190E Battery

[TheJim]

My battery seems to be OK but whilst I was messing about changing the alternator I removed the battery to charge it and noticed that it is rated at 45AH but on the German and Swedish site they seem to spec a 55AH battery.
Which is correct for a 2l 190E?
Am I going to melt it?

 

[talbir]

The original MB battery (if that is the one in your car) is the correct rating.

Batteries sold by aftermarket suppliers, i.e. Euro or G&S, usually have different ratings. Not neccesarily a problem if the rating is slightly higher - the Ah rating is usually dictated by number of optional extras, i.e. heated seats/air con etc which draw high current.

Check with MB parts by giving your chassis number - they will tell you what rating battery should be in there. IF your current battery has the MB labels on it, then that's likely the right one.

Mb batteries are usually serviceable ones, aftermarket ones usually not. But aftermarket ones use to come with a 3-yr warranty, wheras MB give only 1yr.

talbir

 

[TheJim]

It isn't the MB one. I shall probably have to give a dealership a call to find out the correct rating. Still, at least I seem to have a reliable car now that it has a new water pump and alternator.
As one of my friends so eloquently put it, "when you buy a second hand car you are buying someone else's problems".

 

[joe bloggs]

2 years for MB batteries

 

[jaques2k]

The bigger the better, maybe? That´s what I´ve been learnt. The Ah rating is just how much capacity the battery has, so no matter if it´s MB or an after-market (maybe the MB is higher quality, or if you want the "original" battery, I don´t know about that...=). If you can afford, and the battery fits in, then go for the biggest(?) battery you can get, or at least a good price/Ah ratio. If you have a bigger battery a cold-start is more easy, you don´t have to mind big electric consumers in low-speed traffic and so on...

 

[talbir]

Whoops that is correct, yes 2 years for MB batteries, not 1.


talbir

 

[TheJim]

just had a look at my manual for the car and it specs a 62AH battery, that would make the 45AH one in there rather underpowered. Does anyone know of a good place to get batteries?
Mercedes parts from a dealer are definiteley in the "having to sell major organs" price range!

 

[fwd]

When I first got my 190 (1.8E) I fitted a 66ah battery (one size up, physically, from the original) and it just fits in the tray.

An 88ah BOSCH battery (4 year warrantee) from COSTCO costs a few pennies short of 45 pounds and that includes VAT!... the smaller 72ah battery is ONLY a few pounds less, reducing proportionally for the smaller capacities

BTW the 88ah unit just fits in the C220 tray leaving one bolt hole visible to secure the battery.

Hope that helps... ;-)

 

[grober]

I replaced my standard 62aH battery with the diesel engine version 75Ah. something like £5 difference in price. It just !!! fits the tray. Go for VARTA blue or silver very similar to original spec and good quality. Some cold dark morning you will be glad you did. see http://www.varta-automotive.com/eng...&content=batteriesuche/searchApplication.html
dimensions for the 62ah is 246x175x190 mm cold test 480A and the 75ah is 278x175x190 mm and cold test 680A so you get a 50% increase in cold current capacity. Go down to your local Varta supplier and get them to help fit it in. The bonnet needs to be in the vertical position for this !!

 

[grober]

Sorry I think the bonnet was vertical but my memory fails me on that point .Its obvious when you come to fit it but get assistance cos its very awkward!!

 

[TheJim]

So the general concensus is that bigger is better, I shall take some measurements and see what I can shoehorn in!
I know that having too small a battery can mean that:
a. cold starts can be hit and miss
b. it could go into meltdown if the current draw becomes too much

but can you put too big a battery in? I would guess not as the car will just draw what it needs. But I could be wrong?

 

[pascal]

MB offered the option of higher Ah batteries in the past on some models, and recomended and/or supplied them with certain high drain electric options.

So I would fit the highest Ah one that would fit.

Regards how long they should last, my last one, 11 years, but you saw what happened to it
http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=9193

Pascal

 

[TheJim]

****** hell. Poor cold starting seems rather unimportant really.