Battery situation
 

I attempted to go out in the Jeep to my dad's birthday dinner the other
night but when I tried to start it I got nary a groan... just click, click
from this 4 year old battery.

I was able to get a ride and after the all important cake and ice cream I
took a look at the beast about 8 PM.

The specific gravity was pretty low on the first two cells and the next 4
read DOA.

My charger decided to die at that point and I ran next door to borrow Ed's 6
amp unit.

At 2 AM (6 hours of charging) I had 2 cells about half charged, 1 about a
quarter, and 3 DOA.

At 6 PM (22 hours charging I had 5 cells at 100% and the 6th at 75%.

It sat all day yesterday.

I was ready to buy a new battery tonight but for some reason I asked the
counter guy to run a test on it. The 'eye' showed green (battery charged)
and he started the 50% load (325 amps). Battery voltage stayed in the green
the whole time. Start the engine..... alternator charging to spec, voltage
correct, battery passed.

So what happened?

The parts man suggested that perhaps I left a light on. There were not
lights on at that moment but did I turn it off without thinking some time
when I was working on it and now don't recall it?

Any ideas?

Re: Battery situation
 

billy ray wrote:

> So what happened?
>
> The parts man suggested that perhaps I left a light on. There were not
> lights on at that moment but did I turn it off without thinking some time
> when I was working on it and now don't recall it?

Last time this happened to me, I had left one of the interior lights on
-- pretty tricky to notice, since they all turn on when you enter the
car anyway. Had already bought a new battery, which I then returned --
the old one is still in the car today (2 years later).

Re: Battery situation
 

billy ray wrote:

> So what happened?
>
> The parts man suggested that perhaps I left a light on. There were not
> lights on at that moment but did I turn it off without thinking some time
> when I was working on it and now don't recall it?

Last time this happened to me, I had left one of the interior lights on
-- pretty tricky to notice, since they all turn on when you enter the
car anyway. Had already bought a new battery, which I then returned --
the old one is still in the car today (2 years later).

Re: Battery situation
 

billy ray wrote:

> So what happened?
>
> The parts man suggested that perhaps I left a light on. There were not
> lights on at that moment but did I turn it off without thinking some time
> when I was working on it and now don't recall it?

Last time this happened to me, I had left one of the interior lights on
-- pretty tricky to notice, since they all turn on when you enter the
car anyway. Had already bought a new battery, which I then returned --
the old one is still in the car today (2 years later).

Re: Battery situation
 

billy ray wrote:

> So what happened?
>
> The parts man suggested that perhaps I left a light on. There were not
> lights on at that moment but did I turn it off without thinking some time
> when I was working on it and now don't recall it?

Last time this happened to me, I had left one of the interior lights on
-- pretty tricky to notice, since they all turn on when you enter the
car anyway. Had already bought a new battery, which I then returned --
the old one is still in the car today (2 years later).

Re: Battery situation
 

billy ray proclaimed:

> I attempted to go out in the Jeep to my dad's birthday dinner the other
> night but when I tried to start it I got nary a groan... just click, click
> from this 4 year old battery.
>
> I was able to get a ride and after the all important cake and ice cream I
> took a look at the beast about 8 PM.
>
> The specific gravity was pretty low on the first two cells and the next 4
> read DOA.
>
> My charger decided to die at that point and I ran next door to borrow Ed's 6
> amp unit.
>
> At 2 AM (6 hours of charging) I had 2 cells about half charged, 1 about a
> quarter, and 3 DOA.
>
> At 6 PM (22 hours charging I had 5 cells at 100% and the 6th at 75%.
>
> It sat all day yesterday.
>
> I was ready to buy a new battery tonight but for some reason I asked the
> counter guy to run a test on it. The 'eye' showed green (battery charged)
> and he started the 50% load (325 amps). Battery voltage stayed in the green
> the whole time. Start the engine..... alternator charging to spec, voltage
> correct, battery passed.
>
> So what happened?
>
> The parts man suggested that perhaps I left a light on. There were not
> lights on at that moment but did I turn it off without thinking some time
> when I was working on it and now don't recall it?
>
> Any ideas?

At 4 years, I'd replace the battery. Diehard SUV or Optima Red. Both
cheaper than about 1 hour of your time screwing around with it.

Re: Battery situation
 

billy ray proclaimed:

> I attempted to go out in the Jeep to my dad's birthday dinner the other
> night but when I tried to start it I got nary a groan... just click, click
> from this 4 year old battery.
>
> I was able to get a ride and after the all important cake and ice cream I
> took a look at the beast about 8 PM.
>
> The specific gravity was pretty low on the first two cells and the next 4
> read DOA.
>
> My charger decided to die at that point and I ran next door to borrow Ed's 6
> amp unit.
>
> At 2 AM (6 hours of charging) I had 2 cells about half charged, 1 about a
> quarter, and 3 DOA.
>
> At 6 PM (22 hours charging I had 5 cells at 100% and the 6th at 75%.
>
> It sat all day yesterday.
>
> I was ready to buy a new battery tonight but for some reason I asked the
> counter guy to run a test on it. The 'eye' showed green (battery charged)
> and he started the 50% load (325 amps). Battery voltage stayed in the green
> the whole time. Start the engine..... alternator charging to spec, voltage
> correct, battery passed.
>
> So what happened?
>
> The parts man suggested that perhaps I left a light on. There were not
> lights on at that moment but did I turn it off without thinking some time
> when I was working on it and now don't recall it?
>
> Any ideas?

