Calypso
**** Deer
Short Version:
Assuming both the alternator and battery are fine, what would cause the battery to not get charged?
The alternator pushes 13.5-14 volts with the engine running, which shows that the alternator is fine, correct?
The battery has been replaced 3 times in less than 2 years for the same issue, making me doubt that the battery is the problem, and the most recent is less than 6 months old.
Long Version:
My SHO's battery is not getting charged, as far as I know. It seems like a bad battery, but I kind of refuse to believe that since it's on the third battery in less than 2 years, for the same issue. The current battery is less than 6 months old.
Alright, so I tried to start my car a week or two ago, and no start. Symptoms of a dead battery. So, I jumped it, started right up. Drove for approximately 15 mins, and shut it off. Went to start it the next day, and no start again. Tried jumping it to no avail (tried for about 10 mins, was kind of in a rush), and gave up. The next day I tried jumping it, let it charge for about 5 mins before I cranked it, and it started right up. Drove it for about 30 mins to charge it up, and it's been fine since then, until yesterday.
I went to start it again, and no start. Voltmeter showed about 8 volts. Let it charge from another vehicle for about 5 mins and cranked and it started up. Drove it for about 30 mins again and pulled over on a side street (stupidly) to see if it would start up, I was sure it would. Shut it off for less than one minute, tried cranking it, and no start. got a jump from a passer-by, and drove home. Shut it off and immediatly tried re-starting it, and no start. Gave up again.
This morning I charged it from an old battery charger for about 45 mins to an hour, and it started up. I let it sit for about 1-2 hours and it started up again and I drove to get gas (about 10 mins, with radio on). Shut it off and it started up fine. drove around for another 45 mins or so, radio on, and shut it off at the store. Came out after about 15 mins and no start. Got a jump and drove it home.
Tried cleaning up the battery connections and the (what I'm assuming is) external voltage regulator for the alternator cause I barely touched this wire and it fell off the negative terminal of the battery. I thought I had found the problem. Connected everything after cleaning it, jumped it, drove around for 20 mins, shut it off, and no start immediately after shutting it off. Voltmeter shows 8-10 volts MAX, going down every time I crank.
When the car's running, the voltmeter shows about 13.5-14 volts always, regardless of RPMs or accessories, and no dimming of lights while revving the engine or anything. This makes me assume that the alternator is fine. And this points towards the battery being bad, but I've replaced the battery three times in less than two years for the same issues. And I have replaced the started solenoid as well.
Assuming the battery and alternator are fine, what should I check to make sure the battery is getting a charge?
Or am I just an idiot and should I replace the battery or alternator and call it good?
Can the alternator power the car fine on it's own, and still be faulty as to not charge the battery?
Thanks for any help. Sorry for the long post.
-Matt
Assuming both the alternator and battery are fine, what would cause the battery to not get charged?
The alternator pushes 13.5-14 volts with the engine running, which shows that the alternator is fine, correct?
The battery has been replaced 3 times in less than 2 years for the same issue, making me doubt that the battery is the problem, and the most recent is less than 6 months old.
Long Version:
My SHO's battery is not getting charged, as far as I know. It seems like a bad battery, but I kind of refuse to believe that since it's on the third battery in less than 2 years, for the same issue. The current battery is less than 6 months old.
Alright, so I tried to start my car a week or two ago, and no start. Symptoms of a dead battery. So, I jumped it, started right up. Drove for approximately 15 mins, and shut it off. Went to start it the next day, and no start again. Tried jumping it to no avail (tried for about 10 mins, was kind of in a rush), and gave up. The next day I tried jumping it, let it charge for about 5 mins before I cranked it, and it started right up. Drove it for about 30 mins to charge it up, and it's been fine since then, until yesterday.
I went to start it again, and no start. Voltmeter showed about 8 volts. Let it charge from another vehicle for about 5 mins and cranked and it started up. Drove it for about 30 mins again and pulled over on a side street (stupidly) to see if it would start up, I was sure it would. Shut it off for less than one minute, tried cranking it, and no start. got a jump from a passer-by, and drove home. Shut it off and immediatly tried re-starting it, and no start. Gave up again.
This morning I charged it from an old battery charger for about 45 mins to an hour, and it started up. I let it sit for about 1-2 hours and it started up again and I drove to get gas (about 10 mins, with radio on). Shut it off and it started up fine. drove around for another 45 mins or so, radio on, and shut it off at the store. Came out after about 15 mins and no start. Got a jump and drove it home.
Tried cleaning up the battery connections and the (what I'm assuming is) external voltage regulator for the alternator cause I barely touched this wire and it fell off the negative terminal of the battery. I thought I had found the problem. Connected everything after cleaning it, jumped it, drove around for 20 mins, shut it off, and no start immediately after shutting it off. Voltmeter shows 8-10 volts MAX, going down every time I crank.
When the car's running, the voltmeter shows about 13.5-14 volts always, regardless of RPMs or accessories, and no dimming of lights while revving the engine or anything. This makes me assume that the alternator is fine. And this points towards the battery being bad, but I've replaced the battery three times in less than two years for the same issues. And I have replaced the started solenoid as well.
Assuming the battery and alternator are fine, what should I check to make sure the battery is getting a charge?
Or am I just an idiot and should I replace the battery or alternator and call it good?
Can the alternator power the car fine on it's own, and still be faulty as to not charge the battery?
Thanks for any help. Sorry for the long post.
-Matt
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