Battery size/brand?

[Strummagnet]

Just a quick-ish question.

Planning on changing batteries as the one I have (Blue Varta) is no longer holding charge. I did suspect a parasitic drain but no evidence of this, though my car electrical skills are pretty minimal.

The car is normally unlocked as in an unpinchable location. Wondering if being unlocked it may be drawing more power than when locked?

Using battery charger it reports a healthy battery but after 24 hours only holding around 10V.

Going for the silver model.

[MikkiJayne]

It'll go to sleep after about 30 minutes of inactivity so shouldn't continue to draw power unless there's a fault stopping it sleeping. Mine also stays unlocked 99% of the time and it'll still start after 3 weeks no problem, although I do tend to leave the CTEK charger on it for maintenance. If yours is kept indoors, a CTEK convenience socket in the right hand boot trim is a nice easy way to connect a charger to keep the battery healthy.

[HPsauce]

Don't use AGM - the D2 alternator doesn't make enough volts to charge EFB or AGM properly. They both need at least 14.7 to charge properly and the D2 struggles to even make the 14.4 needed for a traditional lead-acid. There is no advantage of spending all that extra money on them.

I'd usually go for Bosch or Varta (same thing, different stickers) blue top with a 4 year warranty. The silver tops have a few more amps and a 5 year warranty, and are usually proportionally more expensive except when they are on offer from time to time. Looking at Tayna's current range, the Exide offers more amps (900) than either Bosch or Varta (800 blue, 830 silver), for a significantly better price. I have one of those too, and it works just fine. I'd look for something with at least 800CCA.

For the record, never ever buy Yuasa, especially the silver ones from Halfrauds. They are utter garbage and the cause of more D2 electrical problems than anything else.

As it happens I think my battery is probably on the way out. I fully charged it a few days ago and noticed on Tuesday turnover on starting was sluggish and I only did a short run in the dark. Today I checked and it was around 12v at best so probably less than 50%.
And it's a Yuasa from Halfords!
Adrian_E helped me change it almost 8 years ago and as he had a "deal" with Halfords got me one at a big discount. At least it's lasted a few years. Time to get something better methinks.
I did check the voltages (via the OBD port) with the engine running and that was slightly over 14V, though there were fans etc. running at the time.

Are these correct and a good buy? https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/exide/ea1000/

[MikkiJayne]

8 years is remarkable for a Yuasa silver. I have one here which is 6 months old, utterly fubar, and still showing it's green 'everything is fine' pip Total garbage.

The Exide is the one I am running. It will happily last 2 weeks with the car unlocked in the workshop and start up just fine.

[HPsauce]

Thanks MJ. To be honest it's been less than good for a VERY long time and surviving on "life support". I've usually kept it "topped up" with a BIG (4.8W) solar panel propped up in the window (facing South) whenever it's unused for more than a few days AND regularly charged it up with an "old school" trickle charger over several days and it still sometimes won't turn over enough to start.
It's such a PITA to change (especially at my age with arthritis) that I haven't replaced it, though Adrian showed me how to remove the boot trim lip and side panels to make access easier, so I'll do that. It's really a two-man (big boys!) job!

[MikkiJayne]

I can change them on my own without removing any trim, or men The trick is to lean over the rear quarter panel and lift it up that way (being careful of belt buckles and buttons!). If you take the positive lead off and tie it up to the boot hinge out of the way, its an order of magnitude easier to drop the battery in the hole, positive terminal first. Leaning over from the side means you get support from the bodywork and can lift straight up, rather than pulling it up and backwards

[HPsauce]

Excellent advice as ever.

Battery is a Yuasa Silver 5000 (size 019 obviously) and after a few hours input from my antique 8A Halfords dumb charger is up to 12.5V, which means it should be OK to use this evening.
As it happens I mentioned the subject to a mate of mine yesterday down t'pub, he has a motorhome so is very into all sorts/sizes of batteries, and he recommended Tayna as a supplier. His charging system also doesn't cope well with modern batteries so has to stick to traditional types.

[HPsauce]

A round trip of six miles there yesterday evening then six back late last night and at lunchtime today it's barely at 12.1V.
Definitely replacement time. Ordered the Exide one for £90 delivered.