I'd be grateful if anyone could shed some light on the subject of
fitting a calcium battery to an older vehicle.

I've found conflicting information on this. Some say it is OK but I've
also read that they require a higher charging voltage and cause the
alternator to work harder and can cause damage in older cars.

The car in question is a VW Golf 2008 1.9TDI.

Also I'm wondering if compatibility depends on the alternator rather
than the car. Are newer alternators designed to work OK with calcium
batteries?

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 16/02/2024 11:55, Andrew276 wrote:

I'd be grateful if anyone could shed some light on the subject of
fitting a calcium battery to an older vehicle.

I've found conflicting information on this. Some say it is OK but I've
also read that they require a higher charging voltage and cause the alternator to work harder and can cause damage in older cars.

The car in question is a VW Golf 2008 1.9TDI.

Also I'm wondering if compatibility depends on the alternator rather
than the car. Are newer alternators designed to work OK with calcium batteries?

This might be of interest:
https://www.yuasa.co.uk/info/technical/silver-calcium-batteries/

In practice there is very little difference between battery descriptions
and they are all lead-acid technology.

Is there a fitment guide that recommends the intended battery for your car?

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 17/02/2024 12:25, Fredxx wrote:

On 16/02/2024 11:55, Andrew276 wrote:

I'd be grateful if anyone could shed some light on the subject of
fitting a calcium battery to an older vehicle.

I've found conflicting information on this. Some say it is OK but I've
also read that they require a higher charging voltage and cause the
alternator to work harder and can cause damage in older cars.

The car in question is a VW Golf 2008 1.9TDI.

Also I'm wondering if compatibility depends on the alternator rather
than the car. Are newer alternators designed to work OK with calcium
batteries?

This might be of interest:
  https://www.yuasa.co.uk/info/technical/silver-calcium-batteries/

In practice there is very little difference between battery descriptions
and they are all lead-acid technology.

Is there a fitment guide that recommends the intended battery for your car?

(Ha - an answer! . . . good to see this group still works)

At the VWAudio forum, I'm told that the part number is 000 915 105 DG,
but I'm not clear if that is a calcium battery or not.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 17/02/2024 23:08, Andrew276 wrote:

On 17/02/2024 12:25, Fredxx wrote:

On 16/02/2024 11:55, Andrew276 wrote:

I'd be grateful if anyone could shed some light on the subject of
fitting a calcium battery to an older vehicle.

I've found conflicting information on this. Some say it is OK but
I've also read that they require a higher charging voltage and cause
the alternator to work harder and can cause damage in older cars.

The car in question is a VW Golf 2008 1.9TDI.

Also I'm wondering if compatibility depends on the alternator rather
than the car. Are newer alternators designed to work OK with calcium
batteries?

This might be of interest:
   https://www.yuasa.co.uk/info/technical/silver-calcium-batteries/

In practice there is very little difference between battery
descriptions and they are all lead-acid technology.

Is there a fitment guide that recommends the intended battery for your
car?

(Ha - an answer! . . . good to see this group still works)

At the VWAudio forum, I'm told that the part number is 000 915 105 DG,
but I'm not clear if that is a calcium battery or not.

Technically it is a lead-acid batter and calcium is a marketing tool.

Personally, I think you're overthinking this and it should be fine.
Calcium versions are said to accept a higher charging voltage without
gassing.

They will still charge at 14.4V, just like any other lead-acid battery.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 18/02/2024 12:19, Fredxx wrote:

On 17/02/2024 23:08, Andrew276 wrote:

On 17/02/2024 12:25, Fredxx wrote:

On 16/02/2024 11:55, Andrew276 wrote:

I'd be grateful if anyone could shed some light on the subject of
fitting a calcium battery to an older vehicle.

I've found conflicting information on this. Some say it is OK but
I've also read that they require a higher charging voltage and cause
the alternator to work harder and can cause damage in older cars.

The car in question is a VW Golf 2008 1.9TDI.

Also I'm wondering if compatibility depends on the alternator rather
than the car. Are newer alternators designed to work OK with calcium
batteries?

This might be of interest:
   https://www.yuasa.co.uk/info/technical/silver-calcium-batteries/

In practice there is very little difference between battery
descriptions and they are all lead-acid technology.

Is there a fitment guide that recommends the intended battery for
your car?

(Ha - an answer! . . . good to see this group still works)

At the VWAudio forum, I'm told that the part number is 000 915 105 DG,
but I'm not clear if that is a calcium battery or not.

Technically it is a lead-acid batter and calcium is a marketing tool.

Personally, I think you're overthinking this and it should be fine.
Calcium versions are said to accept a higher charging voltage without gassing.

They will still charge at 14.4V, just like any other lead-acid battery.

You sure? I've seen a lot about them needing 14.8. Honest John says:
"Despite the name, a 'calcium' battery is still a lead acid battery - it
just means antimony in the plates of the battery has been replaced by
calcium. This means it's more resistant to corrosion but it does require
a higher charge voltage than conventional batteries. "

and from https://www.batteryskills.com/are-lead-acid-and-lead-calcium-batteries-interchangeable/

"Another difference between the two types of batteries is their charging characteristics. Lead-calcium batteries generally require a higher
charging voltage than lead-acid batteries to achieve full charge. This
is because the calcium in the electrodes makes it more difficult for the battery to accept a charge.
Practical Implications

In practical terms, the interchangeability of lead-acid and lead-calcium batteries depends on the specific application and the requirements of
the system. In some cases, lead-calcium batteries may be a suitable
replacement for lead-acid batteries, while in other cases, they may not be.

