Batteries

[Jack]

I need a new battery for the saloon, obviously its gotta have enough power to crank the V6 on start. I've pretty much killed one battery so I'm after a replacement and need to get one thats man enough for the job. Two questions:

1] B308i (Saab 3.0V6) batteries on Halfords site are rated from about 680-780A, whilst Nova ones are around 360A, or 600A for the biggest Bosch one. Is the amperage a measure of starting power? If so, would 600A be enough to manage an engine that requires 680A?

2] Whats the biggest size battery that will fit? I'm sure I remember using a cav TD battery in my old hatchback way back in the day, but they're 278mm wide compared to the 202-242 of the Nova batteries. Did I dream I fitted the TD battery or will it fit?

[mowgli]

mine has an astra diesel one fitted. it was a tight squeeze & it gets very close to the hinge, but it was gratis so i made it go in

[nova_saloon]

get the biggest one you find and whack it in the boot. that will start it. plus will attempt to balance out the massive lump up front lol

[Nova_Tek]

The large bumber i.e 600A is the cold crank ability. How much power it can give in one burst to start from cold. So the bigger the better.

I bought a 62Ah Bosch battery from Costco about 3 years ago for £47. It was originally intended for my bros Cav but he wasn't bothered to give my 50amp one back. It had a CCA of 620 (or was it 680, forgot). Started the 1.2 so easy lol. It was a bit bigger than anything considered 'normal' for the Nova but no problem to get it in and out. IIRC I thikn Bosch do a 71Ah battery with 700+ CCA. Costco do 'em for around £55 - £60 (was a while back so dunno how accuarate the price is)

As for the biggest batt, best to go measure the battery tray. I did but don't have the numbers with me. I then went round measuring batteries at various places lol. Don't forget to factor in the size of the access to the battery tray.

[Rysee]

In the boot as said with BMW cables... they aren't cheap though

[Jack]

Don't forget to factor in the size of the access to the battery tray.
Thats the bit that worries me lol

Will go measure my dead Varta one and see how that compares, as I'm pretty sure thats a big beasty and has a little bit of leeway when fitting in and out.

Tempted to splash out on a decent Bosch battery from Halfrauds as it has a 5 year warranty and is the most powerful of the bunch. Its also the biggest though.


[edit] Not putting the thing in the boot, as I don't want to fcuk around laying cables and don't want a massive box sat in the back either.

[Rysee]

I got a Bosch silvermijigger for a little more then the Halfords own as I paid for them to fit it but fitted it myself so saved something like £14 on the shelf price

[Nova_Tek]

Thing is Jack, I remmeber starting the Cav (2 litre) with my crappy Makro el-cheapo-dynamite £17 bargin special that was 42Ah and about 280CCA.

Obviously extended use would probably kill it in a few years. The Bosch has been going strong never once needing addiditonal charge. The one I got was only 4 years warrenty the new ones are 5. It's now been in my bros Cav since 2008 and is going strong.

[Jack]

Just measured the gap, I reckon I can fit 240x180x180 (WDH) battery in there, which kyboshes the Saab batteries but is big enough for a cav one or "heavy duty" nova/corsa battery. Hopefully 600A will be enough :tard:

[Graeme]

Surely Halfords will honor the warranty if you do kill it though won't they, as its overkill for a Nova

[MK999]

Surely Halfords will honor the warranty if you do kill it though won't they, as its overkill for a Nova

They honour it no questions asked afaik, I know of someone who used to use one for RC racing, and every couple of years just before warranty ran out he'd just short a spanner over the terminals til it died and get a new one lol

[Graeme]

You can fault that free batterys for life, even if you do have to deal with the idiots who work there

[mowgli]

true fact about batteries, most 'maintenance free' batteries just need a proper trickle charge over the space of 2-3 days to get them up to full power again. the old overnight boost just doesn't do it. my brother is a bugger for throwing out batteries on the diggers cos they have gone flat, so i retrieve them, and trickle charge them & re-use them. this proved useful the other week when the gypos swiped 2 lorry batteries..... i had a set that fitted

[Jack]

I trickle charged mine over about 3-4 days... it went flat after two starts lol

[Damo]

Jack i use a combo diesel battery on my xe its 780cca 70ah and its mahoosive compared to the standard one.

[mowgli]

I trickle charged mine over about 3-4 days... it went flat after two starts lol

on or off the car?