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X 250 Vehicle battery (Under the passengerrs feet)


tonyishuk

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When our M/home is parked up, I keep the Vehicle battery connected to a Ctek charger (also do the same for the Leisure battery on another Ctek charger as the demands are different)

 

I occasionally top up the leisure battery with water maybe twice a year.(and only takes a little)

 

My question is;

 

Is it possible to top up the X250 Vehicle battery ? or is the battery sealed ? Seems to be nothing in the handbook regarding maintenance of the battery.

 

(OTOH my Volkswagen hand book shows pictures of boiler suited men wearing face masks, and large pling marks showing how dangerous the operation is :D )

 

Rgds

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Hello,

 

The standard vehicle battery is made by Fiamma or Marelli and is maintenance free. We have not had any batteries fail during the first 4 years and the vehicles that we have are either on the road every day or have prolonged periods of not being used, so it's a mixed bag. For replacements we have been buying Bosch or Vauxhall batteries and all have been good. We are definitely seeing that the move from under the bonnet to under the floor is extending the life of batteries, and that can only be good news.

 

By the way; I had to replace a battery on a 2009 Renault Master just after Christmas and it was a bit of an ordeal! The battery is under the floor and secured by a bolt into the plastic tray by way of a nut that is bonded into the tray. It was seized and the nut was just turning. There was no access from underneath so the bolt had to be drilled out. Anyone that has a Master or Movano should remove the bolt (if they can) and grease it to prevent this from happening to them. It was a huge pain to do it and it should have been very easy.

 

Nick

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I got a perfect replacement for one before Christmas. It was a Bosch S5 015 and was about £95 plus VAT from Andrew Page. That one is perfect for all X250's

 

Fiat dealers do not sell many batteries because they are an awkward item to keep in stock and the Fiat branded batteries are not competitive. Stick to a major brand from a supplier that sells a lot of units like AP or Euro Car Parts and you won't pay through the nose and will get a good quality replacement.

 

If you have a Vauxhall dealer nearby, they stock excellent batteries too; the part number would be 93182214. This battery is very slightly lower and the clamp will need a small spacer between it and the top edge of the battery to make it fit snugly. I use a couple of short pieces of twin and earth mains cable and this works very nicely. The price should be similar to the Bosch one above. Either is as good; it just depends on the supplier that is nearest and most convenient for you.

 

Nick

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euroserv - 2014-01-09 12:53 PM

 

I got a perfect replacement for one before Christmas. It was a Bosch S5 015 and was about £95 plus VAT from Andrew Page. That one is perfect for all X250's

 

Fiat dealers do not sell many batteries because they are an awkward item to keep in stock and the Fiat branded batteries are not competitive. Stick to a major brand from a supplier that sells a lot of units like AP or Euro Car Parts and you won't pay through the nose and will get a good quality replacement.

 

If you have a Vauxhall dealer nearby, they stock excellent batteries too; the part number would be 93182214. This battery is very slightly lower and the clamp will need a small spacer between it and the top edge of the battery to make it fit snugly. I use a couple of short pieces of twin and earth mains cable and this works very nicely. The price should be similar to the Bosch one above. Either is as good; it just depends on the supplier that is nearest and most convenient for you.

 

Nick

 

Have you ever had a battery replaced on a Comfortmatic? On another forum I have heard of gearbox issues related to the fact that the incorrect battery was fitted in the Fiat factory.

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euroserv - 2014-01-08 11:06 AM

 

We are definitely seeing that the move from under the bonnet to under the floor is extending the life of b

 

By the way; I had to replace a battery on a 2009 Renault Master just after Christmas and it was a bit of an ordeal!...//... It was seized and the nut was just turning..//.... Anyone that has a Master or Movano should remove the bolt (if they can) and grease it to prevent this from happening to them.

Nick

 

Thanks for that heads up Nick!

Just been out to ours and removed and greased that bolt. ;-)

(..I see what you mean...there isn't much in the way of wriggle room, is there..).

