I'm Killing Batteries (1 Viewer)

[ElPolloBlanco]

I'm having batter issues. I had a long story but who what's to read that shhhh. So I had a "Lexus" battery when I got the rig. Not sure how old it was, but my rig sat for a while because of reasons. The battery died, Wouldn't even take a charge to jump start from my GX. I went and got a Optima Yellow Top 27F. Put it in. Truck works again. It sits some more. I go to get it ready for some Monstaliner at a body shop. Won't start. Won't Jump. Nothing.

I take the battery in and get it tested and it's bad. Get a warranty replacement. All is good. Or so I think.

I had it at a body shop for a while (3ish months). Guy at the shop calls and is like, hey your cruiser has a draw on the battery. It was in the shop for a week and the battery died.

He put it on the tender and left it like that while he had it. I get it back today and I get home with it. I'm excited cause it's been gone and it looks great, blah blah blah. I park it in the street. I go out later after my wife moved her car out of the driveway and it won't start. We're talking maybe an hour. I so jump start it. Let it run and top off the battery. I test it as soon as I shut it off and it's at 12.3v.

I then start checking for a draw, but it test at around 22 milliamps. Thinking maybe I don't know what I'm doing I force a draw by turning on the dome lights and I get about 150 milliamps. So yeah no real draw. I reset every single fuse in the dash and in the engine just to make sure.

I then wait. In three hours the battery dropped to 8v. I just dropped it off for a test. It was at 6.4v after about 4-5 hours of sitting, not connected to anything. It got warm too. Not hot, just warm. Also while dropping it off I noticed the top is indented above the cells.

So all of this to say, What the heck is going on? Should I not use the yellowtop and switch to a red top? I have a second blue top to install soon for house loads and other stuff. Am I missing a draw? I'm at a loss here.

 

[george_tlc]

In general Optima batteries suck. 12.3V at shutoff *assuming* your alternator is actually charging/working, indicates a stuffed battery.

Find a costco and buy a battery there. Then measure your current draw while sitting, measure at different times and keep an eye on the voltage. Check battery voltage while engine running at a fast idle, should be 14V or more or your alternator needs servicing.

cheers,
george.

 

[ElPolloBlanco]

In general Optima batteries suck. 12.3V at shutoff *assuming* your alternator is actually charging/working, indicates a stuffed battery.

Find a costco and buy a battery there. Then measure your current draw while sitting, measure at different times and keep an eye on the voltage. Check battery voltage while engine running at a fast idle, should be 14V or more or your alternator needs servicing.

cheers,
george.

I think I might do that instead of getting the warranty replacement.

 

[Rifleman]

One of the items you might check, for your low amp draw, is that lighted ring around you starter switch on your dash. It seems there's a timer that controls how long that light ring stays on, a part in that timer goes bad, causing the light to stay on all the time. That can cause a low amp draw on your battery.
Repairing the Room Lamp Control Module aka Ignition Key Cylinder Light Relay

 

[george_tlc]

^ if the ring is lit...

Ignition dimming relay

though the OP's 22mA would only contribute 0.022 * 24 * 30 = 16AH after 1 month, hardly an issue for a healthy battery.

cheers,
george.

 

[Rifleman]

George, I'm sure your right on the amount of amp draw, but his problem may be a combination of parts. So i was offering this up, as one more item to check, to be sure it's not contributing to his problems.