Amaron silver calcium battery

[Leighbus]

My old battery was starting to show signs of dying so I dropped into my local Battery World to get a new one, I settled on an Amaron Silver Calcium battery which was the most expensive option I was given by the shop assistant but was happy to pay the extra money as I was told it was the latest technology, would last longer and required no maintenance.

Happy with my purchase I headed home where I decided to jump online and see what these new batteries are all about as I have never heard of them before, however all I found was negative comments with the main problem being that they require 15v to charge properly where most car alternators only put out around 14v.

Have I wasted my money? Does anyone know what voltage my 08 D22's alternator would be putting out? And are there any modifications that I could do to increase that voltage?

 

[Old.Tony]

The alternator is probably putting out a fair bit more than 15V, but it's AC (not DC like the battery) and when it's rectified (converted from AC to DC) it will go even higher. A regulator limits the voltage at a suitable level, usually in the 14.1 to 14.7V range. My own car seems to sit on 14.2V most of the time unless I'm cruising with the van behind and all the lights on (drawing about 40A for the caravan, 40A for all the lighting) when it drops to 13.9V.

SiCd might indeed need 15V to charge it, I haven't looked at that yet - I'm still drooling over LiFePO4 technology. I don't know if the regulator on yours can be adjusted to suit, but if it can that would be the way forward. Alternatively, have an auto electrician bypass the regulator and put an adjustable external regulator in.

 

[abouttogobush]

Lol your alternator will look after that wet cell battery well, 14volts is all a calcium batt needs. Agm yes a top up monthly @15volts will prolong that battery's life.