One important consideration is the voltage and capacity of the battery. Lead-calcium batteries typically have a slightly higher voltage than
lead-acid batteries, which can affect the performance of the system if
it is not designed to handle the higher voltage."


Yes there is little doubt that I'm overthinking it but I like to get to
the bottom of things.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 19/02/2024 23:29, Andrew276 wrote:

On 18/02/2024 12:19, Fredxx wrote:

On 17/02/2024 23:08, Andrew276 wrote:

On 17/02/2024 12:25, Fredxx wrote:

On 16/02/2024 11:55, Andrew276 wrote:

I'd be grateful if anyone could shed some light on the subject of
fitting a calcium battery to an older vehicle.

I've found conflicting information on this. Some say it is OK but
I've also read that they require a higher charging voltage and
cause the alternator to work harder and can cause damage in older
cars.

The car in question is a VW Golf 2008 1.9TDI.

Also I'm wondering if compatibility depends on the alternator
rather than the car. Are newer alternators designed to work OK with
calcium batteries?

This might be of interest:
   https://www.yuasa.co.uk/info/technical/silver-calcium-batteries/

In practice there is very little difference between battery
descriptions and they are all lead-acid technology.

Is there a fitment guide that recommends the intended battery for
your car?

(Ha - an answer! . . . good to see this group still works)

At the VWAudio forum, I'm told that the part number is 000 915 105
DG, but I'm not clear if that is a calcium battery or not.

Technically it is a lead-acid batter and calcium is a marketing tool.

Personally, I think you're overthinking this and it should be fine.
Calcium versions are said to accept a higher charging voltage without
gassing.

They will still charge at 14.4V, just like any other lead-acid battery.

You sure? I've seen a lot about them needing 14.8. Honest John says:
"Despite the name, a 'calcium' battery is still a lead acid battery - it
just means antimony in the plates of the battery has been replaced by calcium. This means it's more resistant to corrosion but it does require
a higher charge voltage than conventional batteries. "

and from https://www.batteryskills.com/are-lead-acid-and-lead-calcium-batteries-interchangeable/

"Another difference between the two types of batteries is their charging characteristics. Lead-calcium batteries generally require a higher
charging voltage than lead-acid batteries to achieve full charge. This
is because the calcium in the electrodes makes it more difficult for the battery to accept a charge.
Practical Implications

In practical terms, the interchangeability of lead-acid and lead-calcium batteries depends on the specific application and the requirements of
the system. In some cases, lead-calcium batteries may be a suitable replacement for lead-acid batteries, while in other cases, they may not be.

One important consideration is the voltage and capacity of the battery. Lead-calcium batteries typically have a slightly higher voltage than lead-acid batteries, which can affect the performance of the system if
it is not designed to handle the higher voltage."

Yes there is little doubt that I'm overthinking it but I like to get to
the bottom of things.

The basic chemistry is lead acid. The calcium battery will accept a
higher charge voltage with less outgassing. I'm not convinced its a pre-requisite for such a battery to accept a charge to need the higher
charging voltage.

While I also see many articles that say a charging voltage should be
within 14.4-14.8V I've never seen any graphs of charge and voltage over
time. Hell, the float charge voltage for a lead acid is 13.6 to 13.8V
and it will become fully charged at that float charging voltage, albeit eventually. It's all about time and voltage to get to a known state of
charge. Furthermore some articles say the terminals won't corrode as
much which is BS. Other BS terms I have seen is "recombination process".

The real advantage of a calcium battery is it is resistant to corrosion;
it has no excessive gassing, less water usage, and reduced
self-discharge. And that last point that will be overwhelmed by the
discharge from the car's electronics anyway.

YMMV

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Fredxx wrote:

On 16/02/2024 11:55, Andrew276 wrote:

I'd be grateful if anyone could shed some light on the subject of
fitting a calcium battery to an older vehicle.

I've found conflicting information on this. Some say it is OK but I've
also read that they require a higher charging voltage and cause the
alternator to work harder and can cause damage in older cars.

The car in question is a VW Golf 2008 1.9TDI.

Also I'm wondering if compatibility depends on the alternator rather
than the car. Are newer alternators designed to work OK with calcium
batteries?

This might be of interest:
  https://www.yuasa.co.uk/info/technical/silver-calcium-batteries/

In practice there is very little difference between battery descriptions
and they are all lead-acid technology.

Is there a fitment guide that recommends the intended battery for your car?

I remember, years ago, buying a gel battery for my motorbike (I thought
it would be safer if I fell off). I was surprised to find it was just
like any other vehicle battery.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 11/03/2024 15:37, The Hanging Baskets of Babylon wrote:

Fredxx wrote:

On 16/02/2024 11:55, Andrew276 wrote:

I'd be grateful if anyone could shed some light on the subject of
fitting a calcium battery to an older vehicle.

I've found conflicting information on this. Some say it is OK but
I've also read that they require a higher charging voltage and cause
the alternator to work harder and can cause damage in older cars.

The car in question is a VW Golf 2008 1.9TDI.

Also I'm wondering if compatibility depends on the alternator rather
than the car. Are newer alternators designed to work OK with calcium
batteries?

This might be of interest:
   https://www.yuasa.co.uk/info/technical/silver-calcium-batteries/

In practice there is very little difference between battery
descriptions and they are all lead-acid technology.

Is there a fitment guide that recommends the intended battery for your
car?

I remember, years ago, buying a gel battery for my motorbike (I thought
it would be safer if I fell off).  I was surprised to find it was just
like any other vehicle battery.

Almost, a significant difference is it wouldn't leak acid if inverted.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)