"Ed Sirett" wrote in message
news
Got up the other day to find my van was dead.
No problem, I thought, battery is flat [1] I'll charge it up.
2 hours later the charging current was less than 1A and the voltage was up
to 14.6V.

But as soon the key was turned the pre-heater relay started chattering.
Investigations showed the battery was unable to receive a charge and could
only deliver a few amps. Battery only about 2.5 years old.

Was told when I went to buy a replacement "if Calcium batteries
go flat they die".

Q1. What is a Calcium version of a Lead Acid battery?

I believe it is a longer-life version of a normal lead-acid. I don't
understand the chemistry,
something to do with calcium ions. I think they're supposed to last three
years.

Is it possible a film has built up on the plates? Have you tried those
desulphating
tablets? They didn't work on my battery when I tried them, but it isn't
calcium and
it failed over a slightly longer period than yours.

Andy.