battery

[Keechy]

Question for the collective,. I currently have a Banner battery which has bitten the dust so in need of replacing. Should I get another Banner or replace with a different one. If different will it still fit in the battery tray? Many thanks.

[john milner]

A new Banner is a straight swap. Other lead-acids will probably require new leads and/or brackets.

Posh batteries are less/zero tolerant of being run flat.

[Jonathan Kay]

Does your 7 live on a conditioning charger when it's resting?

 

Jonathan

[MartinH]

Like many others I gave up on the gutless Banner recently and replaced it with a Powervamp PVR25.

 

Existing cable terminals fit fine.

 

Its smaller and lighter and so you either need to modify the existing tray or get the matching bracket.

 

In the end I modified the tray and so I have a bracket for sale on ebay at the moment (see the For Sale forum). Let me know if you want to know how I did the modification.

 

Got my Powervamp from Seven Speed.

 

I also fitted a battery master switch as well to stop the draining when not in use.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

 

[Golf Juliet Tango]

It doesn't really matter very much, in my opinion.

Obviously, newer styles are slightly lighter but more expensive. They should last longer but some Banners have lasted well.

I've used Banners and have recently put a gel battery (Odyssey) in the 21 to start the K Series in that.

The Crossflow starts reliabily with a Banner and has done so since 1998 (obviously the battery has been replaced a couple of times in that period).

The K Series has failed to do so over an extended period of time however new or whatever make the battery is. Long standing problem which has, to date, defied a lot of analysis despite helpful suggestions (which I have followed or already investigated) here.

[Cannonball Bob]

If you say so.

[Mort]

A Banner battery from Seven Speed will cost £60. My previous one lasted 7 years, and never needed charging between runs (6 weeks on one occasion). A power amp will cost just over £80, plus another£26 for the bracket, and has a specified life of 8-10 years. Unless you have a specific requirement that the Banner does not meet why re-invent the wheel?

[MartinH]

seems the Banners vary in quality then. Mine was less than three years old and always kept on a ctek conditioner when not in use. Started deteriorating after two years and many times I had to jump start the Caterham off the tin top. Wouldnt risk another one personally. My annual mileage is low compared to some others but the conditioner should have compensated for that.

 

[Mort]

Not convinced that conditioners are always a force for good. They can lead to evaporation of the electrolyte which will shorten battery life. If you're in the position of only being able to go out every few months then it might be better to leave the battery fully charged, and check it and charge if necessary the day before you plan to go out.

 

Just my 2p worth.

[Keechy]

Battery is on a optimiser when not in use, would be easy to fit another Banner as the feeling is there not to bad for the money.

[Golf Juliet Tango]

Quoting Mort: 

Not convinced that conditioners are always a force for good. They can lead to evaporation of the electrolyte which will shorten battery life. If you're in the position of only being able to go out every few months then it might be better to leave the battery fully charged, and check it and charge if necessary the day before you plan to go out.

 

Just my 2p worth.

Nick,

I take a similar view. I prefer to plug the Seven in once I return and leave it overnight, then again the night before I take it out.