As far as I'm aware you definitely can still recon a EFB type battery after all it's basically a normal battery just with the cell's wrapped in a material to minimize damage from cyclingWell, I am having "fun" with the Ibiza battery coding. But first, more on Becky, the Panda, and her battery. Apart from the problem I previously mentioned regarding the clock zeroing for no apparent reason, she's been behaving impeccably. No problems with power steering or anything else which could be battery related. I've been regularly checking battery voltage after she's been standing for a few hours or overnight and it consistently comes out a bit low at around 11.9 to 12.3 volts. So I decided to put the C-TEC on and do a "recond" charge. Checked her since doing this about a week ago and she's showing 12.5 and, once, 12.6 volts. The clock is behaving itself too. So I think I'm likely to get the summer out of this battery and will probably put a new one in for next winter.
I've been having some pretty in depth conversations with a chap on the Cupra Forum (the only other forum I post on) who is having similar problems to me but with his wife's Ibiza. (it's slightly older than mine but same model which would seem to support the garage's claim that these original fit batteries are not particularly long lived?) He seems a bit more capable with using VCDS than me and has messaged me the procedure he's trying to circumnavigate the need to purchase a very expensive genuine VAG battery. If he's right it seems that there's no way round the earlier control systems but our later vehicles, using the UDS protocol, can be "fooled". Anyway, he's keeping me informed as to how he's getting on. Possibly as a result of the warmer weather we're currently experiencing, the Ibiza stop/start is working again just as it used to and battery voltage after standing for maybe a day or so is showing at around 12.2 to 12.3 volts. Although a little lower than I'd like to see, I'm thinking I may get away with keeping this one for the summer too? but am a little "worried" about not replacing it before our trip down to the "deep south" this summer. I'm also wondering if, being an EFB, I should try "reconding" it too? I believe AGM shouldn't be "reconded" but an EFB will have liquid electrolyte so I'm guessing it might benefit? Anyone got an opinion? The chap on the Cupra Forum has told me he lives on the south side of our city, probably about a half hour's drive from me, so I'm rather hoping that when the time comes to renew the Ibiza's battery he might entertain giving me a hand - more for moral support than anything else.
Although some do have things to apperntly mininise any stratification
That being said I recently put efb battery into my tipo
It had a standard type originally as it dosnt have start stop but was sitting around 12.5-12.6 after a full charge
Put it through a recon cycle and it's was at 12.8 and 12.6v a few days later after some use so definitely benefitted it and thats on a new battery