Hi All,
Winter is coming and I think I'm heading into the same battery issues I had two years ago.
Getting some weird ECU faults turning the car on nowadays especially when the battery is running low (Don't drive it around much probably only once or twice a fortnight).
Symptoms would be ESP lights or flashing PRNDS. Intermittent communication errors in OBDeleven scans when I start the car after a period of no use.
Cured this two years back with a new Silver Calcium HB110 battery from Halfords. Everything has been fine since this month which is nearly exactly two years since I replaced the battery.
Fully charging the battery with my CTEK and starting the car clears all errors.
Battery is sitting around 12V measured with my multi-meter after two weeks of no use.
Probably have a little parasitic draw but nothing major as the car still cranks and starts after 2-3 weeks.
I would think that a 30 min drive would charge the battery sufficiently enough to go another two weeks.
It's just that the car's modules have a hissy fit probably due to the low voltage when cranking it.
Took a look at the battery and the indicator window on it is just black, still stays black after a full charge on the CTEK so I'm thinking it has lost a some battery fluid in the cell or just a duff battery. Can't add any more fluid as the damn thing is sealed.
The indicator was clearly green when I purchased. Battery has also been flat about three times in that two year period requiring jump starts so that that could have killed it some more (this was previous to me purchasing the CTEK to keep on top of things)
Had everything checked over by a garage i.e. grounds, battery load test, alternator test and everything tested ok. Honestly surprised the battery passed the load test.
Either way I'll be purchasing a new battery to replace it to rule the damn thing out. Not happy as it has seemed to have only lasted two years.
Now reading up on these silver calcium batteries, most literature state that they require a higher charging voltage from the alternator at least 14.4v. If not given that they can rapidly deteriorate from sulfation as they never get fully charged with that voltage. Monitoring the car voltage when driving, I never see it go above 14.1V which makes sense if it is being used with the older lead acid chemistry battery. Don't want them gassing out or boiling off the fluid in it.
Am now thinking that this may have contributed deteriorating the life of the battery. Car is 2005 model and not stop start so no smart charging system here.
I have access to elsawin but the testing procedure\parameters on the alternator and battery is not defined and only refers to using an Audi dealer testing systems. Anyone have any specifics regarding the output voltage on these alternators?
Don't want to purchase another silver calcium battery with the charging system not up to task.
Thinking of going with a Varta F17 this time around as its chemistry is lead/calcium which is better tuned to the 14.1 charging voltage.
Any battery advice out there for these older gen vehicles especially in regard to the new silver chemistry?
I can't even find a good old regular lead acid battery anymore.
Other than that the CTEK has been fantastic. Had been keeping the battery topped up regularly for the past 4 months as due to the lack of use. Only been the past 2 weeks that the issues have been showing up.
I absolutely hate having to unscrew all these M8 triple square bolts. just to get to the battery. Cordless ratchet helped a heap last time I did it. Also good thing is that there is very little voltage drop (0.1v) measuring from the engine bay jump start point vs directly from the battery.
Have to get some time to test for parasitic draw properly but the damn weather is not providing.
Car has been fantastic the past year, love the VR6 now that all its mechanical's are sorted. Rain was ******* down last weekend and was driving along the back lanes of East Sussex. Felt very planted and effortless. Car now filthy from all the muck on the road, need to give it a good clean.
Winter is coming and I think I'm heading into the same battery issues I had two years ago.
Getting some weird ECU faults turning the car on nowadays especially when the battery is running low (Don't drive it around much probably only once or twice a fortnight).
Symptoms would be ESP lights or flashing PRNDS. Intermittent communication errors in OBDeleven scans when I start the car after a period of no use.
Cured this two years back with a new Silver Calcium HB110 battery from Halfords. Everything has been fine since this month which is nearly exactly two years since I replaced the battery.
Fully charging the battery with my CTEK and starting the car clears all errors.
Battery is sitting around 12V measured with my multi-meter after two weeks of no use.
Probably have a little parasitic draw but nothing major as the car still cranks and starts after 2-3 weeks.
I would think that a 30 min drive would charge the battery sufficiently enough to go another two weeks.
It's just that the car's modules have a hissy fit probably due to the low voltage when cranking it.
Took a look at the battery and the indicator window on it is just black, still stays black after a full charge on the CTEK so I'm thinking it has lost a some battery fluid in the cell or just a duff battery. Can't add any more fluid as the damn thing is sealed.
The indicator was clearly green when I purchased. Battery has also been flat about three times in that two year period requiring jump starts so that that could have killed it some more (this was previous to me purchasing the CTEK to keep on top of things)
Had everything checked over by a garage i.e. grounds, battery load test, alternator test and everything tested ok. Honestly surprised the battery passed the load test.
Either way I'll be purchasing a new battery to replace it to rule the damn thing out. Not happy as it has seemed to have only lasted two years.
Now reading up on these silver calcium batteries, most literature state that they require a higher charging voltage from the alternator at least 14.4v. If not given that they can rapidly deteriorate from sulfation as they never get fully charged with that voltage. Monitoring the car voltage when driving, I never see it go above 14.1V which makes sense if it is being used with the older lead acid chemistry battery. Don't want them gassing out or boiling off the fluid in it.
Am now thinking that this may have contributed deteriorating the life of the battery. Car is 2005 model and not stop start so no smart charging system here.
I have access to elsawin but the testing procedure\parameters on the alternator and battery is not defined and only refers to using an Audi dealer testing systems. Anyone have any specifics regarding the output voltage on these alternators?
Don't want to purchase another silver calcium battery with the charging system not up to task.
Thinking of going with a Varta F17 this time around as its chemistry is lead/calcium which is better tuned to the 14.1 charging voltage.
Any battery advice out there for these older gen vehicles especially in regard to the new silver chemistry?
I can't even find a good old regular lead acid battery anymore.
Other than that the CTEK has been fantastic. Had been keeping the battery topped up regularly for the past 4 months as due to the lack of use. Only been the past 2 weeks that the issues have been showing up.
I absolutely hate having to unscrew all these M8 triple square bolts. just to get to the battery. Cordless ratchet helped a heap last time I did it. Also good thing is that there is very little voltage drop (0.1v) measuring from the engine bay jump start point vs directly from the battery.
Have to get some time to test for parasitic draw properly but the damn weather is not providing.
Car has been fantastic the past year, love the VR6 now that all its mechanical's are sorted. Rain was ******* down last weekend and was driving along the back lanes of East Sussex. Felt very planted and effortless. Car now filthy from all the muck on the road, need to give it a good clean.
