch Silver top I had in prior to that, was useless and lasted a year, but was the biggest current rated battery - on paper.

 

I went for the

 

had two bosch silvers in my 16v, both lasted 2 years and regularly struggled to start the car after a week of standing on the alarm, not very impressed, you basically pay more for the warranty they come with. The Hella 74 I've had since then has lasted over 3 years starts the car fine even after 2 weeks and was a higher rated one than the Silver, it cost less and simply came with 1yr less warranty than the Silver, bit bigger and heavier than the previous lower rated 64Ah Silver though.

[craigowl 0]

My Varta 62ah from VAG dealer is 4 and a quarter years old (£58.75 incl VAT).

It runs down too much to be able to start car after about 3 weeks, but if I trickle charge it from time to time it is perfectly fine.

 

I think most of us, in our time, may have mistakenly ditched batteries that we thought were kaput. Corrado seems to be a car that tends to make us think a new battery will improve things.

[dr_mat 0]

The Ah ratings aren't actually bull, but they don't necessarily translate into what you need for a Corrado (which seems to be the ability to discharge and not take it badly). Dry cells should be better for that.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

They are to some degree. Most manufacuters measure AH as Amps supplied over 20 hours before the voltage drops to 10.5

 

10.5V isn't much use to anyone. It's the ECU limp threshold and 10.5V won't start the engine unless it's a big Optima with tonnes of reserve current, but it'll struggle all the same. But Braille's AH is rated to 11.5V, which is plenty for turning the starter motor.

[craigowl 0]

For the past few weeks I have been trying to establish the lowest voltage the battery delivers and is still able to start the car (it is kept in the garage and I realise starting may be depend on temperature, too.)

 

My findings so far are:

After good run, fully charged battery reads: 12.30 to 12.47 volts

 

Then voltage at battery drops about 0.02 volts per day if car not used.

 

Still starts at 11.83

 

Starts once at 12.02 but will not start a second time just after that.

 

Clearly, with the good weather meaning I have actually been taking the car out more than usual, I have not reached a non-starting situation yet.

But reckon it may be about 11.5V.

 

If I can, I will advise the forum what I find in the colder weather.

NB - All readings are subject to the accuracy of the cheap Maplins meter.

Figures seems reasonable, though? What do you guys reckon?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Cold weather will really put a strain on the battery.

 

My Optima showed 10.6V today after not using the car for 13 days and it had just enough of a current pulse to turn the starter and the intertia from that was thankfully enough for the engine to catch, otherwise I'd have been stuffed!

 

So yeah, anything lower than 11.5V is going to be a problem I reckon.

[craigowl 0]

kev wrote:

Cold weather will really put a strain on the battery

 

Due to

1) thicker oil

2) battery leaks power quicker due to increased dampness

 

anything else?

[korayus 0]

How about using lightweight dry ODYSSEY battery?

PC 925 Specs:

925 cranking amps for 5 seconds

870 cranking amps for 10 seconds

765 cranking amps for 20 seconds

Short circuit current over 2400A

28 amp hours

50 minute reserve capacity with 25amp load

Female brass terminal w/M6 SS bolt

Length 6 15/32"

Width 6 7/8"

Height 4 7/8"

Weighs 23 lbs

 

Odyssey design:

3 year full warranty

Rugged Drycell sealed design

Military grade

Vibration resistant

60% more starting power

Deep discharge reserve power

2 year storage life

8-12 year design life

Can be mounted in any orientation

 

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/batteries.htm

 

Koray

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Another good battery but the Braille is the choice of racers as it's lighter....and has 1060 pulse cranking amps for a 15lb case. And the Braille also comes with the lightest battery terminals in the world too :lol: Not that it makes any difference, but in the racing world, every gram counts!

[dr_mat 0]

kev wrote:

Cold weather will really put a strain on the battery

 

Due to

1) thicker oil

2) battery leaks power quicker due to increased dampness

 

anything else?

 

Batteries are less effective in cold weather because their internal resistance increases, drastically, due to the fact that current transmission involves the movement of ions through the liquid and the liquid is more viscous.

My Bosch Silver has been known to start the car when reading 11.75V, and I got one start out of a previous battery which was showing 10.5, but I think that was due to it having 5 charged cells and one screwed one, rather than 6 discharged ones...

 

Simple answer, that other car manufacturers appear to have sussed, is that cars should not drain in the 100s of mAh when left standing. A small battery would be more than adequate, and standard lead-acid batteries don't significantly self-discharge when left (even in the cold/damp unless they're spectacularly dirty) if this were the case.

 

In future I suspect I'll be disconnecting the battery if I leave the car for more than a week without running it!

[korayus 0]

Go for DEKA batteries. Because It looks the exact same as the Braille battery that is commonly sold by various companies for around $175US. Deka battery is sold nationally for $59US.

Here is the interesting article about it:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2353060

 

Koray

[markievw 0]

Have got a battery from Euro car parts. Fitted it and nothing! NO light on the instrument panel, Charged the old battery lights come on but not enough to turn engine over.

I am assuming they have given me a duff battery. How do i tell?

Least I hope they have

[dr_mat 0]

"How do I tell"?

 

"You get a voltmeter..!"

[mort1414 0]

deka batteries

 

http://www.raceparts-direct.com/product ... +Batteries