Hi, Guys! Does more on batteries turn you on?
I use a solar charging panel to keep my Fatty battery topped up as weeks can go by without the car being used and, in particular in the summer, I open the windows slightly in the morning and close them at night as it gets so hot down here and the car has to be left in the full glare of the sun (no shade whatsoever!)
I noticed recently that the solar panel was struggling to keep the voltage up at more than around 12.2V, and indeed every day the ‘maximum’ seemed to get lower and lower.
Then the other day I looked and only 10.6V was showing … So, out with the charger.
When I plugged it in, it very quickly went to ‘fully charged’ (I’m sure I heard a fizzing noise coming from the battery), but as soon as I disconnected the charger the voltage dropped from a lovely 13+V to … 10.6V.
This happened the next day too.
I don’t really understand the science of batteries, but I’m guessing one complete cell has packed up. Does this seem a likely explanation, oh Experts on this forum?
Anyway, new battery ordered , same reference, same supplier, and that should be with me tomorrow.
When I have the old out and the new in, I shall be looking closely at the old, see if it’ll hold its charge out of the car and so on, and maybe see if the supplier will do the Gentlemanly thing. (I won’t hold my breath!) It's "bébéchoon", ackcherly, with accents. 'Steve' to my chums.
20 years ownership of Solihull products, ALL GONE NOW, sniff!
Current motor: Suzuki S-Cross 4WD auto, 1.4 petrol. Oh so reliable! 7 years now and no problems. Oh, all right then, a leaking shocker replaced under guarantee.
Previous:
TD6 HSE L322 Auto FF
2.5 TDi 4-door Classic
Disco II
And my 1st Rangie: in 1995, a 2-door VM 2.5 diesel Classic
Not to mention the Lada Niva before those. (I said not to mention it!)

Sounds like a bad cell to me...

Have you considered one of these, vents the car automatically, runs off solar and keeps the FF secure...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solar-Power-Car-...Sw3ydV2tCB

There are others.... Pete
I now have permission from the boss to use Y.O.L.O. Enjoy life
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Thanks Pete , I'll have a close look at that.
I don't understand how one cell can pack up while the others continue to provide 5/6 of the output. I'd have thought if one packs up, that'd be it, no continuity or something.
Would any of our electrical experts (Mr nicedayforit or others) care to explain, in layman's terms, plizz?
Ta  It's "bébéchoon", ackcherly, with accents. 'Steve' to my chums.
20 years ownership of Solihull products, ALL GONE NOW, sniff!
Current motor: Suzuki S-Cross 4WD auto, 1.4 petrol. Oh so reliable! 7 years now and no problems. Oh, all right then, a leaking shocker replaced under guarantee.
Previous:
TD6 HSE L322 Auto FF
2.5 TDi 4-door Classic
Disco II
And my 1st Rangie: in 1995, a 2-door VM 2.5 diesel Classic
Not to mention the Lada Niva before those. (I said not to mention it!)

Basically the cells create debris as they age, this falls to the bottom of the battery and can then short one particular cell out, the others still work but one is shorted...  Pete
I now have permission from the boss to use Y.O.L.O. Enjoy life
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Thanks again, Pete
A pity there isn't some sort of tray at the bottom, like on an electric toaster, to collect the debris and remove it easily!!!  It's "bébéchoon", ackcherly, with accents. 'Steve' to my chums.
20 years ownership of Solihull products, ALL GONE NOW, sniff!
Current motor: Suzuki S-Cross 4WD auto, 1.4 petrol. Oh so reliable! 7 years now and no problems. Oh, all right then, a leaking shocker replaced under guarantee.
Previous:
TD6 HSE L322 Auto FF
2.5 TDi 4-door Classic
Disco II
And my 1st Rangie: in 1995, a 2-door VM 2.5 diesel Classic
Not to mention the Lada Niva before those. (I said not to mention it!)

Basically it's calcium deposits on the plates, kind of like limescale in a kettle. Over time these get big enough to fall off and collect at the bottom as Pete said.

As for a collection tray, it wouldn't really work. No way of removing it without leaking acid everywhere. Besides, I tried an experiment a while back on this. Basically I emptied the battery into a container (washing up bowl) to keep the acid. I then rinsed out each cell with fresh water from a hose, dried it all up and poured the acid back in after passing it through a coffee machine filter cone. Net result was it was worse than when I started. Utter waste of time and effort.

