Battery lifespan

[Sky8807]

I'm thinking of getting a Hoppecke for replacement.

 

The model I'm considering is type 56225 rated at 62Ah and CCA 510A. It's maintenance free and the casing is green. Understand that those white casing is local type and not imported and thus cheaper. Agent is at Paya Ubi Industrial Park, near Paya Lebar road between ciruit link and Ubi Ave. Price around $150 and CZ auto also selling this battery for $170(GST not incl).

 

My original battery is rated at 60AH and 280A, brand unknown but look german.

 

 

cheers

 

Agent :

Nam Wah battery

53 Ubi Ave 1, #03-40

Edited April 11, 2003 by Sky8807

[Skoda_Man]

Alrite man... that's the one that i have!!!!

[Sky8807]

Good choice.

Price reasonable, ask one shop, they quote $185/-

[Skoda_Man]

I got mine at 150, so dun pay more then necessary.

[Hondaskoda_]

Something about battery and chargers and maintenance

[Sky8807]

Wah, your attachments size is big man...

But look a bit outdated I think.

 

Anyway,I will use my battery for 2 years and then consider changing it to hoppecke.

[Sonnytay]

Alamak!! Battery died on me!! Victim no.7

 

 

  Quote

1. Spotty /Fabia

19 months b4 fail

morning difficult to start, afternoon fail. No other indication b4

new battery: Hoeppecke brand from Germany / cost $145

 

2. Peterlee /fabia

12 months + (guessing)

after repair, battery fail

Global / $120

 

3. Perry&Veron/Octavia GLXi (1.6 Auto)

Sep 2000 - Jan 2002 : 16 months

morning cannot start, no other indication b4

tow to JTA $55, new battery $110 (dunno what brand/model)

 

4. Daryl / Octavia

Oct 2000 - July 2002

No problem with batt or car, just change to Hoeppecke MF for 150. to play safe only.

 

5. Kyle / Octavia

Jul 2001 - Feb 2003

Engine stalls twice when stopped.

Tow to Servo S$50, new varta sealed batt $180.

 

6. Alan aka Fabiaman / Fabia

July 2001 - May 2002

* Battery died on me (almost) and the 1st reaction was to replace it.

May 2002 - ???

* Replaced stock battery with Varta maintance free battery. Got a bigger A/h as well. Paid S$165

* Just installed a Voltmeter on my Fabia weeks ago.

 

7. Sonnytay

May 2001 - June 2003 (25mths)

*Morning can't start. Day before was ok, though the radio volume was erratic.

[Fabiete]

1. Spotty /Fabia

19 months b4 fail

morning difficult to start, afternoon fail. No other indication b4

new battery: Hoeppecke brand from Germany / cost $145

 

2. Peterlee /fabia

12 months + (guessing)

after repair, battery fail

Global / $120

 

3. Perry&Veron/Octavia GLXi (1.6 Auto)

Sep 2000 - Jan 2002 : 16 months

morning cannot start, no other indication b4

tow to JTA $55, new battery $110 (dunno what brand/model)

 

4. Daryl / Octavia

Oct 2000 - July 2002

No problem with batt or car, just change to Hoeppecke MF for 150. to play safe only.

 

5. Kyle / Octavia

Jul 2001 - Feb 2003

Engine stalls twice when stopped.

Tow to Servo S$50, new varta sealed batt $180.

 

6. Alan aka Fabiaman / Fabia

July 2001 - May 2002

* Battery died on me (almost) and the 1st reaction was to replace it.

May 2002 - ???

* Replaced stock battery with Varta maintance free battery. Got a bigger A/h as well. Paid S$165

* Just installed a Voltmeter on my Fabia weeks ago.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

7. Sonnytay

May 2001 - June 2003 (25mths)

*Morning can't start. Day before was ok, though the radio volume was erratic.

 

8. Fabiete/Fabia

Aug 2001 - July 2003

Battery died at night. Called Servo and really grateful that they came to replace battery near midnight!- Varta $180 ( no other charges)

Called CAS for assistance earlier, but they don't carry suitable battery for Fabia.

Symptoms b4 battery failed - Weak start at times

[Sonnytay]

Hmmm... mine was a sudden death, no weak start the day before. Quite a hassle in my case, because I thought replacing battery is easy, so when to a tyre & battery shop at a mobil station and asked for Hoppecke 62ah battery. They didn't have 62ah but got 55ah and assured me it's ok, if not bring back to replace. So I bought it and went home to change. Alamak, regret immediately. It's not difficult, but a hassle nonetheless. Gotto remove the plastic cover, unscrew the base plate (quite hard to reach) and unscrew the contacts. Turn out my octy classic is using 60ah. Also, the new Hoppecke 55ah is about 1 inch shorter, but can fit nonetheless. Now driving with the 55ah battery. Hopefully it will be ok. The shop sold the Hoppecke 55ah to me at $120, cash & carry.

Edited June 23, 2003 by Sonnytay

[Veron]

I think we're breaking the record here. Changed our battery again! Really dunno why our battery consumption so high......

 

1. Spotty /Fabia

19 months b4 fail

morning difficult to start, afternoon fail. No other indication b4

new battery: Hoeppecke brand from Germany / cost $145

 

2. Peterlee /fabia

12 months + (guessing)

after repair, battery fail

Global / $120

 

3. Perry&Veron/Octavia GLXi (1.6 Auto)

Sep 2000 - Jan 2002 : 16 months

morning cannot start, no other indication b4

tow to JTA $55, new battery $110 (dunno what brand/model)

 

4. Daryl / Octavia

Oct 2000 - July 2002

No problem with batt or car, just change to Hoeppecke MF for 150. to play safe only.

