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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