I feel a bit moronic asking this, but...

fitted a new Exide battery today. The original has a little pipe (breather?) coming out at the top of the front. New battery has a moulding in the same place but I can't see a way of refitting the pipe without drilling it. Can I leave it unfitted? Is there something I'm missing?

Life was so simple 40 years ago...

It's usually a small nipple facing downwards on the end of the battery that the pipe just pushes on.

However, you usually get a new pipe with the new battery. If it didn't come with one, and there isn't anywhere obvious to put it then it may not need one. Is it a gel battery as these often don't have a breather. Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

There are basically three types of car battery but even these have variations.
1) Flooded cell, vented and unvented.
2) AGM, that uses a 'glass mat' absorber so cannot leak.
3) GEL, that uses a fine powder absorber so cannot leak.

The flooded cell is the only one that can be fully maintained by using a hydrometer to check the electrolyte strength, although confusingly a flooded cell can still be termed as maintenance free meaning it's constructed to be more efficient in not 'gassing off' like older batteries.
Even with maintenance free batteries if the cell caps are removable then it still pays to check the electrolyte level once in a while. The other two are true 'maintenance free' designed to last its lifetime.

If you have replaced an older 'flooded cell' with a newer sealed, maintenance free flooded type that has no pipe outlet because 'gassing' is kept to a minimum, then the vent pipe is not necessary.

Are you sure the "moulding" is not a plastic plug? I fitted a new Exide to mine and it had a place for the pipe but I had to remove the "bung" first. John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

That's a good point by JST, some come with re-movable transit plugs (one on each side) and one of them should be removed when installed.

That's helpful. I thought there was a plug but it didn't seem easy to remove and I didn't want to force it. I'll have another look as that seems the most likely explanation.
Forum comes up trumps again!

Was trying to remember when I last replaced a battery. I think it was on my Freight-Rover Sherpa, which must be getting on for 20 years ago!

David

Thanks JST and EY. Plug removed (it needed a lot of levering to get it out) and embarassment terminated.
Does anyone remember when things used to come with INSTRUCTIONS, cars had workshop manuals, etc etc?
Thanks again