killed an old battery????

lutzTD · #1 05-31-2011, 08:46 AM

Went to get the Mustang out this weekend. The battery was low so I started the car with the charge/booster. went to the gas station and filled it up and drove it back home. it started fine at the station and when I moved it after washing it down. I put it on 2 amp slow charge over night so it would be good in the morning for the show. went to start it, the battery was dead. will a 2 amp slow charger kill an old battery? I bleive the battery is at least 4-5 years old so I am not too surprised, just wondering if its normal or if I need to question my slow charger machine functionality

BobK · #2 05-31-2011, 09:09 AM

No, sounds like there was some drain on the battery overnight. You will need to put an ammeter in series with the battery and see if there is any current draw with key off. May well be the battery is simply toast.

G-Benz · #3 05-31-2011, 10:25 AM

Battery age killed it, not the charger. Batteries subject to hot weather abuse are usually good for 3+ years, after that, it's plain luck.

Had to replace the battery on my daughter's Mustang last year, and prior to replacement, the trickle charger did little to keep the battery on a full charge.

lutzTD · #4 05-31-2011, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobK

No, sounds like there was some drain on the battery overnight. You will need to put an ammeter in series with the battery and see if there is any current draw with key off. May well be the battery is simply toast.

I dont think there was a drain but I can check. the car sat for almost a year and the battery still had half charge, then I put 2 amp charge overnight and it died. I would think even with a drain the charger would keep it from just going dead. anyway, I kindof knew the 4-5 years was pushing it. I took cables with me, had a good time at the show then just had my buddy give me a jump to get home.

MTI · #5 05-31-2011, 10:46 AM

The more often that a battery fully discharged will reduce the number of times it can be recharged.

Mr.Kenny · #6 06-01-2011, 12:25 PM

The battery may have broke/cracked a plate on the inside....check the voltage.

A battery can be perfectly fine one day and the next day dead, gone, kaput; won't take a charge..... nothing. It cracked inside.

panZZer · #7 06-01-2011, 01:21 PM

it happens in the fall when tempatures drop suddenly--thats when they will leave you stranded.

compress ignite · #8 06-01-2011, 06:38 PM

Before all your 12 Volt entertainments?

(Two New words for Research,Specific Gravity)

aklim · #9 06-01-2011, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lutzTD

Went to get the Mustang out this weekend. The battery was low so I started the car with the charge/booster. went to the gas station and filled it up and drove it back home. it started fine at the station and when I moved it after washing it down. I put it on 2 amp slow charge over night so it would be good in the morning for the show. went to start it, the battery was dead. will a 2 amp slow charger kill an old battery? I bleive the battery is at least 4-5 years old so I am not too surprised, just wondering if its normal or if I need to question my slow charger machine functionality

Unless you get the polarity reversed, I don't see how.

If you wanna feel good about it, get an ammeter to your slow charger and see that it is putting out the correct voltage and amperage.

lutzTD · #10 06-02-2011, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by compress ignite

Before all your 12 Volt entertainments?

(Two New words for Research,Specific Gravity)

its a sealed battery, but I could smell battery vapors in the morning after the charge.

lutzTD · #11 06-02-2011, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Unless you get the polarity reversed, I don't see how.

If you wanna feel good about it, get an ammeter to your slow charger and see that it is putting out the correct voltage and amperage.

I will try this, not sure if the battery will still allow flow

aklim · #12 06-02-2011, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lutzTD

I will try this, not sure if the battery will still allow flow

Talking about the charger itself. Test it to make sure it is not doing weird things

lutzTD · #13 06-02-2011, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Talking about the charger itself. Test it to make sure it is not doing weird things

got it, Im a ME, but I was thinking if the battery was bad then it might now allow current to flow so I wasnt sure if I could get a measurement.

aklim · #14 06-02-2011, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lutzTD

got it, Im a ME, but I was thinking if the battery was bad then it might now allow current to flow so I wasnt sure if I could get a measurement.

Sometimes these chargers get a little out of whack so before I do blame the battery, I will want to make sure of what the charger is doing. Take the cell phone chargers for instance. I used to kill a few batteries before I found out the car charger was killing it.