Battery Problems?

[Kid_Random]

Hey Guys

Twice in the last week my cars battery has gone dead.
Once i had driven it for awhile got home at 1 went to drive at 4.30 and it wouldnt start
The other time was tonight at the Vic Bushrangers game, parked the car went back and the battery was dead after about 2 hours.

There was nothing left on or anything.

Could there be an unknown problem??

[Hillerus]

Is your alternator working properly? It could even be something handy like the boot light staying on or something, drawing current from your batt when the car is off

[pow3rslave]

i had the boot light doing that.
also a chick i know just picked her panel van up after a respray that took months, and the battery won't hold a charge, sometimes they just get that old

[sircruisealotVS]

if a battery goes completely dead twice - ditch it! it wont ever work the same again, when a battery goes flat it damages the plates inside.
so id be getting a new battery and making sure the alternator is charging it adequately.

[dmitch]

get a new batt and make sure the alt is working properly

[ivaninoz]

What Voltage is the ALTERNATOR putting out?

Under Minimum Load,
and
Heavy Load...Head Lights and High Beam?

That'll give some indication.

[Sp0tteh]

you should be around the 14.1 or .2 mark

[peter65]

Before you ditch it there are a couple of simple things to check:
1. drive belt tightness - should flex 1cm either side of the rest position. normally not aproblem with the built-in tensioner serpentine belts.
2. battery fluid levels (in normal lead acid battery). The acid should be up to the bottom of the level built into each cell.
3. battery clamp tightness and cleanliness. All connections should be tight and free of corrosion.

If the battery is 3+ years old it is probably stuffed.....

cheers.

[Kid_Random]

Before you ditch it there are a couple of simple things to check:
3. battery clamp tightness and cleanliness. All connections should be tight and free of corrosion.

cheers.

Thanx mate, went to tighten all the clamps the other day, ended up buying some new ones just to test it out and not one problem since!

[88GreenVN]

Dont forget to put some grease on the terminals to stop anything building up on them!!