Start Stop & Batteries - Discussion

[piggasinnaris]

Hello all.

This is just a 'what's your thoughts' thread on the world of Start Stop and the batteries that utilize it.

As you know, start/stop was a slightly cackhanded way of lowering 'real world' emissions on ICE vehicles by turning off the engine when stationary. I personally think start/stop is a terrible feature and without hesitation turn it off in every single car I drive. (Won't go into it here but something like 75% of an engines total wear occurs during the starting and stopping process, it's a nightmare to use in an auto etc.... but that's not the subject of this post)

Start/stop 'main' batteries are obviously far more expensive than your normal bog standard lead acid one, as they'll need to provide those cranking amps far more often, and then also sustain constant drains far more due to no alternator running when your start/stop kicks in.

So my question to you, the good people of SeatCupra.net - if you, like me, didn't use start/stop at all, ever, under any circumstances and religiously switch it off every ignition cycle, have no plans to sell the car and you needed a new battery....

Would you buy a 'proper' start/stop rated battery, or just a standard cycle battery?

I know there's a general belief that when replacing a main 12v battery on a modern VW vehicle you need to 'code it in' (which is poorly worded - how exactly you 'code' in a dumb 12vDC power source is beyond me) to tell the car it's a new battery for the alternator to adapt power generation. Should vs need are different things. This is the only issue I really forsee cropping up but there's not a lot of concrete info on what 'coding' in a new battery actually does rather than just internet-based conjecture. That's not what I'm asking in this thread though.

Answers on a postcard!

 

[tracktoy]

My personal opinion is that new batteries do need to be coded in (and I will explain more later) but at the end of the day if you don't code it in the car will work fine but the battery lifespan will be reduced. You dont have to agree with me that is just my opinion.

With regards to the coding what it does (when you change the battery number from the old one) is saying to the battery management system that you have a new battery, as time goes by the BDM will adjust how it charges the battery according to age (and maybe other stuff) so that your battery gets the optimal battery charge from the Alternator.
For a much more technical explanation from Don (DV52) and if you are not into the coding forums this guy is very very well respected by the VAG Coding community, have a read of this post https://forum.obdeleven.com/post/127417

With regards to Stop Start I hate it and have a cheat device that always leaves the system off (so no manual effort needed) however I have the option (which I have never used) to turn it back on.

My experience that solidified the need to do this was being a Blyton Park race track, waiting to go on the circuit, lights go green and engine turns off. that wont happen again.

 

[piggasinnaris]

My experience that solidified the need to do this was being a Blyton Park race track, waiting to go on the circuit, lights go green and engine turns off. that wont happen again.

Nightmare! Funny how it even affects people on a racetrack.

But, I'm asking if you'd replace the battery with a non-start stop model, not about the coding element.

 

[tracktoy]

Simple answer is no, my track motor is also a daily and I would rather have a stronger battery

 

[piggasinnaris]

Interesting - have you replaced your battery already with a non start/stop model? Have you seen or noticed any issues?

 

[TheSwede]

I have replaced S/S battery on our 3 cars during the last 2 years (Leon Cupra R,Golf Alltrack, Skoda Fabia). They are all from 2018, TSI petrol cars, all of them had EFB batteries from new. This is in Sweden (sometimes rather cold in winter) and I am very satisfied with EFB so far. I bought new EFB batteries again. Not specialty expensive in SE so why should you buy an “ordinary” battery ? AGM is a little bit more costly but not worth it in my world. VAG Diesel cars have AGM in SE from delivery. FYI I have OBDeleven tweaked the SS funktion so they never stop! The “voltage” method .

PS I have recoded the batterie also, other AH number and changed serial no!

 

[tracktoy]

Interesting - have you replaced your battery already with a non start/stop model? Have you seen or noticed any issues?

Replaced the battery but with a stop start one.

 

[Tell]

I replaced my battery after 5 years being in the situation once where I got stuck not being able to start it late at night. Now do the preventive maintenance of outing the battery at 5 years. Got the Seat dealer to do it at the service plus other stuff that they had missed out for a 5 year old car.

Use Obdeleven 12volt method to fool it not to turn off. Nothing so flash as a special memory switch and my memory to religiously turn it off never worked. Living in out London at the time it was always the first round about a mile up the road where it would auto turn off and you worry about the restart on getting away in busy traffic.