Battery advice, please

[green george]

My 7 is kept in a garage without power and whilst my 7 is equipped with an FIA electrical cut off switch, some circuits stay live.  Overtime I have noticed that the (Banner) battery discharges to such an extent I get a number of symptoms which disappear when the battery is charged / boosted / connected to another battery with jump leads.  These include:

Solenoid click but when the starter button is pressed again the car starts;
Engine turns over but will not start -  I have read somewhere that this and the next symptom is linked to a battery performance; 
Car starts but runs like a pig until warm.

A multi-tester recently showed:
13.3v ish at the terminals with engine off;
14.4v with engine idling;
Dropping to under 11v during cranking.

I use a CTEK 4 stage charger at home and the battery quickly charges and settles into a maintenance program with no apparent issues detected by the charger.  However where the battery would hold a charge without apparent issue for months when new, now the solenoid click appears within about a week of non-use; indicating a probable deterioration in battery health.  
It appears (to me) that the Banner battery does not like deep cycling and is now starting to fail.  The battery is about 18 months old in which time the car has only covered 1300 miles.
Before buying a new battery I just wanted to check my thinking is sound.  
Presuming it is, should I consider something like the ODYSSEY PC680 which apparently has an ability to cycle 400 times at 80% depth of discharge?  The main thing which puts me off is having to change the battery cage and how I would secure the new cage in place of the old one.  Has anyone done this?

 

[Jonathan Kay]

13.3v ish at the terminals with engine off;
14.4v with engine idling;
Dropping 11v during the ignition phase.

Is that 11V during cranking? It's good to see at least 10.5V while cranking. And that's the most useful single test of a battery without specialist equipment.

I use a CTEK 4 stage charger at home and the battery quickly charges and settles into a maintenance program with no apparent issues detected by the charger.  However where the battery would hold a charge without apparent issue for months when new, now the solenoid click appears within about a week of non-use; indicating a probable deterioration in battery health.  

Sounds like a battery on the way out or excess drain from the residual circuits. It's possible to measure that current with most multimeters but needs a bit of fiddling.

Is it kept somewhere secure? If so you could disconnect everything and see if it still goes flat.

Presuming it is, should I consider something like the ODYSSEY PC680 which apparently has an ability to cycle 400 times at 80% depth of discharge?  The main thing which puts me off is having to change the battery cage and how I would secure the new cage in place of the old one.  Has anyone done this?

If you don't want a lithium battery I'd recommend the Powervamp ClubSport EP. You can buy a cage with it, and they're easy to fit in most 7s. What sort is yours? You might need new leads.

Jonathan

[Mucus72]

I had a Powervamp PVR 25 in my old car and it was fab. Lasted 5 years and was mounted horizontally on the top of the passenger foot box, in effect fairly low. I find two things odd about my work in progress Duratec build. 

It has a heavier banner mounted about as high as possible, directly in front of the heater. 

And although rather lovely to hold, the new gear knob seems excessively heavy ;)

What's the best mounting option for Duratec engined cars if I was to replace with a new Powervamp? I guess just horizontally in the same location? 

[Mucus72]

George, sorry after posting and reviewing, that post of mine was a bit of a thread hijack, please accept my apology. It's simply that I have batteries on my mind currently (pun intended)...

[green george]

Hi Jonathan, thanks for your reply.  To answer your questions:

The power drop is during cranking (that was what I was trying say but couldn't think of the word! - now edited);

The car is garaged so I will disconnect one of the terminals and see if things improve;

Don't know anything about Lithium batteries; 

Did a Google search for Powervamp ClubSport EP and couldn't find any information or prices; Spoke with Powervamp and they confirmed that the ClubSport EP is no more.  This has been replaced with the ClubSport NP which is made by the ODYSSEY battery parent company and will have better support as a result.  They anticipate that these will be on the Powervamp website from Friday 10/06/16.

Interestingly, Powervamp advised me that the AGM batteries do not like deep cycling and they recommend disconnecting a terminal if the FIA switch does NOT disconnect everything - as in my case.

I am currently using a Banner battery in the standard Caterham battery tray.

 

 

 

[green george]

No problem at all Mucus 72. 

[Wrightpayne]

I have had a powervamp for 4ish years now and have a battery cut out switch. Rarely gets charged and even after the winter lay up starts the car fine.

what is drawing current when the FIA switch is off as this should kill everything esp if using it for its intended purpose?!

another thought - could you rig up a solar charger?

Regards

Ian

[Q Catcher]

I've been down the Odyssey PC680 route.  I changed the battery box - properly engineered, it looked very neat and I felt proud ...  But the battery lasted only 15 months, despite having followed the care instructions.  Tayna changed it for another one, which lasted 15 months (again, strict adherence to the care instructions).  So I'm back with Banner.  Which necessitated changing the battery box again.

I'm told by the distributors that the Odyssey and Powervamp batteries are one and the same, just different external packaging.

[diggerman]

My banner battery lasted 6 years, but always with a conditioner connected whilst car not in use. 

Peter

[Andy1912]

I git fed up with my Banner batteries and bought a lithium one like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BATTERY-LITHIUM-MARELLI-53034-CATERHAM-SUPER-SEVEN-1-8-I-1795-4C-CONVERTIBLE-/191469156289. 

In fairness did turn out to be an electrical problem elsewhere in the car. However the lithium battery is very light and is better at starting the car on cold Aberdeen mornings. I use it as a daily commute whatever the weather...