Upgrading Starter Battery - how to guide

[Grim Reaper]

TU3 is the vendor code for Exide

 

[WeaversT6]

I coded mine with OBDeleven after some faffing. Had to change the battery type to AGM and change the serial number to indicate the battery capacity. As others have said, the manufacturer doesn’t seem to matter.

Had no issues at all since I installed it. Starts immediately first time.

Exide are a reputable brand, we have a Suzuki Vitara which we bought brand new in 2016, fitted with an Exide battery and is still going strong.

 

[smilie121]

I just installed my exide 95ah battery. Tight fit.

Programmed with OBDeleven Pro from screenshots on page 4 or 5 ??? Looks different now but its still the same boxes / sequence

Will see how it goes.

Slight issue

I dropped the battery retention bracket down into the bumper. Spent an hour trying to locate but cant find it. I heard it hit either the bumper or belly pan. Going to drive up the bumpy road and back then walk over hoping to find it.

Have secured the battery with a 15cm metal bracket. So not worried about it sliding about

 

[xswind]

Good morning all, i have read all of the thread but just cant decide on what battery to replace my 5 year old standard battery.

Whats the consensus on the best over all for value and fit for a larger replacement, Bosch or Excide or another and is one or the other easier to code with vcds?

 

[Fluff34567]

Coding is the same, for me no difference between bosch/varta same factory anyway and excide

 

[Donttouchthevanmate]

I’ve just ordered the Exide EK950, purely as it’s cheaper than the Bosch on EBay. Comes from Tanya batteries free next day delivery, works out same price on Tanya site when you add delivery charge, so 3 clicks and it’s ordered.
now to the finer points, coding. Do I buy the ODB11, but on I think trust pilot it’s got 2 reviews and 1 isn’t very nice! Anyone got the pro version and love it? I do fancy tweaking a few things as well. When I say I, I mean my son in law as I’m shite at stuff like that. Anyone?

 

[fireheed]

I've got the OBD11 Pro and does me just fine. For what it cost and use is perfect for me. Works on the van and the Q5, sorted.

 

[Donttouchthevanmate]

Lovely. Thanks for the fast reply. I’ll order 1 now.

 

[andyhasalandy]

I'd second the odbeleven vote. The pro aspect means coding as much as you want. Surprising how many family members have benefited from better insight to fault codes too...

 

[Donttouchthevanmate]

Nice 1 Andy

 

[Shortbread69]

I notice a few of you have gone for the Exide EK950.

happy with it?

My Varta AGM is not giving me the cranking power I am after, looking to upgrade to a punchier battery…

 

[WeaversT6]

Yep, no issues with it at all.

 

[Shortbread69]

Cheers. Ordering mine today, Wednesday delivery.

OBD11 at the ready!

 

[FrankFisher]

Hi Guys, I've just had the varta 95AH fitted, and the guy doing it seemed to know his stuff, coded it in with a snap on tablet, but the screens seemed similar to those shown here for VCDS. HOWEVER, since fitting, my stop/start has stopped - I get an error on the dash when I start up, and it also seems to me as if the alternator is charging all the time. IE, if I fire the van up and let it tickover, and leave it ten mins, it is still showing 14.48 at the battery, whereas previously after five minutes the voltage dropped as the alternator declutched. Anyone experienced anything like this? I'm figuring it's going to hit my MPG but would also overcharge the new battery?

 

[WeaversT6]

I haven’t experienced this. I coded in the new Exide battery myself using OBDeleven following guides available online. It could be that he hasn’t correctly ‘told’ the van what capacity/ size/ type the new battery is

 

[Grim Reaper]

Shunt wiring on the negative battery terminal not reconnected?

 

[FrankFisher]

Shunt wiring on the negative battery terminal not reconnected?

It appears to be connected, but I read these shunts can be fried by jump starting - any way of testing them?

 

[Grim Reaper]

Dare I say "VCDS"?
The shunt works by giving millivolt level differences across it proportional to the current going through it.
You may be able to use a good, accurate multimeter on the output terminals to see if you can measure the voltage drop with a load on the battery (discharge current check with lights on/engine off, or with the engine running you would see the charging current)
but VCDS will show any issues straight away.
It may just be that the battery isn't fully charged yet, or the requirements for its implementation haven't been met so stop start has been disabled until it is.

 

[FrankFisher]

Dare I say "VCDS"?
The shunt works by giving millivolt level differences across it proportional to the current going through it.
You may be able to use a good, accurate multimeter on the output terminals to see if you can measure the voltage drop with a load on the battery (discharge current check with lights on/engine off, or with the engine running you would see the charging current)
but VCDS will show any issues straight away.
It may just be that the battery isn't fully charged yet, or the requirements for its implementation haven't been met so stop start has been disabled until it is.

Thanks, I am topping off the battery in the van today, make sure it is fully charged, then I'll take it for a run and if it still isn't working I'll have to get back to the feller who installed it.

 

[Shortbread69]

@FrankFisher I installed a 95AH three weeks ago and its charging pattern is different to my previous smaller Varta. As suggested above it may be that yours is not charged at 80% yet - I noticed today on my battery monitor that the alternator works longer (5 minutes) before it drops off and the regen kicks in. With my previous battery the reading was way more up and down near enough from initial startup. Hope this helps.