And whatever happened to Dr. Plumbub?
Dr. Short
usher99@xxxxxxx wrote:
> I've had a similar problem though the etiology was no mystery. My '79
> firebird sits for weeks at a time and typically gets exercise only to
> go out and purchase a part for repair. It requires mega power for
> turning over with cold viscous oil---the batteries have a ton of
> surface area on the Pb/PbO2 plates but are subject to forming dendrites
> and short out. This is largely due to the deeper cycling and sulfation
> of the plates. I went through a few batteries at one year intervals and
> then tried trickle charging every 2 weeks. There is a common opinion
> that Pb acid batteries store best on float charge but I believe that is
> not correct. Don't ask how I know that 2 weeks is not often enough but
> every week trickle charge has worked for 5 years now.
> I wonder if you drive it enough to keep its charge up or perhaps the
> battery design is ugly per Dr. Short.
> Have you checked the charge on the battery intermittently? Perhaps our
> very own Dr. Battery will chime in
> Tim---
>
> Dr. Lead (protégé of Dr. Short)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Since both batteries have apparently failed from internal shorts (and
> since I've ridden in that car with you over the bouncy, bumpy, winding
> streets of Berzerkely at near double the speed limit) I would suggest
> that the case and internal structure of the 96 month Autolite Platinum
> isn't up to the physical rigors you're subjecting it to. I'd change
> brands to get a different mechanical design. :-)
>
> Dr. Short
>
>
> Moose wrote:
>> 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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