 

5. Kyle / Octavia

Jul 2001 - Feb 2003

Engine stalls twice when stopped.

Tow to Servo S$50, new varta sealed batt $180.

 

6. Alan aka Fabiaman / Fabia

July 2001 - May 2002

* Battery died on me (almost) and the 1st reaction was to replace it.

May 2002 - ???

* Replaced stock battery with Varta maintance free battery. Got a bigger A/h as well. Paid S$165

* Just installed a Voltmeter on my Fabia weeks ago.

 

7. Sonnytay

May 2001 - June 2003 (25mths)

*Morning can't start. Day before was ok, though the radio volume was erratic.

 

8. Fabiete/Fabia

Aug 2001 - July 2003

Battery died at night. Called Servo and really grateful that they came to replace battery near midnight!- Varta $180 ( no other charges)

Called CAS for assistance earlier, but they don't carry suitable battery for Fabia.

Symptoms b4 battery failed - Weak start at times

 

9. Perry&Veron /Octavia GLXi (1.6 Auto)

Jan 2002 - June 2003 (15 mths)

Car stalled a few times at traffic stops, but it didnt occur to us to change the battery as we'd just had our servicing at Servo (with battery water top-up). We thot they'd at least have checked the battery voltage for us. Anyway, managed to start car after the 3rd try, drove to Servo n chaged to a Varta blue colur, maintenance-free battery for $180. Off-topic: after changing battery n starting our car, technician noticed our engine fan not moving. Have to knock then it'll move, so we asked them to check. At first they say fan belt problem, turned out it's the motor, n they charged us $280! to change the fan motor. I think we're really suay...dunno why so much problem with our car suddenly.

Edited July 3, 2003 by Veron

[Virus]

The car also need some TLC (tender, loving, care) then it will work harder for u mah !!

 

Cheers

[Volk74]

This is quite true, I always feel the car to be more responsive after a good wash.

[Hondaskoda_]

Hi Veron,

did you check and top up your battery water regularly ?

Also check if your alternator is working properly.

 

regards

Greg

[Veron]

Perry tops up the battery water whenever he washes the car, which is abt once a mth or more. How to check the alternator?

[Sky8807]

Look like your car battery life is approx 15 -16 months b4 life expired.

Do you drive with headlight on most of the time, even in daylight, if so, battery life will be shorten. More stereo components installed that uses battery power also shorten battery life span.

 

Not sure about the octy, but fan belt driven type of system is quite ancient already.

I supposed the fan motor u changed must be for the air-con one, because when the aircon is s/w on the fan will spin, another situation is when the engine temperature reach a certain level(high) the engine cooling fan will activate or else overheating occur.

 

Wow, just like that, abt $500 bucks gone.

[Veron]

No, we not that kiasu to drive with headlights on in daytime . The only thing I can think of that wastes battery power may be when I wait for Perry to get off work. But it's seldom for more than 5 mins. If I know I've to wait a long time, I'd switch off the car.

 

The technician told us it's the engine fan motor that's spoilt. He did explain to us that there're 2 fans, one for air-con n one for the engine. To be more specific, it's the fan on the left side of the car, 'cos we saw him dismantle the left headlight.

 

Yalor, $400+ just like that, n so soon after servicing too....

[Sky8807]

Alright, my guess is wrong, [rolleyes]no offence.

Seen some ppl drive with headlight on even in daylight, thought this is angmoh country or what, or they were driving american highway....

 

Maybe the fan motor, being not working and drawing current from the battery always. That could shorten the battery life. Hope changing your fan motor will make the battery lasts at least 20 months this time.

 

[Perry]

anyway, just to share with everybody on our experiences:)

 

i think the fan was the 'culprit' to some of the wierd problems our car has been experiencing recently (almost 2 months, i think). i sort of came to this conclusion based on observing the car after the fan was replaced.

 

- acceleration very smooth now, previously, engine abit like 'unwilling' to move when i suddenly wanna 'drop a gear' and accelerate. i guess it might be coz the engine is too hot?

 

- remember i posted that i cannot start the car after long journeys, i think its becoz the engine too hot.... hmmm.... just a word of advice, if fan running properly hor, even after driving abit long, when u stop, just place ur hand over the front, should not feel very hot, just warm.... been testing this for past 3 days after fan was changed.

 

- coolant level also dropped abit when fan not working, now then realized this is another tell-tale sign....

 

coupled with an already 'expiring' battery, i guess that's why our car recently felt wierd... so in future, if u suddenly just get the feeling that something is not right with how your car is behaving, better send for checks or do one immediately:)

 

it never occured to me to check the car when engine was running, so never knew the fan was not working servo also found out only after they changed the battery and left and engine on to run some tests on it.... but i'm not sure why they missed this during our service abt 1 month ago lor....

 

btw, to the other skoda owners using varta, can i check with u if 'can' add battery water in? coz i can't seem to find any openings (visually glanced at it) on it when servo fixed it for me the other day... hahaha, i haven't open up the front to check myself lar, coz i usually do this on weekends when i got wash the car:)

 

anyway, i hope our engine parts never got 'damaged' due to the heat for the past month lor... keep fingers crossed....