Diesel Battery

[smithy010]

How many CCA is the standard Golf1 diesel battery?

Thinking about going for a dual battery system in my conversion.. It would balance the weight out more..

[brackie]

Cca

If I remember correctly the original batteries were 560 Cold Cranking Amps, however the chances of subsequent batteries having the same rating in your car is about nil. (Average battery life ~3 years; cars about 30 years old + 10 batteries!)

I have a 630CCA in my Mk1 and if you live anywhere cold the more amps you can get the better In NA they manufacture batteries for the Golf that are up around 800CCA

[smithy010]

What does everyone think? would it be a sensible idea to add another, say, 300CCA battery to my existing 460CCA battery (mounted on the other side). That would give me plenty of amps. Any ideas what problems could arise?

[smithy010]

Any auto elecs out there?
A controller is out of the question, because i don't want them to be isolated when starting...

Hmmm

[brackie]

In parallel

Just connect them in parallel and make sure that you insulate the connecting cable well! Be aware that the batteries take longer to charge and a higher capacity alternator would be the go (but it's not really essential). I run 2 batteries in parallel on my Deutz tractor.

[smithy010]

Sounds good Brackie.

Considering running a loom tube along the front being careful not to go anywhere close to the radiator. That should work ok.

2AWG cable is rated at 160A, If i had a 300CCA battery in the right hand side, would that defeat the purpose because all the Cold Cranking amps won't be able to flow? Probably have to go to 0 gauge...

[syncro]

Bad idea.

Never parallel batteries. One battery will discharge through the other.

Just buy the correct battery for around $160 and it will last about 5 years.

[brackie]

More info

I bow to you superior knowledge, Phil. (I mean that..I'm not being sarcastic.)

I'm going on experience, not theory. Common sense tells me that the battery closest to the starter/alternator will be discharged/charged first (so I change the batteries over every couple of months, depending on use), however I've been using 12v batteries in parallel to start various diesels for 40 years and I've never had a problem. My Deutz has had 2 batteries on it for 4 years now and both of them are still good and she starts first time every time in -6 degrees. (Tractor batteries get a hell of a hammering...cold starts, short runs etc.)

So this is an interesting debate and one of the reasons that it's so nice to be on this forum is that it can continue without anybody getting emotional, also...... we can all learn something! Anybody got some tech info on this?

[syncro]

Why would you want dual batteries in a Golf anyway?

[smithy010]

For Phil,- I thought dual batteries would be a good way of not putting all my CCA eggs in one basket, as well as balancing the weight of the batteries on either side- my choice is to either buy a larger battery which will crank my diesel, or buy another, smaller one, and install it in the other side of the engine bay, to give me similar or better battery capacity to a larger one.
Either way, i will be required to build a new battery carrier..

It looks as though running mismatched batteries will be problematic though, so i may end up going with the bigger single battery idea.

[syncro]

A Golf diesel battery fits in the standard Golf carrier.

I used to run a diesel battery in my LS.

[smithy010]

Fair enough. Cool. Any idea what is the actual replacement battery for a diesel?

[syncro]

Genuine VW and Audi. (Try both dealers for prices)
191 915 105M 63AH 500cca

Federal 641MF 655cca (around $280)

Delkor DIN66D 550cca ($176)

Alco MF57113 650cca (around $180)

These are all quality batteries. I have used genuine, Federal and Alco in my syncro. I usually get about seven years from a battery.

[Edison]

I'm completely expert at electrical, and would say you should try out borrowing an additional battery and seeing if that will start it as you want, I often have trouble starting my mk1 in the cold. I also have a mazda truck now with a 3 second fast start which i think is cool.
I've tried a number of things to start the mk1 in the cold and nothing much seems to work [except extra RPM(towing/rolling/pushing)], I sortof suspect there are some tired components in the system that aren't the batteries or leads. I actually intend to add a 2-4 volt battery in series for starting to give it a bit of extra rpm it needs, the shorter duty cycle will give the starter a rest.
Batteries in parallel are fine, if you want to eliminate any problems you think might crop up just add an isolator switch for one battery and use it to disconnect the battery when you are not in the car. the batteries will both charge, at different rates is not a problem because car batteries are basically never 100 % charged until the car runs hundreds of hours anyhow.. but test it out if you can first to see if it is all for nothing.
I still couldn't fix the cold start problems with my mk1 even with new 700CCA batteries from supercheap, personally I'm going to go for higher rpm and a sure start with a slightly higher voltage, which is too complicated to install for most people i think.
Added RPM eliminates the need to use glow plugs or to warm up anything first.

[smithy010]

Problem solved. I just went out an bought a new 585CCA battery (the one that's specified for the diesel (N66 or something).
It fits nicely in the battery tray, and cranks the petrol over rather nicely, so it will be enough for the diesel.

Might try and get the oiler in in the next couple days.

Smithy