NBR - Car battery chemistry

[WD Forte]

TLDR:
If you haven't got a modern 'smart' charging system, don't buy a Calcium battery

Its that time of year when old batteries struggle
September 2019 I bought a new battery for the 1.9TD galaxy as the one in there
seemed to be 'tired'
While it felt good initially it never felt like it had plenty of
oomph for such big battery.
This year, with normal low car usage plus lockdown etc I've had to take out my spare battery to jump start the fecker quite few times.
Even after good run with the voltmeter reading 14.2V the voltage dropped to 12.3 ish quickly after shutting off which always concerned me.
I assumed all this was due to
not being a daily driver and cheap/crap the battery

Mulling over buying a new one I did some research
I had bought a Calcium type as that was the type in there when I got the car

What I didn't know then was Calcium type batteries require a higher charge voltage for optimum recombination (charging)than basic Lead acid ones
they like 14.8V while my car regulates at 14.2V which I had always assumed was a good running voltage.

I am partially to blame for not driving it every day and not spending hundreds of pounds on a battery but my alternator couldn't fully charge a Calcium type however expensive.

Maybe everybody already knew this and I'm behind the curve as usual but
thought I'd mention it
Got a good old lead acid type on its way now
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bikers smell of wee

[Islander]

TLDR: Oops!

[uberkron]

You can usually modify the alternator or add a diode to the sense input.
Drops 0.6v
Alternator output increases by 0.6v

It is a fairly common issue on older things that in my get up to 13.8ish volts.
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i ride a zip 50 2smoke. It overtakes a hundred times a day.

[pepperami]

Thank you Mr Forte, today I have is learnt something
I did not know that about calcium batteries?

I only know of lead/acid or lithium ion batteries
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[stevo123]

I've had cars with these calcium batteries. Unlike lead/acid that gradually die a death the calcium ones just drop off which can leave you stranded.
I had one of those really light weight LI-ion (i think) ones in the last bike I had and it was okay ish (cranked only average really) but was as light as an empty box.

[Easy-X]

Shall I throw AGM into the mix?

The one in my old Skoda continues to amaze: over 8 years old! I suspect this winter may be its last though.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Tankie]

It's a lead acid battery , you twat!
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Always learning, everyday is a school day

[pepperami]

[WD Forte]

[Riejufixing]

[WD Forte]

Lead acid?.
really?
you sure ?
You're not windin me up ?
I thought they was maybe full of milk or cheese or powdered beef bones
and wondering if they made them by poking a load of say Dairylea
cheese triangles or mebbe string cheese down the holes with a stick.
Squeezy cheese would be better I spose
Its a big battery and I was wondering how many tubes of Primula
it'd take to fill it up. That'd squirt in a treat not too messy either,
bit dear tho'

lead acid eh?
fuck me, innit marvellous what they can do nowadays
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bikers smell of wee