Technical Suitable battery?

[bernielamb]

In the course of my latest sojourn with a starter motor, I was able to borrow a spare battery my son-in-law had handy just to eliminate a knackered battery from my investigation of non-starting.

Its a Yuasa YBX3000. It's physically bigger than the one I have fitted to the car (I had to remove the plastic surround from the battery tray to fit it). It seems to have a very much higher rating than my bog-standard one, too. Figures are: 45Ah and 425A.

My question is, would there be any problems in using a battery of these ratings on my 2004 1.2 8V Active?

 

[Brendan W]

Seen a few here fit 45Ah just to have reserve for various things like power steering and audio.
The only issue I could see with the bigger battery is if it doesn't sit down into the battery tray.
If it isn't securely clamped the MoT man could well take a dislike to it.

 

[bernielamb]

Thanks. Battery will fit (as I said, had to remove plastic 'box') and the clamp will hold it firmly in place. My main concern was magnitude of current delivered.

 

[Brendan W]

Thanks. Battery will fit (as I said, had to remove plastic 'box') and the clamp will hold it firmly in place. My main concern was magnitude of current delivered.

Not really an issue. The battery will only deliver what's asked of it. The issue with batteries that are too big is that they can take longer to recharge, but then they use less of their capacity starting up in the first place and need less of a top up, proportionately speaking.
For reasonable increases in size there is no problem apart from secure fitting and making sure the cable terminals are of the same type as the battery posts.

 

[bernielamb]

Thanks. Understand the 'electrical devices only draw current they need' thing, just wondered about things like capacity of alternator to recharge a more 'powerful' battery, other things like sensors getting 'swamped', stuff like that.

 

[Brendan W]

Thanks. Understand the 'electrical devices only draw current they need' thing, just wondered about things like capacity of alternator to recharge a more 'powerful' battery, other things like sensors getting 'swamped', stuff like that.

It's well worth thinking that way and asking questions. Charging systems are to an extent balanced. The battery itself performs a filtering function, smoothing out the ripple from the rectifier pack and so on.
You can end up arguing about angels on heads of pins. By and large automotive systems are robust in that they are designed in the full knowledge that people like us will get our hands on them and start upgrading things

 

[bernielamb]

Should have done this before (stupid me!). Checked the europarts online catalogue and find that they include a Bosch 60aH, 540cca battery in their list for my car. So I should be OK. Thanks for your interest AND your help.

 

[flisko]

hgt battery plastic tray is bigger than 1.2 8v one

 

[bernielamb]

Got a source for it?

 

[flisko]

what source?

 

[bernielamb]

hgt plastic battery tray. Sorry didn't recognise at first that hgt is a model! Still, where would I get one?

 

[flisko]

out of a ****ed up car, ebay or scrapyard

 

[Brendan W]

Should have done this before (stupid me!). Checked the europarts online catalogue and find that they include a Bosch 60aH, 540cca battery in their list for my car. So I should be OK. Thanks for your interest AND your help.

That's heading up into diesel territory. If I'm not mistaken the early petrol cars with hydraulic steering were fitted with less than 30Ah units. Electric power steering started nudging things gradually upwards.

 

[bernielamb]

Thanks Brendan, Flisko.

All I need to do now is find out if the hsg tray corresponds to the dimensions of this other battery (20x18x16cm).

 

[PuntoHowTo]

You can buy a new battery for a diesel model with 50+ Amp 550ccA output for about £30 -35 which will fit in the battery tray.

An HGT battery tray would likely cost you near that and you'll still be running an old used battery