Date: Fri, 19 May 2000 13:21:45 GMT From: "Keith Grider" <keithnopsamidaytech.com> Subject: Re: Battery problems
"Everett M. Greene" <mojavegnopsamsp.com> wrote in message news:20000518.79C44A8.BFE0nopsamveg.iwvisp.com... > I've lost several batteries in the last couple of years and > am wondering what's causing this unusually high failure rate. > In two incidents in two different vehicles, the battery was > "cooked" (battery was so hot that the electrolyte was boiling). > This would seem to be something akin a regulator sticking and > having maximum current being fed to the battery, but I'm not > aware of alternators having regulators. Alternators do have regulators. Actually, they have a rectifier (to get the DC from the 3 phase AC created by the alternator) and a regulator to keep the DC voltage under control. Frst check the voltage at the battery terminals with the car running. It should be between 11 and 14 depending on the condition of the battery. While watching the volt meter, increase the revs on the engine. The regulator should hold the voltage while revs increase. If not, replace the regulator. If your battery is 'cooked', the regulator is not regulating the voltage and should be replaced. I have not taken apart a saab alternator, but assume it is the similar to most all others. When I check an alternator, Take the housing apart. First verify that all 6 diodes of the rectifier are OK. (if your voltage is high, I assume these are working properly). With many alternators, the brush assembly is one component. Since you are there, replace it. The regulator is the other thing inside the housing of the alternator, replace it. In the past 10 years, I have had problems finding the individual components on some foreign alternators. I have not tried to locate them for a SAAB yet. Hope this was of help. Keith Grider > > In the first incident, the battery was replaced and no more > problems occurred. In the second, problems continued until > the alternator was replaced. > > In the other incidents, the batteries were just suddenly > dead for no apparent reason and with very little use. In the > last month or so, a battery was dead in a vehicle which isn't > being driven very often. It wouldn't take a charge so it was > replaced under warranty. The next morning, the new battery > was dead; the interior lights had been left on overnight by > mistake, but this wouldn't seem to be enough to completely > discharge a new battery. Took the battery back to the shop > and had it charged; brought it back and put it in the vehicle > but didn't connect the positive cable. A week or so later, > the battery was dead when I went to drive it. > > In these latter incidents, am I just encountering a bad run > of battery quality control? > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Everett M. Greene (The Mojave Greene, crotalus scutulatus scutulatus) > Ridgecrest, Ca. 93555 Path: mojavegnopsamSP.com > > Opinions are like armpits: We all have them and they all stink. > Forbes.com radio commercial
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