The battery on a classic MG sees a fundamentally different working life from the battery on a modern car. Classic cars are typically driven less frequently than modern daily-drivers, the original-equipment generators or alternators may not maintain a full charge during short journeys, and the older electrical systems with their slightly higher quiescent current draws can flatten a battery over a few weeks of inactivity. The Battery section gathers the accessories that address these issues, chargers and conditioners for keeping the battery in good condition between drives, isolators for security and storage, battery bins for clean installation, and the specific battery types used on the earliest cars.
Battery Chargers and Conditioners
The Battery Chargers & Conditioners sub-section covers the intelligent charging products that maintain a battery in optimum condition through long lay-up periods. Modern intelligent chargers monitor the battery's state-of-charge continuously, switching between a faster charging mode (when the battery is low) and a maintenance mode (when the battery is fully charged), with an automatic shut-off to prevent overcharging. For a classic MG laid up over winter, plugging the battery into a quality conditioner at the start of the lay-up keeps the battery in good condition through the entire winter, when the car is needed in spring, the battery is fully charged and ready for use without requiring a recovery charge that ages the cells unnecessarily.
Battery Isolators and Battery Bins
The Battery Isolators sub-section covers the rotary or push-button switches that isolate the battery from the rest of the electrical system at the touch of a button. The isolator is useful for security (the car cannot be driven away without the isolator being engaged), for storage (the battery does not slowly discharge through the residual electrical loads), and for safety during workshop electrical work (positive isolation prevents accidental short circuits during loom or component work). The Battery Bins sub-section covers the moulded plastic or steel containers that house the battery cleanly inside the engine bay or boot, protecting the surrounding bodywork from acid spills and giving the installation a tidy finished appearance.
Classic 6-Volt Batteries
The Classic 6v Batteries sub-section covers the specific battery type used on the earliest classic-MG applications, the MG TD, the MG TF, and certain pre-war and early post-war classics that left the factory with 6-volt rather than 12-volt electrical systems. Six-volt batteries are stocked in the appropriate physical sizes and capacities for these applications, with the correct terminal arrangements and case dimensions to fit the original mounting.
For owners running these cars on their original 6-volt specification, the matched battery is the appropriate choice; for owners who have converted their early cars to 12-volt specification (a common upgrade for owners wanting the convenience of modern accessory compatibility), the standard 12-volt battery range applies. The technical team is available to advise on the right battery specification for a specific car and original-equipment configuration.