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BAttery going flat

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  • 08-02-2006 11:01am
    #1
    tigerman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23 ✭


    Hi i have a car and the battery goes flat if not used for 3-4 days, what could be wrong


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    #2
    Judean Reg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 50 ✭✭Judean Reg


    Either your battery is gone in which case you'll need a new one (around 70 euro should see you right) or your alternator (device that charges the battery) is on the blink and will need replacing (a little more costly). Bring your car into a garage and they can check your battery cells for you.


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    #3
    Mr Magnolia
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,433 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr Magnolia


    tigerman wrote:
    what could be wrong

    Battery could be fooked, go to a garage and get it checked....


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    #4
    css
    Closed Accounts Posts: 387 ✭✭css


    90% it's battery..

    If you have a voltmeter you can check if your alternator is working by doing the following:

    1. check the voltage across the battery terminals with the engine off. It should be in the region of 12V DC.

    2. Turn on the engine, and check the voltage again across the battery terminals. If it is approximately 13-14V then your alternator is fine, replace the battery. If it stays the same as when the engine was off, get your alternator looked at.

    If none of the above makes any sense at all, go to a garage!


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    #5
    BrianD3
    Registered Users Posts: 8,393 ✭✭✭BrianD3


    How old is the battery. Many cars will need a new battery after about 5 years. And batteries rarely last more than 8-10 years.


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    #6
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,711 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    I agree with the above, either battery (storage) is weak, or alternator (charger) isn't working well enough, or an electrical drain is weakening the system.


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    #7
    Interceptor
    Registered Users Posts: 3,180 ✭✭✭Interceptor


    The battery is w4nked. Thread locked.

    'cptr


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    #8
    Alfasudcrazy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    To test if its an electrical drain - disconnect the battery after coming back home after driving it. If you leave it a few days and the battery is fine whe you start it again its an electrical drain - if not its either the battery or the alternator.


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    #9
    AMurphy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,237 ✭✭✭AMurphy


    css wrote:
    90% it's battery..

    If you have a voltmeter you can check if your alternator is working by doing the following:

    1. check the voltage across the battery terminals with the engine off. It should be in the region of 12V DC.

    2. Turn on the engine, and check the voltage again across the battery terminals. If it is approximately 13-14V then your alternator is fine, replace the battery. If it stays the same as when the engine was off, get your alternator looked at.

    If none of the above makes any sense at all, go to a garage!

    3: in addition to above and if all is ok in the Battery/charging dept. Check for a drain. Typical drain items are glove box lights, under hood lights, boot lid ights, which have a faulty switch and remain on even when the lits are closed, (so you cannot detect the drain).
    Faulty alarms are another subtle drain.

    Another quick check. if you remove the cell lids from teh battery and have someone else start it from cold. look for a cell with lots of bubbles forming when the current draw comes on. This indicates a faulty cell.
    keep away from the bubbling while viewing, acid floats up with them and is not very nice.

    Also, check the water is at the correct level. Dry cells cannot be charged.
    The correct level is about 1/2 the gap between the top of the plates and the bottomside of the lid. ie leave room for expansion and gas excape without pushing out liquid.


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