At 4 years, I'd replace the battery. Diehard SUV or Optima Red. Both
cheaper than about 1 hour of your time screwing around with it.

Re: Battery situation
 

billy ray proclaimed:

> I attempted to go out in the Jeep to my dad's birthday dinner the other
> night but when I tried to start it I got nary a groan... just click, click
> from this 4 year old battery.
>
> I was able to get a ride and after the all important cake and ice cream I
> took a look at the beast about 8 PM.
>
> The specific gravity was pretty low on the first two cells and the next 4
> read DOA.
>
> My charger decided to die at that point and I ran next door to borrow Ed's 6
> amp unit.
>
> At 2 AM (6 hours of charging) I had 2 cells about half charged, 1 about a
> quarter, and 3 DOA.
>
> At 6 PM (22 hours charging I had 5 cells at 100% and the 6th at 75%.
>
> It sat all day yesterday.
>
> I was ready to buy a new battery tonight but for some reason I asked the
> counter guy to run a test on it. The 'eye' showed green (battery charged)
> and he started the 50% load (325 amps). Battery voltage stayed in the green
> the whole time. Start the engine..... alternator charging to spec, voltage
> correct, battery passed.
>
> So what happened?
>
> The parts man suggested that perhaps I left a light on. There were not
> lights on at that moment but did I turn it off without thinking some time
> when I was working on it and now don't recall it?
>
> Any ideas?

At 4 years, I'd replace the battery. Diehard SUV or Optima Red. Both
cheaper than about 1 hour of your time screwing around with it.

Re: Battery situation
 

billy ray proclaimed:

> I attempted to go out in the Jeep to my dad's birthday dinner the other
> night but when I tried to start it I got nary a groan... just click, click
> from this 4 year old battery.
>
> I was able to get a ride and after the all important cake and ice cream I
> took a look at the beast about 8 PM.
>
> The specific gravity was pretty low on the first two cells and the next 4
> read DOA.
>
> My charger decided to die at that point and I ran next door to borrow Ed's 6
> amp unit.
>
> At 2 AM (6 hours of charging) I had 2 cells about half charged, 1 about a
> quarter, and 3 DOA.
>
> At 6 PM (22 hours charging I had 5 cells at 100% and the 6th at 75%.
>
> It sat all day yesterday.
>
> I was ready to buy a new battery tonight but for some reason I asked the
> counter guy to run a test on it. The 'eye' showed green (battery charged)
> and he started the 50% load (325 amps). Battery voltage stayed in the green
> the whole time. Start the engine..... alternator charging to spec, voltage
> correct, battery passed.
>
> So what happened?
>
> The parts man suggested that perhaps I left a light on. There were not
> lights on at that moment but did I turn it off without thinking some time
> when I was working on it and now don't recall it?
>
> Any ideas?

At 4 years, I'd replace the battery. Diehard SUV or Optima Red. Both
cheaper than about 1 hour of your time screwing around with it.

Re: Battery situation
 

I'm still considering replacement but not from Sears. Diehard batteries
ranked 9th and 11th out of 11 in the Group 65 size in the November 2005
Consumer's Report.


"Lon" <lon.stowell@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:TrmdnX_4SLK9yGvZnZ2dnUVZ_tednZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> billy ray proclaimed:
>
>> I attempted to go out in the Jeep to my dad's birthday dinner the other
>> night but when I tried to start it I got nary a groan... just click,
>> click from this 4 year old battery.
>>
>> I was able to get a ride and after the all important cake and ice cream I
>> took a look at the beast about 8 PM.
>>
>> The specific gravity was pretty low on the first two cells and the next 4
>> read DOA.
>>
>> My charger decided to die at that point and I ran next door to borrow
>> Ed's 6 amp unit.
>>
>> At 2 AM (6 hours of charging) I had 2 cells about half charged, 1 about
>> a quarter, and 3 DOA.
>>
>> At 6 PM (22 hours charging I had 5 cells at 100% and the 6th at 75%.
>>
>> It sat all day yesterday.
>>
>> I was ready to buy a new battery tonight but for some reason I asked the
>> counter guy to run a test on it. The 'eye' showed green (battery
>> charged) and he started the 50% load (325 amps). Battery voltage stayed
>> in the green the whole time. Start the engine..... alternator charging
>> to spec, voltage correct, battery passed.
>>
>> So what happened?
>>
>> The parts man suggested that perhaps I left a light on. There were not
>> lights on at that moment but did I turn it off without thinking some
>> time when I was working on it and now don't recall it?
>>
>> Any ideas?
>
> At 4 years, I'd replace the battery. Diehard SUV or Optima Red. Both
> cheaper than about 1 hour of your time screwing around with it.
>
>
>