993 Battery advice

[stephen.grant]

I have a 1996 C4S which spends most of its life on a ctek conditioner in the garage. I know it should get out more, but for various reasons it doesn't.
I replaced the battery last year with a Banner battery, and for much of the last 12 months it has been on a CTEK conditioner. I took it off the conditioner for a few weeks and when I plugged it back in, it wouldn't take or hold charge. This is obviously pretty shocking for a <1 year old battery.
I'm going to look at claiming on the Banner 4 year warranty, and I'm also going to try reconditioning the battery via the conditioner's "recon" functionality. But, realistically, I'm also going to need to replace the battery (and use the car more).
Does anyone have a good suitable battery recommendation for the car?

Many thanks

 

[jboult]

I keep mine on a CTEK as well, with irregular trips (sadly) these days. My batteries tend to last 4 - 5 years before they need replacing, and I usually use a Bosch 12V 72Ah Type 100 S4007.

At around £95 delivered I don't really worry about them and just replace when they start getting sluggish turning the car over. Although you should be well within warranty if yours is less than a year old.

Cheers/John

 

[Robert Teague]

It is an interesting point. My situation is not unlike this with a Ctec trickle charging my 993 battery. The difference is that my car is still running the same battery it came with 12 years ago (i do not know how old it was when i got the car). it has gone completely flat a few times when I've either forgotten to connect the cTec or not connected it fully. Despite these cock ups its still performing fine and has lasted longer than the trickle chargers themselves. I'm now on my 3rd.
Rob

 

[Shane Hodges]

I had a Bosch Silver Series which lasted me well over 10 years (limited mileage, on regularly trickle charge too), but eventually it gave up last year - in the end I replaced it with another similar Bosch (although I couldn't find the Silver Series anymore).

 

[Mark Elder]

I replaced my battery about 3 months after buying the car (so 17 years ago) with a "Bosch Silver" - (an AGM battery) and it lasted 14 years (on a CTEK once I'd stop using the car as much). That battery was recommended by someone on here. As Shane has said they have disappeared, or maybe just changed names. I replaced it with "S5 A08 Bosch AGM Car Battery 12V 70Ah Type 096 S5A08" https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/bosch/s5a08/ and so far that is working fine.

I've stopped using the CTEK and I now have it looked after by a large solar panel using a charge-controller that has CTEK-like functionality. We will see how well it lasts on that.

 

[stephen.grant]

Thanks all. Somehow I managed to eventually get the CTEK to charge it back up again, so I'll see how it goes over the winter. I've popped one of these dinky lithium jump packs under the bonnet just in case.