How long can a Battery really last ?

[66Beetle]

I put a New Varta Battery on the A2 to replace the Original from new ( 2003 ) about 4 years ago as I used the A2 to get to work and was sure it would let me down on a freezing morning after a Night Shift. I kept the Original Varta Battery “ just in case “. Gave it a charge on the Aldi Smart Charger on very rare occasions. Every time it showed up as being OK. It got to the point where I wanted to put it back on the A2 to try it. Had a brainwave today - see if it would fit under the Rear Seat of our 1972 VW Type 3 Variant ? Bit of a tight fit but it’s now on the Type 3 to see how long it can last. So the Battery is 20 years old this year. Not been used on a car for 4 years. How long can it really last ?

 

[Howey]

Heat cycles and temperature extremes don't help battery life but in the A2's case it's a very cosy home for the battery and factory originals seem to have been extremely well made!!

 

[Pinkythelabrat]

My original battery from factory lasted 17 years - and it was a silly parasitic drain and COVID that eventually killed it by over discharging it rather than any real wear and tear.

A lead acid battery ‘wears’ when the lead coated plates lose their nice shape and surface area drops as sulfation and shape loss of the lattices affects the maximum current draw and depth of charge possible.

Higher peak current draw, faster recharging, lower temperatures all speed up the rate of wear - but a gently used battery could last hundreds of years if maintained properly. If your battery is over-specced for purpose, kept at an ideal standby charge, if your starter motor is in good condition and your engine doesn’t need a lot of work to start it - then your battery should easily perform at peak for a long time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk