How many batteries have you had?

[melvinmelvin]

6 hours ago, Jai Dee said:

Is there any simple way to test your battery in order to obtain it's predictive remaining life span?

 

No, not really.

 

One indication can be found as follows;

 

if we talk about a car, load the battery heavily (assuming its fully charged,) ie run the starter making sure the engine

will NOT start (disconnect some crucial cables).

watch the pole-pole voltage, run the battery down to say 12.6 volts or 12.5 volts and then see how quickly it comes up to 12.8 volts by itself. that is a useful lifespan measure.

[melvinmelvin]

1 hour ago, Gary A said:

Batteries that stay topped up last much longer. Driving a kilometer to the market and then a kilometer going back home will not keep your battery topped up. I'd guess that many batteries last only a year when used like that. Probably the reason my batteries last five years or longer is because we live in the boonies and the average trip is about 6 kilometers one way. The newer vehicles with all the electronic crap and only driven short distances will no doubt have a short battery life. My Isuzu with keyless ignition, automatic folding mirrors  and all the other electronic controlled things may have a much shorter life. That battery is about a year and a half old now. Only time will tell how long the battery will last.

agree fully

 

I have two batteries (in a boat) (don't have a car) (now I have 2 Panasonic 90Ah sealed lead/acid batteries).

I charge them 24/7. Have battery chargers installed in the boat, just plug them in when I park the boat and charge.

The batteries like that, very much.

I also have 1 desulphator unit for each battery, also runs 24/7,  batteries are happy, every day.

[NanLaew]

On 2/10/2017 at 11:23 AM, JoeW said:

Our car shop will always check the batteries when they come in from the distributor and before we put them in the customer's car.

I think especially checking the CCA is important as this is one of those things you can't really fix by charging a battery.

We used to deal in GS, but those batteries came with 20 to 30% less CCA as it said on the box.

For us, 3K, Panasonic, Bosch and Hitachi are the batteries which real CCA is the closest to the advertised one.

Also, 3K makes a lot of batteries white label for other manufactures (some Bolidens, Hitachi, FB, etc)

And GS Siam make the mostly crap FoMoCo branded batteries for Ford Thailand.

 

One of the battery shops suggested that the FoMoCo battery is capable enough for their petrol-engined marques but not up to delivering long-lasting CCA for their diesel mills. Having said that, my mate replaced the flat battery in his Focus after about 30 months.... and the replacement only lasted a little longer.

[NanLaew]

On 2/10/2017 at 5:16 AM, Jai Dee said:

Is there any simple way to test your battery in order to obtain it's predictive remaining life span?

Unfortunately for all the hype about 'maintenance free' and 'hybrid', the battery is still relatively simple and like a light bulb, can expire spontaneously . There's good advice given here with regard to hydrometers (where they can be used) and checking for bad cells as well as voltage checking at specific points of load and no-load conditions. The Ford technicians use a rather fancy hand held gizmo with LCD display that monitors pre-start volts, start voltage drop, and subsequent running/charging voltage to give a Good, Fair or Bad assessment of battery performance with a handy cash register style printout as 'proof'. As someone with a rather ancient degree in things electrical, this fails to impress me. For example, when servicing air conditioners and refrigeration, a key measurement of the internal performance and thus the condition of the compressor is the separate start and run current being drawn and this cannot be done by simply measuring only the voltages and 'doing the math' as the resistance is an unknown variable. To do the equivalent 'stand alone' current tests on a car battery requires the native charging system to be disconnected before assessing the current being drawn, something that was quite easily done on the likes of the Morris Minor but is pretty hard or impossible with the more complicated, integrated 'smart' charging systems on modern vehicles.

 

In my experience with the batteries under various hoods; and this includes 24 Volt, V10 powered oilfield service trucks in deserts, pay very close attention to that first crank when the ignition key is turned on your new ride or when it has just come off an overnight charge. Laggard batteries, with failing cells or lower capacity will start to have a slower speed crank, audibly lower and slightly longer before the engine 'catches' and fires up. Having said that, this will indicate that the battery is weak but doesn't eliminate the possible bad electrics or poor charging that may be causing it. Unfortunately, in exactly the same way we cannot tell when a light bulb is going to blow, we really can't tell with any degree of certainty when an old battery is just going to keel over.

[Jai Dee]

9 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Unfortunately, in exactly the same way we cannot tell when a light bulb is going to blow, we really can't tell with any degree of certainty when an old battery is just going to keel over.

Excellent post, but that's the real bottom line isn't it?

 

[Ace of Pop]

Don't Batteries fall into the same OE as Tires.? I got stuffed up with Good Year ,but some had Michelin.My Chums same car had the same label Battery but entirely different case Dual Suppliers I suppose like the UK


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[tifino]

I now only ever get a battery; which has the removable caps; as I want to be able to top up as required, and be able to do my own hydrometer checks.

 

But still, the best display of battery condition is what you experience at the moment of cranking the engine over

yeah of course that is very obvious, but I look at it one step further

for example when the Aircon is enabled.

 

This has repeatedly been when my system has gone legs up

 

so I came up with this little single-focus solution

 

Here we are, the engine is being cranked, and the Aircon switches enable the compressor to clutch-on instantly

The weak battery is protesting - by doing nothing much

Now this doesn't cure the battery, but gives you a little help to get the engine to at least start, with a way of eliminating the compressor temporarily, until the engine has actually begun running...

 

I obtained a couple of different models of time delay relays, to test the theory.

 

Installation:

Find the last connector in the compressor's clutch wiring, at the input to the clutch - and separate the connectors to break the circuit.

 

Wire up the delay relay to be activated from the above clutch wiring.The relay's contacts simply complete the Clutch's circuit.

All power for the relay's coil, and the supply to contacts, are taken from the same clutch wiring. This is helpful in case the ECU is monitoring the Compressor clutch's current draw, for faults.

 

Set the Delay, for say, 10 seconds...

 

What have I achieved?

 

Switch on the engine (while the Aircon switches are enabled)

If the temperature settings dictate aircon activity - all that initially runs will be the Aircon's extra fan.

10 seconds later the aircon clutch finally activates.

 

Later on, while driving, pay attention to what you hear/feel when the aircon cycles-on.

The fan comes on, and then the aircon itself 10 secs later. 

 

Why did I come up with this?

1. Firstly, my aircon gas possibly needs another servicing, as I had been detecting something like a compression lock occurring when the clutch cycles on. The repetitive Clicks of the clutch, and heaving of engine power consumption were obvious.

The 10 seconds delay has solved it by disabling the clutch for that 10 seconds (a bit like how you can install a 240v time delay to a household aircon if the electrical supply in your local area is susceptible to mains power flickers/bumps )

 

2. The car starting problems have now been eliminated, due to the reduced load upon the system during the engine start itself.

 

3. The duty cycle of the cooling capacity of the car has effectively increased a little, in that I am obtaining a bonus extra 10 secs of cooling fan operation that is not being consumed by actual aircon operation. 

[transam]

8 minutes ago, tifino said:

I now only ever get a battery; which has the removable caps; as I want to be able to top up as required, and be able to do my own hydrometer checks.

 

But still, the best display of battery condition is what you experience at the moment of cranking the engine over

yeah of course that is very obvious, but I look at it one step further

for example when the Aircon is enabled.

 

This has repeatedly been when my system has gone legs up

 

so I came up with this little single-focus solution

 

Here we are, the engine is being cranked, and the Aircon switches enable the compressor to clutch-on instantly

The weak battery is protesting - by doing nothing much

Now this doesn't cure the battery, but gives you a little help to get the engine to at least start, with a way of eliminating the compressor temporarily, until the engine has actually begun running...

 

I obtained a couple of different models of time delay relays, to test the theory.

 

Installation:

Find the last connector in the compressor's clutch wiring, at the input to the clutch - and separate the connectors to break the circuit.

 

Wire up the delay relay to be activated from the above clutch wiring.The relay's contacts simply complete the Clutch's circuit.

All power for the relay's coil, and the supply to contacts, are taken from the same clutch wiring. This is helpful in case the ECU is monitoring the Compressor clutch's current draw, for faults.

 

Set the Delay, for say, 10 seconds...

 

What have I achieved?

 

Switch on the engine (while the Aircon switches are enabled)

If the temperature settings dictate aircon activity - all that initially runs will be the Aircon's extra fan.

10 seconds later the aircon clutch finally activates.

 

Later on, while driving, pay attention to what you hear/feel when the aircon cycles-on.

The fan comes on, and then the aircon itself 10 secs later. 

 

Why did I come up with this?

1. Firstly, my aircon gas possibly needs another servicing, as I had been detecting something like a compression lock occurring when the clutch cycles on. The repetitive Clicks of the clutch, and heaving of engine power consumption were obvious.

The 10 seconds delay has solved it by disabling the clutch for that 10 seconds (a bit like how you can install a 240v time delay to a household aircon if the electrical supply in your local area is susceptible to mains power flickers/bumps )

 

2. The car starting problems have now been eliminated, due to the reduced load upon the system during the engine start itself.

 

3. The duty cycle of the cooling capacity of the car has effectively increased a little, in that I am obtaining a bonus extra 10 secs of cooling fan operation that is not being consumed by actual aircon operation. 

