Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Aero 8, 2012< Plus 8, SuperSports, Coupe & Aeromax Noco Jump Starter Thread

Given the traditional starter death click that will often effect the Aero when left up for winter I thought I would put in a thread around jump start units.

Usual things to look for.
1. When you twist the key the lights come on but may be dim
2. Often the mileage display will be dim or shading
3. When you press start it all dims and you get nothing but a click from the starter and no turn.

The good news is that the click means the relay and starter are trying but in general the current is not enough to turn the engine.

One of the things to check is the other end of the black -ve cable where it attaches to the body in case this is corroded.
Usual rules around the battery connections apply, clean grease etc. When I did the swap I used the permanent battery connectors that came with the c-tek which allow you to clip on/off the cable easily.

Last year I put a new Yasa 075 battery in the Coupe. The battery that came with it was a Banner 075 however it appears that most 075 models will work.
http://batteryfactory.co.uk/collections/car-batteries/type-075 (other suppliers exist, just used it for a link)

There appear to be two primary types of battery on the market, standard and AGM (absorbent glass matt) which has several benefits but I have not found it in 075 size. The AGM is for modern stop/start cars and can be fitted inside the bodyshell as it is meant to avoid giving off fumes etc. In general AGM also give more power to turn the engine. I will not mention the alternatives like Li-Ion or solid state as I have no experience of them.

I had the Coupe on a trickle charger all over winter and when I went to start it got the usual click of death.

So first attempt was full power battery charger - 10amp for 4 hours - nothing.

I ordered a Noco GBX55 from Amazon. It is slightly over-powered for the engine but it's better over than under and Amazon had an offer on that one.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08WZKRHZZ/

The GB and GBX ranges are both on sale, apparently the GBX is a new model but for this purpose I don't think they are really different.

It is a tiny little thing really, about a third the size of the 075 battery in the car.
Just in case anyone is ordering one - THERE IS NO PSU to charge it in the box as standard.
It is charged using the modern USB-C method which tops out at 60w.
A modern USB-C charger of 60 is recommended for quick charging as most phone chargers that are USB-C are max out at 10-20w.
A modern Mac or laptop USB-C model will usually be 45-60.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dell-Chromebook-Latitude-450-AGOL-2YK0F/dp/B077XY6F6B
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spigen-Charger-Adapter-Charging-MacBook/dp/B099S1FGC1

Also if you have a USB-C cable make certain it is a good one as 60w is a fair bit for a USB cable.
It was half charged and went to full in about 1.5 hours.

Attached to the Coupe and started first go which was a pleasant change of pace.
Despite the small size it has no issue turning the car over very easily.
You connect the red/black to the matching terminals, power up the pack and then have 60 seconds to kick the car over, the cables are quite short so if it is in the garage and access is tight have a friend!

As soon as I removed the Noco the car stopped so the battery had totally failed.

Swapped for the replacement battery and all was well.

It is now starting on the button without an issue.

So other observations.
1. The unit is Li-Ion batteries which if damaged can burn well.
2. If you are going to carry it in the car I would recommend putting one of the hard shells on it.
3. It looses power quite slowly when charged but a regular 3 month top up seems good based on the comments I have found
4. It has a normal USB and a USB C (which is in for charging and also out when not charging) so if you have a power cut it will charge you phone often
5. The case is a fairly tough shiny smooth plastic so beware of marking the car when you are using it. It can slide easily

Thank you, I have often wondered if it would be p[ossible to change out the heavy lead acid battery for a suitable lion battery obvously with the same charging voltage as the lead acid as provided by the alternator...any thoughts?

Been available for a few years now - at a price...... Antigravity Batteries

Unless they have some sort of charge convertor onboard Li-ion batteries require a differing charge regime from lead/acid be they conventional or AGM.

With regard to jump start devices the there is no such thing as "too powerful". The starter motor will take what current it needs at any specific voltage.

I think they have all the battery management stuff built in - may be why they're so expensive. I was looking at one to save a few lbs when I was building my drag bike.

Can I add my thoughts/experiences here on my S1 Aero 8

I get around 2-3 years out of an Odyssey PC925 battery. Just recently I got another round of the starting clicks. I took off all battery leads and cleaned up all connections with a file at both ends of each cable where spannering permitted access. This gave an immediate improvement, starting on the button. However 6 weeks later and the clicks have returned, can't be dirty terminals so I assume another dead battery.

I have been using a Ctek charger on a time switch for 4 hours per day. I have a thumbwheel battery terminal isolator which always isolates the battery when the car is unused.

I spoke to 2 different battery suppliers today who both told me that my current (forgive the pun) charging regime is not good for the battery. Both said use the Ctek (AGM setting as before) but charge it once every 2 months for 24 hours, based on me using the car once every 2 or 3 weeks. And so yet another expensive battery now ordered, and I'll be trying out the new advice

Hope this helps

It's true that a battery can sulphate long term when left on charger in float mode. Many sophisticated ones have an automatic re-cycle every couple of weeks which can be simulated by simply turning off then back on. This stirs up the electrolyte which otherwise stratifes and damages plates, as well as warding off sulphation. Of course the best for battery longevity is to use it regularly, say at least once a week.

I too have found that battery conditioners ruined batteries.

I now adopt the "charge when starting to flatten regime", following this the battery on my tractor (which probably gets less use than the average Morgan) has so far lasted 13 years, the Bosch battery on the three wheeler (which lived a previous life on my daughter's Fiesta) is over 10 years old and I replaced the battery on my E Class after 10 years.
Why are batteries failing so quickly on Morgans?
On another thread there was a picture of a battery carrier without a rubber mat to absorb vibration, on our 4/4 the battery cable size was also inadequate.

I have never used one on any of my Morgan's over 18 years - you have to have a battery isolator switch though as residual current drains can be relatively high on the newer models, I have left my current Plus 8 12 weeks without starting due to extended holiday and she fired first pot up.

Normally started and run once a week.

Battery chargers destroy batteries very quickly if not used correctly - forget the so called thinking one's - if you do the thinking you will be surprised how long your battery will last.

If it needs a charger the battery is shot - sure you can nurse it along for a while but it's far more efficient to just change it when it's needed charging around the 10 year mark or so.

I will add though that I have a zero tolerance policy with cars that won't start, they have to go and I don't want that !

Okay so guide me on the types of charger good people. Is my understanding correct? Always happy to be corrected and learn.

1. High power charger 10amp that is intended to re charge a flat but not dead battery quickly.
2. Trickle charger intended to bring it up to load overnight. Not to be left on or it will kill the battery as mentioned above.
3. Battery conditioner, c-tek 0.8 is the model I have, which charges and then loads it to maintain it. I am assuming these can be left connected.

Both Mogs were on conditioners.

In the first email I did not cover the isolator switch on the electrics box (in the engine bay above the pedals where all the fuses etc are) this switch is on the front of the box and will close off all power.

Some owners use this to extend the battery life by switching off all the electrics. I think this may affect some things like the permanent memory of the radio (unless you have run around it deliberately for this?) and could impact any trackers fitted depending on fitting, I am told they should not be affected but ahem....

My S2 can go weeks without needing a charge. The Coupe not so much, it would not do a week without being used or charge. Hence the use of conditioner on it.

@Volvo s60s60 - you mention using the AGM setting. When I read about modern AGM batteries they can handle more charge and load due to their construction. However for the Aero range I cannot find an AGM when I was replacing these or I would have bought one. I take it that AGM (as they can be used in the car etc) are "sealed" on the conditioners? Have you found an AGM in 075 size or did you change size to get it?