battery question
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Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,742
Likes: 2
From: UT
battery question
The battery in my '92 Explorer seems unable to hold a charge for more than 24 hours. I checked for a drain on the battery and, with everything off, I can only see 0.02 A (on 10A scale) being drwn from the battery; 0.01 A to the computer and 0.01 A to the radio. When I took the battery to Schuck's, they said it tested positive, as well as the alternator. I even cleaned the battery off to eliminate "surface drain". The question I've been asking around, and wanted your thoughts on: Is it possible for a battery to a) accept a charge, b) pass a load test, and c) still be a bad battery?
For the last week I've swapped out a battery from my trailer to see if it makes any difference, but I intend it to only be temporary.
For the last week I've swapped out a battery from my trailer to see if it makes any difference, but I intend it to only be temporary.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,157
Likes: 1
From: Central Kali
battery question
I had one the other day that looked ok at first on a load test but started failing on the third test. I knew that the problem was a corroded conector or the battery was shot. At first it looked like the cable terminal was the problem. Sometimes the battery is just too small. A battery that is fine on a 302 chokes up on my 390.
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Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,742
Likes: 2
From: UT
battery question
I recently replaced the battery cables because they looked pretty bad, but that didn't make any difference, and when the battery is fully charged, it doesn't have any problem starting the engine. When I had the guy test the battery it was out of the vehicle, so the cables wouldn't have affected his test.
When you say it failed on the third load test, was that like testing the battery three times in a row? The first two times it looked ok, but the third successive time it failed the test?
When you say it failed on the third load test, was that like testing the battery three times in a row? The first two times it looked ok, but the third successive time it failed the test?
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: Midwest
battery question
I had a similar problem on my truck. And even though the draw didn't seem excessive it turned out that the eec relay was going bad and would continually draw power. Before you buy a new battery you may want to unplug that relay overnight and see what happens. On a pick-up it is located on the drivers side behind the coolant/washer reservoir but I don't know if that is were it will be located on your vehicle.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,420
Likes: 3
From: Langhorne, PA
battery question
Here's my story. The truck wouldn't turn one day. Sounded like a weak battery, Measured about 9.6 volts on a 1 year old Diehard.I charged the battery using a Harley-Davidson Battery tender... took about 7 hrs. to get up to 13 volts.Got the truck started, and saw 13.5 volts
coming to the battery. I figured all was ok and drove around to charge the cells.The truck was ok for a week, then it happened again. Same story- low voltage, poor cranking. Got it going, couldn't find a charging circuit problem and started wondering what the problem was.
Sears Auto service checked my system and battery and all was good.Well, I came out one morning and It was dead again, I got serious and found a 2.4 Amp draw coming from my alternator. I took the alternator out. Went to the store and found out I had a bad alternator, Only 2 volts out. Replaced the alternator, and everything was fine after that.I never noticed a wrong voltage on my dash voltmeter. The alternator was just doing weird stuff as it died, It was intermittantly shorting the battery.
coming to the battery. I figured all was ok and drove around to charge the cells.The truck was ok for a week, then it happened again. Same story- low voltage, poor cranking. Got it going, couldn't find a charging circuit problem and started wondering what the problem was.
Sears Auto service checked my system and battery and all was good.Well, I came out one morning and It was dead again, I got serious and found a 2.4 Amp draw coming from my alternator. I took the alternator out. Went to the store and found out I had a bad alternator, Only 2 volts out. Replaced the alternator, and everything was fine after that.I never noticed a wrong voltage on my dash voltmeter. The alternator was just doing weird stuff as it died, It was intermittantly shorting the battery.
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