New battery

[360beast]

Originally Posted by bob12

Unfortunately, as suggested above, even my local Halfruds say they can no longer supply either the 096 or 100 lead acid battery. Hence my post as to what is the solution as I don't see the matter getting any better even if you can currently still find a suitable lead acid locally.

Bob

Hiya Bob

This one is coming as suitable for my 940 off the reg number

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/ba...ee-950618.html

Both the 013 and 096 are coming up as available at my local halfords.

[griston64]

https://uk.ecobat.tech/wp-content/up...2/Lucas-LV.pdf

Classic looks like a standard lead acid. I've had a silver calcium thingy on my 96 940 for 3 years and it's been fine. It was on a breaker car so it's well over 5 years old


edit....looks like they are no longer made so Bob is right

[bob12]

Originally Posted by griston64

https://uk.ecobat.tech/wp-content/up...2/Lucas-LV.pdf

Classic looks like a standard lead acid. I've had a silver calcium thingy on my 96 940 for 3 years and it's been fine. It was on a breaker car so it's well over 5 years old


edit....looks like they are no longer made so Bob is right

Thanks that's interesting. Maybe the change and to calcium unsuitability v lead acid has been exagerated. Just got to use the right charger if you need to put one on.

Bob

[Forrest]

Volvo have previously supplied me with part numbers 30745774 and, more recently, 30659797. This involved nothing more technical than going to the parts department and asking what they recommended for a 940.

Possibly the most remarkable battery I’ve had is a Yuasa one that was already fitted in a 940 I bought in 2011 and is still going strong in the car I use/abuse in bad winter weather.

I briefly used a Bosch S4 battery in my 1991 VW but ended up giving the battery to my sister for her more modern car before I experienced any issues with it.

I think you will be hard pressed to find a lead-acid car battery that doesn’t use Calcium technology now. Certainly any battery advertised as sealed or maintenance free will use calcium. Lead-antimony batteries require frequent topping-up with distilled water and the chances are most people won’t have actually used one since the 1970s.

I think the ones to avoid in older cars are the silver-calcium batteries which require a higher charging voltage. Also, an older alternator might struggle to recharge a heavily discharged modern battery.

How long any battery will last will depend on how it’s treated. I regularly use a smart charger to condition mine. I have a number of cars some of which are rarely used. I’ve never really had an issue with a battery that wasn’t caused by neglect or abuse.

The most generally advertised UK size for the petrol 940 is 096 but 027 is also sometimes quoted and whilst lower capacity will have the benefit of being easier to get in and out of the battery tray.

Don’t be tempted to use too small a battery though. I used an old one as a temporary measure recently and it very rapidly wore out, developed an internal fault on one of the cells and got rather hot when I tried to recharge it.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by 827Roverman

Hi Luke, just looked at Halfords web page, entered my reg number and it says 096, not suitable for my car, the last one I got from Halfords was a HB013, thats whats on the car now but no longer holds a charge, despite being regular put on my trickle charger, and the warranty onnit has run out. David.

Luke is correct that Halfords don't know what they'[re on about. The 096 is fitted as the heavy duty option to petrol 7/9xx and to all diesels in those ranges.

I already supplied you with the link to the HB096 David via email so you should be able to find local stock. No idea why they supplied you an 013 in the first place, more catalogue jumping no doubt!

Originally Posted by Dippydog

I got my batteries[as they were required,not all at once]from Tayna never had a problem and delivered to my door next working day.I run 096 on all three['00 Omega 3l V6,'95 960 2.9 straight 6 and '00 V70 2.4 n/a]cars.

Those are all new enough to have smart alternators on, unlike most of the 7/9xx range that need either a different voltage regualtor or a voltage boost diode inserted into the earth leg of the existing voltage regulator.

From circumstantial evidence, it seems some calcium batteries don't have such a high doping level of calcium on the plates and those tend to be the ones that work in the 7/9xx, however there have been many cases where calcium batteries won't take or hold a charge because if the doping levels are correct, they need a minimum of 14.7V to start charging, something the alternators on the 7/9xx aren't capable of giving without modification.

[Forrest]

I wouldn’t get too hung-up on the three digit size code. This British Battery Manufacturers Society (BBMS) code is only used in the UK, only really applies to the aftermarket and primarily covers the physical dimensions of the case, terminal size and layout.

If you look in the original user manual it will list cold cranking amps and reserve capacity in minutes. These values vary depending on when (and where) the manual was published. An earlier one lists 440A/85 min with a heavy duty option of 520A/100 min. A 1998 manual says 420A/75 mins with a heavy duty option of 520A/90 min. Provided the battery is in this ball-park capacity-wise, fits in the battery tray, and has terminals the right size, on the right side and the correct +/- orientation then it should work.

The battery chemistry is much more nuanced. You need a flooded lead/acid battery so avoid AGM and gel variants. Then take your pick from what people say about the longevity of calcium, silver and antimony alloy in the lead plates.

The stock Bosch voltage regulator is rated at 14V and will probably output at around 14.1V if it’s working properly. It’s easy enough to find aftermarket regulators set at 14.5V if you want to hit the 14.4-14.8 range specified for modern premium batteries. Try Huco if you want a respected aftermarket brand. Chances are, if your alternator is original, its brushes are on their last lega anyway.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Forrest

The battery chemistry is much more nuanced. You need a flooded lead/acid battery so avoid AGM and gel variants. Then take your pick from what people say about the longevity of calcium, silver and antimony alloy in the lead plates.

The stock Bosch voltage regulator is rated at 14V and will probably output at around 14.1V if it’s working properly. It’s easy enough to find aftermarket regulators set at 14.5V if you want to hit the 14.4-14.8 range specified for modern premium batteries. Try Huco if you want a respected aftermarket brand. Chances are, if your alternator is original, its brushes are on their last lega anyway.

The bosch voltage regulator rated at 14V will output 14.4V when cold and 14.0V when hot, with a slight variation on the hot output if it senses the engine bay is hot indicating a hot engine and a warmer battery.

You need 15.1-14.7V for the calcium batteries, 14.4-14.8 won't do the job properly. Huco aren't great quality, better with Wood Auto or HC Cargo in that order.

Also if the brushes are on their last legs, there's a good chance the slip rings aren't far behind. Replacement of the slip rings isn't really a DIY proposition without a bearing puller, hydraulic press, 100W soldering iron and a rule. Luckily the slip rings can be inspected by removing the voltage reg (two screws and they drop out) and using a telescopic mount inspection mirror (often called a dentists mirror) to look in and see the condition of the slip rings while turning the alternator pulley by hand.