That's the sort of thing I'd try, mzplcg!
Too much time on my hands, methinks ...  It's "bébéchoon", ackcherly, with accents. 'Steve' to my chums.
20 years ownership of Solihull products, ALL GONE NOW, sniff!
Current motor: Suzuki S-Cross 4WD auto, 1.4 petrol. Oh so reliable! 7 years now and no problems. Oh, all right then, a leaking shocker replaced under guarantee.
Previous:
TD6 HSE L322 Auto FF
2.5 TDi 4-door Classic
Disco II
And my 1st Rangie: in 1995, a 2-door VM 2.5 diesel Classic
Not to mention the Lada Niva before those. (I said not to mention it!)

I believe the ideal standing voltage you want to have your battery at is 12.6 volts. If a few tenth down, it is less than fully charged. 12.0v is about 50% I seem to remember.
I'm hearing bad stories regarding the Bosch S5 battery, that is popular. I bought one 3 yrs ago, and this year it has started to be either flat, or flat with doors open for only a 15 mins etc. So, no 'reserve'. (2002v8)
So I used my (euro car parts) 5 yr guarantee (invoice) to get a fresh one. It's going in today. After I give it a bench slow charge.
I understand your frustration.
Has your solar charger got a built in regulator. -I don't know much about these, ( living in cloudy Britain!) but I have heard, that they can overcharge at too higher voltage.
Worth looking into.

Yes, johnboy, I believe it does have a regulator, but there was a moment when I suspected the solar panel and wondered whether it had been over-charging. But I bought the panel in the first place as I suspected the battery was not holding its charge well enough - it was below nicedayforit's 'decay values' (http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic29283-60.html d. 06/03/2015) - so I suspect the battery was showing the first signs of weakness even before getting the solar charger.
I shall fully charge the new battery before fitting it and then keep an eye on how the voltage goes down when the car is not in use.
Thanks for the info on voltage levels  It's "bébéchoon", ackcherly, with accents. 'Steve' to my chums.
20 years ownership of Solihull products, ALL GONE NOW, sniff!
Current motor: Suzuki S-Cross 4WD auto, 1.4 petrol. Oh so reliable! 7 years now and no problems. Oh, all right then, a leaking shocker replaced under guarantee.
Previous:
TD6 HSE L322 Auto FF
2.5 TDi 4-door Classic
Disco II
And my 1st Rangie: in 1995, a 2-door VM 2.5 diesel Classic
Not to mention the Lada Niva before those. (I said not to mention it!)

By the way, I have ordered a Varta Silver Dynamic 110 Ah 920 A, the same as before and from the same supplier (Tayna). 3 years before failure doesn't sound long to me .
I've lost details about the guarantee period on the old one but I shall be taking the matter up with the supplier - you never know your luck!  It's "bébéchoon", ackcherly, with accents. 'Steve' to my chums.
20 years ownership of Solihull products, ALL GONE NOW, sniff!
Current motor: Suzuki S-Cross 4WD auto, 1.4 petrol. Oh so reliable! 7 years now and no problems. Oh, all right then, a leaking shocker replaced under guarantee.
Previous:
TD6 HSE L322 Auto FF
2.5 TDi 4-door Classic
Disco II
And my 1st Rangie: in 1995, a 2-door VM 2.5 diesel Classic
Not to mention the Lada Niva before those. (I said not to mention it!)

Last month had to buy 2 batteries for 2 cars and went for Yuasa Black with a lifetime guarantee fir both. So far no problems and for the money a no-brainer. Current:
1999 SL500
2006 Mini One Chrome wrapped
2008 FFRR 4.2sc

Interesting
I can’t find that make in France, but I see they’re available from Halfords in the UK. The Halfords recommended Yuasa Black Lifetime for my Fatty is number 019 at a cost of £159. The specs are: 95 Ah, 900 A.The Varta Silver Dynamic I have just fitted is a 110 Ah & 920 A, and cost me £93.98 including delivery to France.
Apart from the slightly lower rating, the Yuasa is 40 mm shorter at 353 mm – making fitting a damned sight easier, I’m sure!
However, at almost double the price (excl. delivery the Varta was £85.50), I wonder what the “Lifetime guarantee” is actually worth. What does it consist of? How long is a lifetime? Will they replace a dud or just give you an allowance against a replacement?
Do you perhaps have this info, Swithins? I’d be interested to know … It's "bébéchoon", ackcherly, with accents. 'Steve' to my chums.
20 years ownership of Solihull products, ALL GONE NOW, sniff!
Current motor: Suzuki S-Cross 4WD auto, 1.4 petrol. Oh so reliable! 7 years now and no problems. Oh, all right then, a leaking shocker replaced under guarantee.
Previous:
TD6 HSE L322 Auto FF
2.5 TDi 4-door Classic
Disco II
And my 1st Rangie: in 1995, a 2-door VM 2.5 diesel Classic
Not to mention the Lada Niva before those. (I said not to mention it!)