1. Home
  2. Land Rover 4WD vehicles
  3. could a bad battery test out ok?

could a bad battery test out ok?

I thought I had my electrical problem figured out. I needed a new ignition cylinder because my old one was broken and wouldn't turn off all the way causing the battery to drain if my D1 wasn't used for a few days. It got worse to the point where it would lose just enough charge during work that I'd have to jump it and I was having to constantly re-charge it with a charger I bought. I stopped charging it before I went to bed because it would lose it by the next morning. I finally got around to changing the lock cylinder on Wednesday and thought that was it. Charged the battery and left it alone the rest of the day. I try to start the car the next afternoon and the battery has enough power to strongly release the door locks and the dash lights looked bright, but it just didn't have enough power to start the car. I threw a jump starter on it and it started up without hesitation. It did start ok this morning but I had charged again 8 hours earlier before I went to sleep. After work was over the car wouldn't start again just not having quite enough juice in the battery to start. It's a duralast gold so I took it to Autozone after a 30 min. drive from work (didn't turn anything on during the drive). They had to completely recharge it just to test it and it tested good. I tested it a month ago and that time they had to recharge it to test it and it was ok. The alternator was replaced last year with OEM and LR and my mechanic both said it was ok and there are no large power draws. The only thing that is on when the truck is off is the clock and the light around the ignition key hole. The only thing I have left to try is unplugging the stereo amp and not running the stereo and seeing what happens. I'm convinced it's the battery but Autozone won't exchange it unless it tests bad and I may just bite the bullet and get a new one from Costco. Is it possible the battery isn't able to hold enough charge but still test ok? Thanks for your input.

Reply to
eric
Loading thread data ...

A battery will hold a charge for many a week, not lose it overnight. Does the battery lose its charge whilst standing out of the vehicle and no drain?, if so it's definately faulty, otherwise i'd be looking over the electrics in a serious way if it loses charge overnight. The easy way to check if there is a drain is to use a multimeter to check the current draw in the vehicle with everything switched off, this way you will know if something is killing the battery.

Wolfie

Reply to
lifeis

You say tested has the battery been load tested if there is a fault this will show it up rather than less agressive testing hydrometer voltage etc see

formatting link
if that checks out as Wolfie says its time to get out the multimeter, note the radio and clock will give a very small reading, probably easiest to pull off a battery lead and check the current passing between the lead and the battery.Derek

Reply to
Derek

I I tested it a month ago

The

and suffer from many faults not just one.

I think what you have here is called self discharge. Its caused by some s**te in the bottom of the battery causing a bridge ( partial short) and running the battery down whilst its left stood. Its a common problem .

So it tests OK when its charged........well it would do wouldnt it ... test OK when its full. Your problem isn 't voltage drop under heavy load with a fully charged battery. The problem is that it wont "stay full" will it. It's a bit like a man with a leaky water tank going to the plumbers and saying

"Cant get no water out of the tank"

"Yeah mate we've filled it up now and theres gallons of water in it. Look I'll put this bucket in and it comes out Full. Nah you cant have a new one , must be a problem wiv yer pipes innit."

The problem being that by the time you get the tank home all the water has leaked out of the tank through a little hole .

I think we will see more and more of this "The machine says its OK so it must be ".

I'd go along and say you want a new battery that youve been to an Auto electrical place and they have told you that its suffering from self discharge and can you see the manager please and if they dont give you a new one you will sue them in the small claims court Al G ( RL driver is out having a rest)

Reply to
Al Gorithm

When you pull off the battery lead to test for current drain, leave it off overnight or until the next time you use the vehicle and if it won't start then it means the battery is not holding charge and is knackered. Try this for a few days. Don't forget to check charging voltage/current to make sure it actually is charged.

Martin

Reply to
Oily

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.