Good shout but I’ve not found this necessary. The original radio has no code and nothing else seemed to be affected by me changing the battery (on a 2012, and later a 2018 Panda)
Technical Battery
- Thread starter Adam1984
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Technical Battery
Yup, neither our Panda - 2010 1.2 - or my boy's Punto - 2012 8 valve 1.4 - mind having their batteries disconnected even for quite long periods and this made it really easy when batteries need changed. As you say, no relearns or coding needed. Try that on a modern VAG product though and you'll end up in tears!
Last one I ordered.
EXIDE EL600 027 EFB Stop / Start Car Battery 12V 60AH 640CCA |
Adam1984
Established member
I have just read that you can't change from a EFL battery back to a wet battery.
I had a EFL battery when I got my car last October, but changed in March this year to a Yuasa wet battery.
Is this ok for the Panda?
I had a EFL battery when I got my car last October, but changed in March this year to a Yuasa wet battery.
Is this ok for the Panda?
Summary of this thread as its got a bit mixed up.
@Adam1984's (the OP, or Original Poster) car does not have stop/start (it's a 1.2 Pop that didn't offer that)
However, the OP posted a photo back at the beginning (in march this year!) of the battery in it at that time, which was an EFB (stop-start) battery - which is not correct for this car.
The correct battery is one that is labelled 12 volts, roughly 50 A/hr and around 360A cranking , but not marked AGM, EFB or 'stop start'. This correct battery is often labelled Type 012 or 079
Any make of battery will be 'good enough' - Varta, Exide, Lion, Halfords... Any of the ones on this link below are correct (and this is a very good mail order battery company with cheap, next day delivery)
https://www.tayna.co.uk/vrm/YO15WPD/battery -- the primary difference between them all is how long they are guaranteed for: longer = more expensive.
For a 'simple' car like the Panda, the A/hr rating (basically how long it can provide power with the engine turned off) only needs to be 35-50A/hr... more is not a problem, but not needed. The other number, eg 360CCA, means 'cold cranking amps' -- how much current it can supply to the starter motor on a cold day. A bigger number means it can start a bigger engine. The Panda only needs 360 or so... a diesel Panda (or a bigger engine on other cars) needs a higher CCA rating as they need more power to get the engine moving.
The battery can be taken out and put back without needing any codes resetting, and so you don't need a memory saver
Talk of a braided earth strap. The is NOT connected to the battery. The battery earth connection (or negative wire - same thing) is a thick wire, as seen in the photo in the earliest post. One end is connected to the battery and the other end is bolted to the metalwork of the car on the inner front wing. All circuits in the car have a positive wire connected to them, and the negative is connected to the metal body at a convenient place (for example, the negative wires from the back lights are bolted to the car body inside the boot). This saves weight and cost by not needing to run a negative wire all the way back to the battery from each item, because it uses the metalwork of the car as a connection instead.
The braided earth strap is only used (mostly) by the starter motor, to connect it to the car bodywork. This is flexible (braided) because the engine can move slightly on the rubber engine mounts which might break a solid wire.
@Adam1984's (the OP, or Original Poster) car does not have stop/start (it's a 1.2 Pop that didn't offer that)
However, the OP posted a photo back at the beginning (in march this year!) of the battery in it at that time, which was an EFB (stop-start) battery - which is not correct for this car.
The correct battery is one that is labelled 12 volts, roughly 50 A/hr and around 360A cranking , but not marked AGM, EFB or 'stop start'. This correct battery is often labelled Type 012 or 079
Any make of battery will be 'good enough' - Varta, Exide, Lion, Halfords... Any of the ones on this link below are correct (and this is a very good mail order battery company with cheap, next day delivery)
https://www.tayna.co.uk/vrm/YO15WPD/battery -- the primary difference between them all is how long they are guaranteed for: longer = more expensive.
For a 'simple' car like the Panda, the A/hr rating (basically how long it can provide power with the engine turned off) only needs to be 35-50A/hr... more is not a problem, but not needed. The other number, eg 360CCA, means 'cold cranking amps' -- how much current it can supply to the starter motor on a cold day. A bigger number means it can start a bigger engine. The Panda only needs 360 or so... a diesel Panda (or a bigger engine on other cars) needs a higher CCA rating as they need more power to get the engine moving.
The battery can be taken out and put back without needing any codes resetting, and so you don't need a memory saver
Talk of a braided earth strap. The is NOT connected to the battery. The battery earth connection (or negative wire - same thing) is a thick wire, as seen in the photo in the earliest post. One end is connected to the battery and the other end is bolted to the metalwork of the car on the inner front wing. All circuits in the car have a positive wire connected to them, and the negative is connected to the metal body at a convenient place (for example, the negative wires from the back lights are bolted to the car body inside the boot). This saves weight and cost by not needing to run a negative wire all the way back to the battery from each item, because it uses the metalwork of the car as a connection instead.
The braided earth strap is only used (mostly) by the starter motor, to connect it to the car bodywork. This is flexible (braided) because the engine can move slightly on the rubber engine mounts which might break a solid wire.
