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...around 14.3 for the first reading and around 14.1 for the second reading. I believe that would mean the alternator is acting as it should in powering the battery?
Yes, alternator is working fine. I don't like the "smart charging" system. My wife's BMW uses similar algorithms as MB and I've had to charge her battery several times.
It appears from those readings that your charging system is working fine. You referenced the state of charge readings on your battery a few posts ago. Here is a SOC chart. You picked up readings in the 12.15-.20. Realize that this is a battery at 60% charge or less. 12.7 is full charge.
Let's hope that I can figure this battery thing out quickly. Will be nice if the battery is the problem with the warranty I have.
Forgot to mention this morning that when I checked it around 6am was at 11.8 which based on this chart is weird to have even allowed the car to crank. Wasn't much of a problem either, but like we've figured out, voltage reading from multimeter is just a small part of determining the solution.
Definitely, the battery is either on the way out again, or you do have some sort of parasitic drain going on that is depleting its state of charge. Identifying the cause of a parasitic drain is a real pain and involves pulling fuses. Let's hope it is simply another bad battery in which case you should go buy some lottery tickets since you keep winning the booby prize with batteries.
Definitely, the battery is either on the way out again, or you do have some sort of parasitic drain going on that is depleting its state of charge. Identifying the cause of a parasitic drain is a real pain and involves pulling fuses. Let's hope it is simply another bad battery in which case you should go buy some lottery tickets since you keep winning the booby prize with batteries.
You ain't kiddin. I need to look into that whole playing the lottery thing or maybe, I should become a Patriots fan with that luck.
Anyways, I tested the battery Friday night, and it was hovering around the 12.15-12.3 range depending on how long it had been since I got home and all. I trickle charged Friday night with a 12.9ish reading on Saturday morning. No issues. Drove 15 miles or so that morning. Got back home and let sit. Back at 12.2ish. Granted, I figured it would be back there just didn't know how long it would take. Seems this battery is slowly dying, and it's just a matter of time. The slow starts vary and there doesn't seem to be an exact time when it will or won't pull. My thought is that it's just weak and the whole leaving doors open for 5 minutes or anything will push it over the edge before it has to be jumped. Probably will take it this coming weekend as it wears out during the week. Don't want to keep doing this so maybe the third time will be a charm.
Yes, seems like the battery is the culprit. There could still be a small parasitic drain that is helping to suck the life out. You can test for a parasitic drain with a multimeter connected in line with the negative battery lead. Search on line for instructions for that if you want to see how it's done.
All modern cars require a battery in a good state of charge. When the voltage gets low all kinds of issues crop up on these cars. A good battery is one of the most important things you need today.
02-03-2017, 02:53 PM
