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[OM] Re: [OT] Battery weirdness [was emissions controls, was: I have ret

Subject: [OM] Re: [OT] Battery weirdness [was emissions controls, was: I have returned]
From: "Jim Nichols" <jhnichols@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:23:07 -0500
I  purchased a 2000 Cadillac Catera shortly after it came off lease, and it 
appeared to have a new Delco battery installed in it.  Since this car sat in 
the garage a lot, several times I tried to crank it and the battery was 
down.  Since this was a re-badged Opel, with Lucas electrics, I at first 
blamed it on a leak circuit and kept charging the battery.  Finally tiring 
of all of this, I went to my local AutoZone store and got one of their store 
brand batteries.  I never had a problem with a low battery after that.

I have since traded the car, but I now suspect that the problem was a weak 
short somewhere in a battery cell.

Since AutoZone is Memphis-based, I doubt you will find it in the bay area. 
I have used their batteries for years and get very good service from them.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Moose" <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 4:25 PM
Subject: [OM] [OT] Battery weirdness [was emissions controls, was: I have 
returned]


> Chuck Norcutt wrote:
>> Speaking of emissions controls, one of the unexpected adventures upon my 
>> return was to find that the older car left sitting in the driveway felt 
>> so neglected that it shorted its battery internally during my absence.
>
> I've had a strange thing happening with my '95 Olds convertible. Back in
> late May, the battery started failing. No big deal, as it was at the end
> of its warranty life, 7 years, I think.
>
> In early June, I put in a new Autolite Platinum 96 month battery. In
> less than two months, I go out one day and the car is dead, really,
> really dead, flatlined. I attach the charger, it eats amps like crazy,
> gets rather hot and doesn't charge above about 6v. Off I go and get a
> free replacement.
>
> I think maybe something in the car was left on for a few days, draining
> and killing the battery. So I put an ammeter on it. When first hooked
> up, there is a changing drain of under one amp for a few seconds. Then
> it settles down to a few milliamps. Simple checks with a voltmeter show
> the charging system is delivering correct voltage.
>
> Everything is fine for, wait for it, two months, again. Again, I come
> out to find the car dead, dead, dead. Battery is down to about 3-4v.
> This time it will charge, but only up to 11v, and one spot gets hotish.
> Only one shorted cell this time.
>
> Back for another replacement. Of course, this is a GM car, and a
> convertible, so the battery is under the WW fluid tank, a stiffening
> strut and an electrical block. And the battery hold down bracket also
> supports the air filter housing. However, I'm getting quite adept at the
> switch by now.
>
> As part of the switch, I again check current drain. After the switch, I
> go back and have them run a charging system test, which passes
> perfectly. I ask the guy if they have had others of this brand/model
> battery coming back - not that he noticed (which may mean nothing).
>
> Will this go on, every two months, until the two year free replacement
> warranty period is up? Next time would be around the second week of
> December. At least I now have a copy of their own charging system test
> showing it's OK. Fortunately, it doesn't snow around here.
>
> Anybody have a clue what might be going on?
>
> Moose
>
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