My ride does not have an A/C fan........

[CharlieH]

Battery in Mazda 2 ran fine still going strong after 6 years!!  used daily.

 

Toyota Vigo is on its 3rd battery after 7 years. Couldnt believe they are using old style "top up" with water batterries here, thought they went out of use many years ago.

[NanLaew]

33 minutes ago, tifino said:

I now only ever get a battery; which has the removable caps; as I want to be able to top up as required, and be able to do my own hydrometer checks.

 

But still, the best display of battery condition is what you experience at the moment of cranking the engine over

yeah of course that is very obvious, but I look at it one step further

for example when the Aircon is enabled.

 

This has repeatedly been when my system has gone legs up

 

so I came up with this little single-focus solution

 

Here we are, the engine is being cranked, and the Aircon switches enable the compressor to clutch-on instantly

The weak battery is protesting - by doing nothing much

Now this doesn't cure the battery, but gives you a little help to get the engine to at least start, with a way of eliminating the compressor temporarily, until the engine has actually begun running...

 

I obtained a couple of different models of time delay relays, to test the theory.

 

Installation:

Find the last connector in the compressor's clutch wiring, at the input to the clutch - and separate the connectors to break the circuit.

 

Wire up the delay relay to be activated from the above clutch wiring.The relay's contacts simply complete the Clutch's circuit.

All power for the relay's coil, and the supply to contacts, are taken from the same clutch wiring. This is helpful in case the ECU is monitoring the Compressor clutch's current draw, for faults.

 

Set the Delay, for say, 10 seconds...

 

What have I achieved?

 

Switch on the engine (while the Aircon switches are enabled)

If the temperature settings dictate aircon activity - all that initially runs will be the Aircon's extra fan.

10 seconds later the aircon clutch finally activates.

 

Later on, while driving, pay attention to what you hear/feel when the aircon cycles-on.

The fan comes on, and then the aircon itself 10 secs later. 

 

Why did I come up with this?

1. Firstly, my aircon gas possibly needs another servicing, as I had been detecting something like a compression lock occurring when the clutch cycles on. The repetitive Clicks of the clutch, and heaving of engine power consumption were obvious.

The 10 seconds delay has solved it by disabling the clutch for that 10 seconds (a bit like how you can install a 240v time delay to a household aircon if the electrical supply in your local area is susceptible to mains power flickers/bumps )

 

2. The car starting problems have now been eliminated, due to the reduced load upon the system during the engine start itself.

 

3. The duty cycle of the cooling capacity of the car has effectively increased a little, in that I am obtaining a bonus extra 10 secs of cooling fan operation that is not being consumed by actual aircon operation. 

I turn off the aircon about 5 minutes before I get home and run the fan-only to dissipate any condensation forming in the cold ductwork. Then I turn off the climate control completely before stopping the engine. That way the air-conditioning isn't loading the starter as you describe. I have even started lifting the hood after long runs after noting that it only needs to be for a minute to rapidly dissipate the heat which surges immediately after the engine is turned off and the hood left closed. The ones that leave the hood up for 5 or 10 minutes still make me laugh though.

 

Still get duff batteries though.

[Pib]

Most vehicles now days do not engage the headlights, air con, radio, etc.,  while the engine is being cranked so full power can flow to the starter.....when the key is turned to the "start" position.

 

It 's only when the key goes to the "run or accessories position"  position that lights and A/C would engage.

[tifino]

23 minutes ago, Pib said:

Most vehicles now days do not engage the headlights, air con, radio, etc.,  while the engine is being cranked so full power can flow to the starter.....when the key is turned to the "start" position.

 

It 's only when the key goes to the "run or accessories position"  position that lights and A/C would engage.

someone with a nowadays car is lucky then

 

I'm still with my ol' 91 mazda. If the switches are selected ON, both Headlamps and Aircon clutch are active when cranking - but at least the aircon is not anymore 

[Pib]

1891 or 1991?  .   That OK, I had a 1984 Pontiac I bought in 1985 used and kept it for 23 years...had to let it go when I moved....broke my heart.

 

Even on that 1984 Pontiac which had A/C the compressor would not engage until a split second after the car was running.  You could easily hear it engage.

 

Seriously, when "cranking" the car, you headlights don't dim "greatly" for a 1 second or so/until the engine starts and you let the key return from the Start (Crank) position to the Run position?  

 

That brief dimming is not just the battery dropping down a few volts due to the cranking/starter load, but normally due to the power being completely cut to the headlights and some other electrical circuits so the starter can get max available current/amps from the battery.   It's just when the power is completely cut the headlights still take a very brief period to stop glowing/putting out bright light.