Battery Problems?
#1
06-22-08, 08:35 AM
Battery Problems?
I have a '97 Accord that has been dead twice (not consecutive nights)...after sitting all night. I checked the voltage before jump starting - 12.55 V - and the battery is less than a year old.
Is this not a battery problem? The car starts and runs fine after being jumped. But, the battery definitely acts dead even with 12.55 V (no headlights, etc.)
Thanks.
Is this not a battery problem? The car starts and runs fine after being jumped. But, the battery definitely acts dead even with 12.55 V (no headlights, etc.)
Thanks.
#2
06-22-08, 12:18 PM
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Check the battery terminals and cables at BOTH ends. A loose connection will render the electrical system inop, even with a fully charged battery. Jump starting puts the voltage at the terminal ends, not directly to the battery posts, so the vehicle will get its power from the donor, instead of its own battery.
A word of caution,.... running an alternator "Unloaded", can easily damage it.
A word of caution,.... running an alternator "Unloaded", can easily damage it.
#3
06-22-08, 12:33 PM
Thanks; I'll check.
So you are saying that jump starting the car if I do have a loose connection will damage the alternator?
Any ideas if all the terminals are tight?
So you are saying that jump starting the car if I do have a loose connection will damage the alternator?
Any ideas if all the terminals are tight?
#4
06-22-08, 02:12 PM
You could have a shop do a load test to see if a cell may be going bad. As a home test, since you have a meter, check the voltage and then turn on headlights, interior lights , heater blower, and anything else you can think of, short of actually staring the engine. If the voltage takes a dive, probably bad cell. I've had a brand new battery go out in a week, so don't think that it can't happen.
#5
06-22-08, 02:37 PM
For a fully charged 60 Ah battery to go dead in 8 hours takes an ~8 amp load. You'd probably notice heat, light or noise with a load this large.
100 mA or less is a normal battery load, due to accessories and alternator diode reverse leakage current.
100 mA or less is a normal battery load, due to accessories and alternator diode reverse leakage current.
#6
06-22-08, 03:00 PM
Hey guys, got it fixed. The negative terminal was loose. I was checking voltage with all the accessories on, and it went dead. I guess clipping on the jumper cables those two mornings moved the connection a bit so it started ok.
Thanks for the help; would never have expected that without this place!
Thanks for the help; would never have expected that without this place!
