looking for a favour, could someone with an NC and the original factory battery tell me what the full code is that moulded into the top pleas? It should be something like 24L36D (S) MF.
Thanks.
Just been out in the rain for you and my NC3 2.0l Sport Venture says 46B24L (S)-MF it’s 2014 plate.
Regards
Tim
Great, thanks (Not great that you got wet).
It’s the same battery for the early cars too. Just found a reference for a 2006 car with appropriately date stamped 46B24L(S)-MF Panasonic battery.
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Hi Robbie
Mine is 46B24L(S)-MF also. Original battery.
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2008 NC, battery was 46B24L(S) - MF as with the others.
Sticky label date code 120108A suggests it was original.
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I wonder if mine is still original.
2005, this could ve interesting.
Unlike the earlier AGM Panasonic battery, the one fitted to MK3(NC) cars is lead acid and has to work harder as MK3 parasitic current drain and probably general electrical demand higher than the earlier cars(45ah v 32ah). It says a lot about the MX5 charging system, etc and battery choice that some of these are lasting 10 years but 14 years for a lead acid battery would have to be pushing some sort of record. There is a clear date stamp on these so the evidence will be there.
Battery on the MK3 not so critical as lead acid under the bonnet rather than the more tricky battery in the boot scenario of the earlier cars where there is more ‘G’ force and potential for battery gases to vent into the cabin.
Most replace these with good batteries like the Yuasa YBX5053 available on ebay delivered for about £55. I imagine the original Panasonic, if it were available would be around £100. Can’t find it anywhere - perhaps dealer only if still available.
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Yes.
I replaced mine at nine years old, and it was down to about 2-5% capacity, that Yuasa is an outstanding improvement. I have a photo of the top of the original Panasonic, hence the details to hand.
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I replaced mine with a YAUSA substitute early this year after slow starting during the winter on the original 8 year old battery.
Interestingly, I’m now seeing a resting voltage of just about 12 volts if the car is unused for a couple of days. I’m measuring it with a plug in meter at the cigarette lighter so there may be a temporary drop associated with the ignition being switched on but my Ctek indicator is mostly showing amber/red rather than green.
Oh dear - I do like to recommend reliably and it sounds like you have a legitimate issue especially as this is the summer period with more car use and less battery stress.
Put a meter on the battery terminals to confirm the resting voltage at least 12 hours after charge/run. I cannot comment on devices used in the cigarette lighter port but from other posts they do seem to be recording lower voltage than expected/is reality where 12.6/12.7 volts expected.
If CTEK works like optimate and amber/red with no green after a period of charging(24 hours+) the battery has a problem.
You need to get this confirmed before we hit the cold weather and presumably less regular use of car and parasitic current.
Even with an abnormal parasitic current discharge when the car is not running, I would expect a battery this new to recover. It would be useful for you to measure the parasitic current though to dismiss/accept it as a contributary factor to this issue.
Should have a 4 year guarantee if it is the Yuasa YBX5053 - keep us informed.