92 Astro killing new batteries?

Does this mean u leave it on a charger, and if so what kind of charger.

No it isnt unless the battery was already dead. A full charged battery can survuve -40 degrees F. Also when a battery freezes it usually, as in 90% of the time, busts the plates..

There are no codes for charging system those years. 92 has a very rudimentary computer system compared to days autos.

I would check the Alternator, a bad diode can run a battery dead or a bad voltage regulator which is internal to the alt that year, as most all GM's have been since the early 70's. Light in the glove box, light under the hood.

Whitelightning

No, it doesn't live on a charger or anything like that. I only use it when it's needed and usually no longer than overnight. It's an automatic charger that starts out showing around a 5/10 amp charge on a dead battery and drops down to a trickle as it reaches full power. This charger doesn't seem to cause problems on my other 4 vehicles.

Would either of those not only run a new battery dead, but also render it unable to even take a charge? Also wouldn't they show the battery not charging - or being over charged - on the ammeter on the dash?

Cheers, - JJG

"Smakutus Maximus" wrote in message news:KuYzj.318$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe06.lga...

Yes they could run a battery totally dead. And as I said in the last post if the battery froze more than likely it suffered internal damage, like plates shorted out, or busted, plates broken from the bus bar, the bus bar breaking, etc. A voltage regulator on occasion can go bad to where its telling the alt charge the battery, but doesn't disconnect so to speak when the key is turned off. On old mechanical voltage regulaters like you where first fimilair with,the contacts could stick together resulting in the same issue. Sometimes this condition will cause a high charge rate, like full fielding an alt, sometimes it doesn't. A diode is a check valve that allows current to flow one way but not another. Alternators need them because, unlike a generator, they produce alternating current, the diodes are arranged in such a manner to convert the alternating current to direct current. In some instances a diode goes bad and allows voltage to flow in reverse, which will run a battery dead over time sitting. Sometimes the charging is low when this happens, but not always. If you know there are no lights being left on, then it's time to get the charging system checked out. Under no circumstances disconnect the battery while the vehicle is running unless you desire to buy a new computer. If your going to have temps below 20 degrees, dont leave the battery in the vehicle untill you firgure this out. After about three times giving you a battery, I am going to take the old one, and give you your money back. For the most part its pretty hard to buy a bad battery today, there are only 2 companies making about 80% of the after market batteries sold in this country, one is Johnson Controls, the other is Excide Batteries.

Whitelightning

Thanks, I appreciate the time you took on this.

I'm pretty sure the place I got the battery also checks charging systems on the car. I have the battery out of the van now and on the charger so if it starts the thing, I'll run over there and have them check it out. I'm sure they'll have no problem selling me an alternator if that's what's fried.

If I get this figured out, I'll also post a reply with my fix so anyone searching for the same problem won't be left hanging.

Cheers, - JJG

OK, as promised here's an update but not a fix - yet.

I put in a new battery and it fired right up and drove about 200 miles over a couple days no problem. Lots of starting/stopping and always running with my headlights on. Everything seemed fine.

I let the van sit for 4 days and went to start it and it was dead. Not even a dome light or glovebox light dead. Put the battery on a 10A charger over night and put it back in the van. Dead.

Brought the alternator to the store and had it tested. Surprisingly, it tested like new. Full output, no drain, all tests A-OK. Brought the battery (one week old) to be tested and it tested bad. I got another new battery under warrantee, but I can't be running back to get new batteries every week.

So, if the alternator is not the problem and has been tested off the vehicle as good and the battery is now new (again) where should I be looking for problems if this one goes dead too? I've checked all over for things that might be draining it and have disconnected the remote door locks and even the radio to try to cut out the more obvious things that could drain a battery even though those things should NOT completely kill a battery in 4 days of sitting in my driveway.

The weird thing is that not only does the battery go dead, but 'killed dead' so it won't even take a charge. After an over night charge here, the last battery (one week old new battery that dies) would only hold

1.7v and would not take a charge. The digital battery tester at the store showed after a 1 hour charge, the battery could only put out about 80cca. Even drained really flat out dead, shouldn't a lead acid car battery be able to be recharged to full or near full capacity? Especially a new one?

Driving me nuts I tell ya.

Cheers, - JJ

If the charging system is working properly... Your problem isn't with the battery going dead from using the truck, your battery is going dead when you -don't- use the truck.

Did temperatures go below freezing during this 4 day span?

Tested like new is not a valid specification.

How many amps is that?

No parts store test bench has that capability.

I certainly hope you don't have to warranty a battery every week, this will drive up battery prices for the rest of us.

You should be putting an appropriately accurate amp meter in series between one of the battery terminals and the corresponding cable and measuring the key off draw.

Have you done any actual testing? i.e., using a DVOM?

Back in the 80s, GM cranked out huge numbers of ECMs that wouldn't go to sleep when the ignition was switched off, the draw on the battery from this malfunction is/was less than 150 milliamps, it always resulted in a dead battery after one overnight occurrence. For comparison, a plain garden variety #194 bulb as used in a side marker lamp or dash lamp draws 250 milliamps. You need to quantify the key off draw that is killing the battery and then you need to identify the circuit that is causing it.

A brand new battery that is allowed to freeze will be just as much junk as any other dead battery.

Irrelevant... what is causing the battery to be drained really flat out dead?

Because you don't have a clear diagnostic path to determine the problem.

"aarcuda69062" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@news.chi.sbcglobal.net...

The only way this thing is going to get fixed is if it goes to a reputable shop with decent test equipment and is tested there. I've yet to see a "bench" tester in a parts house I trust when it comes to alternators. If you got a good rebuilder maybe. It needs a load test while running, it needs the diodes checked at high rpm, and low rpm. It needs an amp probe on it with the key off to see what amount of drain it has with the key off and how much amperage when charging, and the Battery has to be fully charged when its done. The list of possible causes for a drain are as numerous as there are circuits on the vehicle. Alternator and regulator are one, and probably the most common. bad fuel pump relay (I've seen them stick and not shut the pump off when the engines turned off) dome lights, glove box lights, light under the hood.. Misadjusted brake light switch. Bad diode on the AC Compressor clutch(not all vehicles have them, diode usually in plug at clutch if it goes bad clutch stays engaged with ac off or key off contiuing to draw voltage to do so) Thing is with out knowing how much draw is on the system key off its hard to deduce where to look. The other aspect is IF there is a minor short somewhere, it could be come a major short which leads to things like smoked wiring harnesses, or bar-b-qued van, or a break down in timbuktu on one of those sub zero nights you've been going through.

Whitelightning