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BATTERIES Posted by saabsince 93b [Email] (#972) [Profile/Gallery] (more from saabsince 93b) on Sat, 12 Jan 2013 09:24:54 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
I have become sort of a battery fanatic. let me explain. I see so many posts about no start and electrical problems where the battery is well ".....pretty new so it can't be that...". The starting point on no start and electrical cranking should be the battery, grounds and cables. Lead acid batteries are interesting devices, but we have to remember that from the day you leave the store with a new battery it is deteriorating all the time.
I don't mean to preach here, but want to relate an experience I just had mysself.
Last weekend I put an Escort Qi45 remote radar detector in my Aero......i changed the oil and did other maintenance as well. Monday AM was cold and I got slow crank and then non-start. I was sure that something was draining the battery. I recharged it and it started OK. Next day low battery again. I recharged and then drove for 80 miles or so and the car is now fine.
No drain, but what is going here. I guessed that messing around with the car and idling it with the DRL light on etc...had just not recharged the battery.
I did a load test on the battery with my old fashion HF load tester and it was not bad......not new, but wold hold the CCA load. I have been itching to buy one of those new-fangled electronic battery analyzers, so when I say HF had it on sale for $59, I sprung for it.
When I analyzed my battery I found that the CCA [cold cranking amps] was down to 643 rather than the 850 the battery had when new. This told me that my 3 year old battery was OK, but had lost 25% of its cranking power.
If I lived in a cold climate I would be thinking of a replacement. But in SO CAL I will be OK for a while.
Next I tried my new toy on our 1995 Tahoe which is not driven much and seems to have a dead battery more often than I would like.....sure enough the Tahoe is 40%.....splains it all.
So what did I learn?
1. Batteries are shades of grey. they just gradually wear down.
2. The Harbor Freight Digital Battery Analyzer #66892 is a very cool and very useful tool for you to really know what is going on with your battery. Knowing this lets know how and when to handle replacement.
->Posting last edited on Sat, 12 Jan 2013 16:32:37.
_______________________________________ NOW OWN: 2000 95 Imola Red Aero 5 door stick - my ride HAVE OWNED: 2003 95 Black Aero 4 door auto Mary Ann's car 2004 95 Black Aero 5 door wagon 2001 95 Silver Aero 4 door stick 2001 95 Silver Aero 5 door wagon automatic 1999 95 Combi stick 1997 9000 Aero stick red 1988 900 SPG black 1988 900 Convertible black 1985 900 3 door turbo spg kit silver 1979 900 3 door turbo early 900 production 1966 96 2 stroke red 1960 95 wagon red 1959 93b light yellow
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