On Fri, 23 May 2008 23:51:06 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
Colin Wilson o.uk
wrote:
I lent my car to my sister who had to call out a mechanic when the car
battery died, he said they can suddenly fail and sold her another one.

A mechanic in our place happened to mention that newer batteries can
and very frequently DO fail in this manner after replacing mine -
although I don't know the reasons why.

IIRC, something to do with the calcium technology used these days.

Hmmmm,

50 years ago the connections between each of the series connected
cells in a car battery, from terminal to terminal, were made by lead
bars about 1" x 1/4" . These could become cracked at the joints /
welds and since the cells were series connected the whole battery
could became O/C without much warning.

In those days you were advised in the event of a battery behaving in
any unsatisfactory way to "Take it to a battery specialist".

Fat chance nowadays, just as productive and maybe easier to take it to
a Chiropodist. TBH, probably about the same in those days if the truth
be known. :-(

I don't know how the connections are made underneath the plastic skin
of a "sealed for life" battery nowadays, probably you might as well
replace it if the same thing happens, not much alternative.

If it happens at the side of the road all you can do is to ensure you
don't pay over the odds for the replacement.

IGWS that alternator, dynamo, regulator, drive belt etc. problems
still occur from time to time, hopefully less frequently than they
used to.

DG