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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Battery Problem - Solved
        
(Message started by: Paul B on Feb 3^rd, 2005, 6:30pm)

Title: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by Paul B on Feb 3^rd, 2005, 6:30pm

Just thought I'd let you all know that since getting rid of my ever-flattening Halfords battery (by replacing it for a proper Ford one), I have had no further problems.

Some of you may remember that the battery I had was Halfords 'top of the range' Calcium type and the largest one listed for the Scorpio. Despite being properly recharged when it decided to go flat, it would never last and I was regularly presented with flicking needles on the dash and would then have to jump start it before embarking on a journey >:(
I must say, Halfords did honour their 4year guarantee and swapped it twice, but each one of the three I had was exactly the same.

The new Ford one was expensive at £100 but seeing as it has got rid of all the problems I had, I consider it worth every penny... almost! This is also a 'top of the range' version, but this one is 71A/h compared to Halfords 60A/h. Something like 50 more Cold Cranking Amps too.

So, now when I go out to the car in the mornings I find I am no longer getting in, glancing up at the interior light and thinking, "That looks dim... this ain't gonna start." The light is now bright EVERY time. And the car starts first time, every time :)

I seriously think that the battery I had was under-spec. If anyone else has battery trouble, I would recommend spending a bit and getting the proper one.

Paul

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by johnv on Feb 3^rd, 2005, 7:11pm

all my cars have ford ones on, all 60 amps for petrol engine as listed in the ford owners handbook.
But I only paid £76 but that was 60 amps and two years ago.

Would be interested to know if the 70 amp is the same size . hight being the most important measurement.

My cars stand around a bit and I never have a flat battery even with the 60 amp.

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by Paul B on Feb 3^rd, 2005, 8:55pm

The 71amp battery is bigger, though not in the height. Its longer and pretty much fills the battery tray.
Still, there's no problem with it. It goes in and still gets covered by the cover, etc.

John... what version of the owners handbook do you have? I can't see a battery rating listed in mine ???

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by music_master on Feb 3^rd, 2005, 10:46pm

i have a halfords battery on on my 2.3 ultima estate and its works perfect (but for how long ???) i think i may change it for a proper ford 1 with having more electrics .

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by johnv on Feb 4^th, 2005, 7:02am

Hi to Paul B.
First. All the handbooks appear to be the same as long as your car is a frog-eye one. Because I got 1996 car right through to 1998 cars and they look the same to me.
I got to say that I was wrong, when I stated that the battery sizes are stated in this handbook. (sorry about that).
I reckon what I had in my head at the time, was that I must have read it in either my Haynes manual which of course only go up to 1995 the non frog-eye cars.
But I have read it in the Halfords catologue, that hangs on the shelves with the battery.
Also before I brought my battery from Ford, I asked them to look it up on their scrim sheets. I told them I wanted the same battery as when the car left the factory. and they showed me that it was a 60 amp per hour battery. and showed me the part number.
But just to end the two 1998 cars one a "S" reg both have the same battery on as it left the factory as the last owners stated to me at point of sale.
I am not very pleased with myself, for giving out that miss-leading inflo. I should have left the posting until I had more time to go and look it up in the handbook.

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by johnv on Feb 4^th, 2005, 7:07am

i had the same problem as Paul B on my transit vans. I would get new battery from a fast fit outlet, two or three days later flat battery.
they would test it and admit the battery was faulty and give you another and the same would happen time and time again
there being nothing wrong with the charging of the vans and the battery being the right size for the van.

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by Paul B on Feb 4^th, 2005, 7:32am

on 02/04/05 at 07:02:47, johnv wrote:

I am not very pleased with myself, for giving out that miss-leading inflo. I should have left the posting until I had more time to go and look it up in the handbook.

Hey, no problem John. :)

The 60a/h battery is the largest Halfords will supply for the Scorpio. However, when I went to my FMD, he showed me that there are 3 different batteries listed for the Scorpio. The 71a/h version I was told was intended for the 24V and T/Diesels.

But anyway, if the 60amp works for you, thats great. Unfortunately it didn't quite cut it for me. But all is well now. I can almost look back and laugh about all those jump-starts I had to do :-/

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by johnv on Feb 4^th, 2005, 7:00pm

Hi to Paul B. So my 1998 cosworth 24v as got the wrong battery on being a ford 60 amp. but like you say if it works, why fix it.
But can you tell me this. What so special about the electrics on a 24V over the 2.3
Surely they are both the same. What has the 24V got over the 2.3?
I can understand that diesels, need more hump.
Anyway when I got my Ford battery I asked him to look at the car vin number I got from the car to make sure that i got the same battery that the car leaves the factory with.
----------------------------------------------------------------
I try to avoid lifting the bonnet when it is covered in rain. but if I do need to I alway wipe the rain off to the front of the car. I would not dream in lifting the bonnet and letting all that water go pouring down to the back.
Yes, I do have the battery cover in place.

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by Paul B on Feb 4^th, 2005, 7:44pm

on 02/04/05 at 19:00:34, johnv wrote:

But can you tell me this. What so special about the electrics on a 24V over the 2.3
Surely they are both the same. What has the 24V got over the 2.3?

In a word... NO :-/

I did wonder myself and thought maybe the V6 is heavier to turn over. But then, its no different to the 2.9/12V. So I really don't know.
Anyway, I guess we should leave things alone if they're ok.

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by johnv on Feb 4^th, 2005, 9:14pm

to Paul B. I thinking you may have hit upon it. My 24v does need to rotate about three or four times before it bursts into life.
But the 2.0 and the 2.3, you just so much as look at the key and it fires up. (Well you know what I mean).

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by Vulcan on Feb 5^th, 2005, 1:45am

My 2.9 24v kicks into life the instant you turn the key.. no engine turning whatsoever...
I dunno what this inserts into this thread but it's my experience.

George

edit: by the way at standby I have 10 volts and running I have 13.2
This doesn't say much for my battery as 10 volts is really low but it still kicks over no problem.
In my world this shouldn't work but it does... go figure....!

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by EinA on Feb 5^th, 2005, 5:22am

found this on the net

info from 1998

http://tinypic.com/1jnifr

now more confusion with the 60 or 71 question
anybody got a 50?

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by johnv on Feb 5^th, 2005, 7:49am

well as long as you don't go below 60 amps.
But just get this.
At AA service station attached to Halfords. well they are Halfords but dressed in AA uniforms but no longer as they are now National I asked them to get me a geniune Ford battery 60 amps while I was having a couple of tyres from them.
So when the battery arrived it was all red in colour so I throught Hi.Hi. they are trying to work a flanker on me so I walked over to look and it had round terminals on it.
So the service manager said sorry he would have to get the right battery with square termials.
So I said surely you know that a Ford scopio has square terminals. He said some do and some don't. I told him bull.
While, they where doing the tyres, I saw this guy walking to me car with a Halfords battery, he had got off the shelve. it was just so small. it was rediculus.
So I when flying over, whats that, you not going to put that on my car are you.
So he said, yes it will be oK. so I said no I not having that i reckno it must have been about 38 amps (i am just guessing by the sheer smallest of it).
He told me modern batteries are small, nowadays. so I said well in that case I will have a couple of AA size battery please.
So I had to wait till a AA patrol chap called into Ford and got the correct one. which was £76. but there was VAT on that.
That AA manager does not appear to be there any more, because its a new chap I see behind the counter now.
But say I was a woman or a chap who did not look after his car himself. Once that plastic cover goes on, who knows what they put on till next time you need to remove the cover.

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by maddshooter on Feb 5^th, 2005, 12:06pm

Hi all,

Interesting reading about the Ford and Halford options !
Here in Chelmsford we have a Lucas which is where I get my car electric / motor items checked out. They supplied me witha new battery last year , after the old flicking needles saga , it is a high amps capacity and cost a lot less than all you have been quoted . Maybe if you have a similar outlet near you they could solve your problems ?

Regards , Madd (Chris )

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by johnv on Feb 5^th, 2005, 6:09pm

there is a lucas place in leamington spa, 8 miles away from coventry. when i need something i might go around there.

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by LiverpaulH on Feb 10^th, 2005, 11:36am

Had the flicking needles when I first got my scorp (2.5td) and a flat battery a day later. Just went through Lucas here in brum and got a high spec battery which at 71 is enough to keep my diesel happy and able to start 1st turn (after heater plug lights go out).

As for Halfords, I had a full service done by them on my 1980 Mk1 Fiesta a good number of years ago (only time I didn't do it myself) and they set the exhaust and inlet clearance gaps the wrong way round :o....amazingly the car ran ok, but it was only after I checked them myself because it was really using fuel, that I realised their mistake - useless would be an understatement. ::)

John, I hadn't thought about the opening bonnet in rain scenario, good advice :).

Paul

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by johnv on Feb 10^th, 2005, 6:56pm

hi liverpaulH.
I could not believe it when I saw that you put your car into Halfords for a service.
But I do realise now, that you where only joking.
I mean everyone know, never, never let Halfords touch you car for service, repairs and certainly not MOT.
But I left a posting before. I have received a letter from the AA. to say that they had taken over Halfords, but they have not, it still the same Halfords, dressed up in AA uniforms.
But now even the AA have passed this on to Nation. I suppose its still the same Halfords.
I am of course only referring to the service bays not the shops and i not sure if this is the same all throughout the country or just the Coventry one.
In Coventry during the week, you pass by these fast fit outlets and they are all empty, no customers.
The Ford Rapid Fit closed down last year. Pity the main dealers don't.
If only there where as many Main Dealers as there are suppermarkets, the prices would come crashing down and the service that they give would have to improve.

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by LiverpaulH on Feb 11^th, 2005, 10:30am

John

I know but unfortunately it is true but it was over 10 years back, I was young and naive and they had an offer on which was to service for the price of the parts only and as a poor student I jumped at the offer....after the experience I had I could see why! ::) :o

You live and learn! It's the only time I didn't service the car myself.

Paul

Title: Re: Battery Problem - Solved
Post by johnv on Feb 11^th, 2005, 6:58pm

liverpaulH. well if it makes you feel any better, I learnt that way as well.
Going to get two new tyres fitted at AA Service centre i throught I might as well have then do the MOT at the same time.
There are those MOT tester's that greet you with a smile and call you "Sir and work to, I will past this if I can.
Then there are those MOT testers that greet you with a scowl and call you "Mate" and work to, I will fail this if I can.
They tried to fail my car on fraid seat belts, but they where as good as new. Their Chief MOT chap came look at these and agreed with me that the tester should not have failed these.