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That non EFB battery is correct for your car. A car that was fitted with stop-start technology has a battery monitoring device which has to use an EFB battery, and so cannot be fitted with a 'normal' battery. But yours does not have the battery monitor air stop start (the photo of your battery confirms this). That means that your car doesn't have the charging system needed for an EFB battery (such as a different alternator) and so may not be getting the best from it. A basic 'wet' battery is all you need.
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I absolutely 100 percent agree that this car, with no stop start system, only needs a standard "wet"battery. Which is also the cheapest option. However it's alternator will be perfectly capable of charging an EFB. It accepts charge just like any lead acid battery. Where it differs is that it can withstand the frequent current drain and recharge cycles imposed by a stop start system which will quite quickly degrade a standard wet battery, so you should never be tempted to down grade - maybe to save money - a car with stop start to a standard wet battery. Currently many, maybe I'd say most, of the battery manufacturers recommend "trading up" from a standard wet battery to an EFB when the vehicles original wet battery reaches the end of it's life.
@Adam1984 You PM'd me last night and I hope what I replied has been a help. However, I think Herts Hillhopper has summed up your situation very well with his post here and I doubt if there's much more any of us can add. It's a subject which has many "rabbit holes" you can go down if you want - probably better not to though. Do let us know what you end up doing/buying, where you bought from and what the experience was. The more feedback on battery suppliers the better?
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Adam bought a new Yuasa YBX 5000 back in March. More than capable correct battery for a Panda Pop.
This “coding” of the battery to the car business just caught out my next door neighbour and his E-Class Merc. He learned he can’t just buy a battery and fit it himself. He ended up getting one from Halfords, as they have the necessary kit to do it. Thank goodness for our low-tech Pandas, and not having all that carry-on to contend with!
In which case, case closed
Adam1984
Established member
Well I have just used multiecuscan and did a battery volt test using it. And says my battery is only 12.3V on rest. I only bought the battery in March from GSF car parts. Unless it didn't come fully charged. Or is 12.3V ok?In which case, case closed
At rest that is absolutely perfect; it’s a 12v system. You’ll see one or two more volts across it when the car is running.
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That's quite normal for MES. It measures voltage at ECH supply pins not at the battery posts.
@Adam1984 You PM'd me last night about specifically what you thought
Just taking a random voltage reading doesn't tell you very much. If you're only taking battery voltage then the battery needs to be fully charged, I would put it on my smart charger which leaves me in no doubt that the battery is fully charged. Then it needs left for a few hours - I like to leave it over night - you have to do this so the surface charge on the plates can properly disipate and only then will a voltage reading have any relevance. I'd be then looking for around 12.6, 12.7, 12.8 volts, somewhere in that region. Even if you get that it still won't tell you the whole story because it's not under load when tested.
Simplest thing you can do is find someone with a battery analyser because they don't need the battery to be fully charged to test.
The other thing you could do is to charge the battery by taking the car for a good run, say an hour or so, disable the fuel pump by pulling it's fuse and crank the engine over on the starter. If it cranks vigorously for at least 20 seconds then your battery is probably "good enough". There are dangers in doing this as it puts the starter under quite a bit of strain so don't crank it for much longer. Stop if the starter slows down. And it may set a fault code and turn the check engine light on. You'll probably need a scanner to turn it off again.
The "no brain" answer to this is to find someone with an analyser. Is there a Halfords near you? I think I mentioned earlier that mine up here does this test free.
I really think you're worrying about nothing here 12.3 volts, even at the battery terminals is serviceable, especially if you've been doing shorter trips.
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As with the rough running, basically the car needs to be driven more and needs the odd good long, fast run to keep it happy.
The battery is charged up by the alternator (or ‘generator’) every time you drive. But it is discharged a bit every time you start it. If the journeys in between starts are all short and in traffic, the voltage will drop more - which is why a longer run is good, to charge the battery and help the engine too.
A ‘happy’ battery sits at about 12.8 volts fully charged with the engine off.
You have nothing to worry about here… just need to drive more Cars hate low use.
The battery is charged up by the alternator (or ‘generator’) every time you drive. But it is discharged a bit every time you start it. If the journeys in between starts are all short and in traffic, the voltage will drop more - which is why a longer run is good, to charge the battery and help the engine too.
A ‘happy’ battery sits at about 12.8 volts fully charged with the engine off.
You have nothing to worry about here… just need to drive more
Cars hate low use.
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22.8V= 12.8V.........As with the rough running, basically the car needs to be driven more and needs the odd good long, fast run to keep it happy.
The battery is charged up by the alternator (or ‘generator’) every time you drive. But it is discharged a bit every time you start it. If the journeys in between starts are all short and in traffic, the voltage will drop more - which is why a longer run is good, to charge the battery and help the engine too.
A ‘happy’ battery sits at about 22.8 volts fully charged with the engine off.
You have nothing to worry about here… just need to drive more
Yup - fat-fingered typing. Now corrected- thanks
