Calcium batteries?

Should only be used on cars designed for them with a Smart charge system. They require a much higher voltage to fully charge than the regular lead flavour.

tim.

Which only came into existence circa 1997. Not much use for a 1996 car, then. I wonder if Halford's will take it back...

And, I believe, require special mains chargers.

They should pay for a new inlet manifold too. ;-)

Sods law says if the terminals are different styles then it's a non starter any way !

Well the best is i think Calcium-Calcium Conventional because this is using calcium for both the positive and negative plates but still using a conventional battery case and cover with vent caps with breather holes in.this battery will be low maintenance but as a battery charges hydrogen gas is given off.

Terminal adaptors are available, so not a problem.

Calcium batteries do have a higher charging voltage, but it's only 0.2 volts higher. A calcium battery on an older vehicle will be fine. Some battery manufacturers actually recommend it.

In theory, a non-calcium battery should not be used on a car designed to use one due to the risk of over-charging it, allegedly to the point where the battery might explode. however, I've seen a number of such fitments that have caused no problem over reasonably long periods of time. YMMV of course!

If it was such a big deal, what would happen if you jump-started two cars using the different technologies?

I have also charged calcium batteries with a very basic transformer/ rectifier charger with absolutely no problem. Oh, and my last (calcium) battery was only changed as a precaution after nine years; it was still perfectly capable of starting the car.

Chris

A decent crimp tool solves that :-)

There seems to be a difference of opinion here. If I can't get a refund from Halford's, which I suspect, I'll keep the calcium battery for a 1998 Audi A4 TDI I've just bought.

diseasels usually use a heavier duty battery than petrol versions

That *might* be the case if you want to get it to 100% charge, but in practice few car batteries ever are. I've got a calcium in the old SD1 and it's now five years old.

Halfords supply suitable sized calcium batteries for the oldest vehicles they list. Have a read through their list beside the batteries. Usually goes back to early '80s and even earlier.

I haven't been able to get through to them on the phone (it's the Halfords in York Way, Battersea...not a million miles from you, it seems). If indeed, this particular calcium battery is on their list for the car in question, I don't really have a case.

If it is the correct size both physically and capacity etc it will be just fine in any car with an alternator. Dunno about dynamo cars - although I can't see why not.

Dynamo would be easier because you could easily tweak the regulator with a scredriver.

Only if you know what you're doing. It's all too easy to burn out a dynamo. An alternator is inherently self regulating as regards maximum output.

Years ago I designed and built a solid state regulator for a Bentley S1 fitted with a large dynamo which worked far better than the mechanical one. Cost a fraction of converting it to an alternator and worked very nearly as well - due to the fairly limited rev range of that ancient engine. One of the many advantages of an alternator is it can work over a much higher rev range than a dynamo. But if you don't need that wide range you can get close with a properly controlled dynamo.

So do Bosch.

Quite. Which makes it rather strange others saying they aren't suitable for charging systems not specifically designed for them. I'm quite willing to accept they may not reach 100% charge - but in practice few car batteries in use do anyway.