 

Thanks again.

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Mike88 - 2014-01-09 12:18 PM

 

 

Have you ever had a battery replaced on a Comfortmatic? On another forum I have heard of gearbox issues related to the fact that the incorrect battery was fitted in the Fiat factory.

 

I did, in fact change the battery on my 'pet' comfort-matic in September. I used the Bosch one as stated above. There were no issues whatsoever and even the radio code survived a flat original battery and the change-over.

 

I don't know what the 'incorrect battery' thing is about; the gearbox will not have any clue what battery is fitted as long as there is sufficient power in it.

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euroserv - 2014-01-10 11:04 AM

 

Mike88 - 2014-01-09 12:18 PM

 

 

Have you ever had a battery replaced on a Comfortmatic? On another forum I have heard of gearbox issues related to the fact that the incorrect battery was fitted in the Fiat factory.

 

I did, in fact change the battery on my 'pet' comfort-matic in September. I used the Bosch one as stated above. There were no issues whatsoever and even the radio code survived a flat original battery and the change-over.

 

I don't know what the 'incorrect battery' thing is about; the gearbox will not have any clue what battery is fitted as long as there is sufficient power in it.

 

I think I read about it on the Motorhome Facts website. I can't access the search facility as I'm no longer a subscriber.

 

However, from memory I recall that a gearbox issue had occurred with the result that the vehicle kept falling out of gear. The vehicle would re-start and after a few miles the same would happen again. The dealers efforts to deal with the issue had failed and Fiat technicians from somewhere were brought in. They went through the electrics and even changed the gearbox with the same result. Eventually the vehicle was shipped back to Italy and there the battery issue was discovered.

 

Another gearbox issue on a different vehicle was discovered as a result of a chaffed wiring room near to the windscreen wipers but that is another story. As far as I have read there have been no Comfortmatic faults as such as the problems have been down to the electrics but I am going off topic here so shall leave it there.

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We replaced the original Fiat battery after 6 years use - simply as a precaution.

 

It had never been topped up, still had all its electrolyte, and was still holding a charge for 2-3 weeks (but we don't have alarms).

 

We've also used a Bosch Silver 100Ah calcium battery to replace it. It seems to be working well.

 

Ian L.

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Our van's Varta G3 (019) starter battery is now well over 4 years old and seems a little sluggish when cold so I suspect that it's days are numbered as all the cable joints and connections are secure and clean.

I will probably buy a new battery regardless rather than faff about, as risking a flat battery when away is not an acceptable option, but I am considering taking the battery out for bench charging and checking for a week or two just in case it might be OK but in need of a bit of a boost.

Does anyone know whether anything will happen to the on board electronics (I know the alarm won't work but I don't set it at home anyway) if the van is left without a battery connected longer term, or whether anything needs to be done before re-restart other than reconnecting and turning the key please?

Thanks.

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Hello Rich,

 

Everything should be ok; even the radio code should be retrievable by the Can Bus system but you should make sure the code is available just in case.

 

Always leave a window open and preferably at least one door adjar when re-connecting batteries. As a rule, if a vehicle has an alarm you should have the key in the ignition and turned to IGN before connecting the battery. Take all necessary precautions to prevent the vehicle locking itself when it is awoken. This applies to most vehicles and not specifically Fiats.

 

Nick

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Thanks Nick, good sound practical and educational advice as ever and much appreciated!

 

I do have the radio code but had not considered the possibility of alarm and central locking issues.

 

I always work on batteries with the doors open, for ventilation and daylight reasons, just as well if the vehicle could lock the key inside which I and, I suspect, many others did not know - but we do now if we read this thread!

 

I was told many years ago to always ensure that everything is switched off before connecting or disconnecting a battery to avoid power surges and sparks - which always made sense to me - but it seems as if current thinking now reverses that advice?

 

I do have an alarm but it is a Cobra after fit.

 

Once again my appreciation for your time and expertise.

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