Battery

[Bob Chadwick]

Lately the volt meter in my car is alway running right at the top of the normal range. Even after I have put a trickle charge on the battery topping it off. As I recall, the voltmeter used to run just to the right of the middle after running the car for a while.

Yesterday I went out to start the car. The battery was almost dead. I don't think there is a discharge.

Does this sound like a bad battery? Perhaps a bad cell?

 

[Yoda]

Hey Bob,

Sounds like it could possibly be the battery.. My suggestion would be to take the battery out and down to a local parts house and have them do a load check on it this would confirm good or bad battery

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Thanks for the advise Bud. Whoever said "time is on my side" wasn't living in 2004. :L

 

[bossvette]

I have had to replace the battery about every other year in mine, the electronics will not work unless the battery is over 12.5 Volts. The few months it sits over the winter seem to wear them down, my wifes car that is driven all year around the batterys last longer. I believe the more you use them the better it is for them.

Have the battery tested like Bud said and replace if needed. Clean the clamps before reinstalling and check your ground strap.

 

[mike weyman]

take the battery out for the winter and bring it in the house where it will get no frost.about every 3 weeks put it on a trickle charge for a while. this will make the battery last for years. mike

 

[82ColEd]

I hooked mine up to a maintenance/trickle charger type, so whenever i come home, she get's plugged in. The cables are screwed right onto the battery posts and have a short cable to plug into the other side that connects to the house outlet.. No more dead batteries holding me back from going on a trip. The only issue could be that you miss an alternator going bad (Happened to me), unless you actually need it..