Battery Question - Green "Eye" window

[macabethiel]

The battery on our WK Jeep is a Quinton Hazell one with a green charge "eye" on the top of the battery. I can't see any date of manufacture on the battery the only casing identification code that is visible reads KB3H15. The battery is under the bonnet at the front and looks very clean so might not be more than 2 or 3 years old - who knows!

The voltage is in the 11.9-12.0 volts range when the vehicle has stood overnight. When I connect my C-Tek charger it never moves into the fully charged display even after being on charge for 2 days. Likewise with my spare Aldi Charger it never reads fully charged.

Can the battery be in need of replacement even though the "eye " is a nice green colour that suggests its fully charged?

The engine turns over and starts but does not seem to crank with the same enthusiasm over the last few days as it has got colder.

 

[panelbeater]

i have never trusted a green eye,however if the battery is only 12 i suspect its almost gone,it should be 12.6/8 after over night resting.

 

[RJL Services]

easiest way is to have it drop tested i load test mine 2 times a year before and after winter

 

[macabethiel]

i have never trusted a green eye,however if the battery is only 12 i suspect its almost gone,it should be 12.6/8 after over night resting.

Yep that's what I suspected.

 

[macabethiel]

easiest way is to have it drop tested i load test mine 2 times a year before and after winter

Am going to get it drop tested ASAP.

 

[jims-terrano]

Is your alternator charging correctly, slipping belt that sort of thing.

 

[macabethiel]

Is your alternator charging correctly, slipping belt that sort of thing.

Charging is all good in terms of voltage etc. The fact that it will not go to fully charged status on either of my battery chargers makes me suspicious - that battery might have a failing cell.

 

[solarman216]

Problem with the green indicator is it is only reading one cell, I would say one of the others is failing, Rick

 

[macabethiel]

Yuassa possible replacement.

Problem with the green indicator is it is only reading one cell, I would say one of the others is failing, Rick

A agree just deciding on a battery size is a bit restricted compared to our WJ Jeep as its a type 017 G3 battery.

At present the Yuassa YBX 3017 looks the best option as height is a maximum of 175 mm plus it has a 4 year warranty.

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

had a leisure battery that was giving 12V. One cell was shot, so the
12V was the others going flat out.

Suspect if have it on a charger will find it gets smelly as rest get
over charged.

 

[Sundowners]

I have found that green eye thing is totally useless!!!!!!
I agree with everyone else----- if alternator charge is good, both your chargers are telling you something, voltage of battery is too low for a reliable starter!!!!------- as it gets colder it will let you down!!
Nigel

 

[macabethiel]

Possible reprieve on battery.

I put the battery on charge again with my C-Tek this time I tried the Recond mode followed by the Frost Mode over a 36 hour period.

It might be short lived but it has upped the voltage after standing overnight unconnected to the charger to a credible 12.5 volts.

I will monitor the situation now it is getting much colder at night and see how the voltage behaves / drops. The issue I have is that I can't fit a bigger battery due to height restrictions to 175 mm whereas most of the larger cca & Ah batteries are 190 mm tall.

I will update this post if the situation deteriorates on the resting voltage..

 

[solarman216]

Voltage is one thing, capacity is another, I doubt if it will have the capacity, Rick

 

[macabethiel]

Battery Capacity ?

Voltage is one thing, capacity is another, I doubt if it will have the capacity, Rick

The existing battery is a Quinton Hazel the label says 90 Ah with 840 cca, the nearest I have been able to find at 175 tall is a Yuassa with 90 Ah with 800 cca.

Of course it will be probably impossible to know how much of the 840 cca is available, not had chance to get it drop tested yet. With father in law passing away on Monday other things have had to be sorted first.

I intend to find some 15 mm Polystyrene to stick on top of the existing battery to see if it will clear the bonnett. The Jeep websites seem to say no a 190 H will not fit! Might we worth investigating if the battery tray could be lowered by 15 mm.

 

[jims-terrano]

Yuasa is a good quality brand:thumbs

 

[RJL Services]

+1 i always use yuasa too:thumb2

 

[Davey Boy]

+1 i always use yuasa too:thumb2

I had a dual-battery set-up on my Pajero using Yuasa batteries.
Yuasa Uk actually supplied me with those and some promo gear, thermo jacket, stickers and stuff for my first Alpine trip.

They'll even supply batteries with pos & neg clamping pillars reversed to suit specific installations.

 

[Davey Boy]

A agree just deciding on a battery size is a bit restricted compared to our WJ Jeep as its a type 017 G3 battery.

At present the Yuassa YBX 3017 looks the best option as height is a maximum of 175 mm plus it has a 4 year warranty.

Mac, I have the full official Yuasa catalogue here ( it's about an inch thick).
Let me know you're maximum ht X width X height together with + & - orientation and I'll have a look see.
D

 

[macabethiel]

Yuassa Catalogue.

Mac, I have the full official Yuasa catalogue here ( it's about an inch thick).
Let me know you're maximum ht X width X height together with + & - orientation and I'll have a look see.
D

Hi Davey Boy,

Maximun size is 175H x 175W x 353 L the terminals are normal sized layout 0.

The Yuassa 3000 series YBX3017 looks the largest capacity I can find, our other Jeep (WJ) has a Yuassa 5000 series with 100 Ah with 900cca. The casing is 190 H x 175W x353L.

 

[Davey Boy]

Will have a check in the big book for you Mac.:thumb2