Dead Battery?

[italiastar]

My neighbour called for help today - a dead battery on his W-reg Alhambra 1.9 tdi. This had occurred to him before, earlier this year when his children left the interior light on and on the car ferry in the summer when he left his electric cool box running. This morning it was the cold night - first of the season. Even a jump-start from my other neighbours taxi wouldn't budge it.

 

I looked at the battery - electrolyte was below the plates and the reading was 11.5 volts as opposed to 12.5 on my car, but as this was voltage, it didn't really give me any idea of the car's ability to start. There was also signed of a light white deposit on the sound deadening above the battery. I suggested a top-up and overnight charge in his garage, which is normally used to house bikes etc.

 

He called the AA who jump-started it without a problem - the AA man checked the battery and said it appeared OK - there was no drain causing the problem and the alternator charge was OK - he recommended a local auto spares shop.

 

The local auto-spare shop checked the battery and said it was OK apart from the top-up which they carried out - it took nearly half a gallon of water!! to cover the plates. They said that it did have a slight bulge, but it should still be OK - at least they weren

[seatkid]

Sounds just like what happened to me. I initially blamed the garage for not checking the electrolyte (which they don't) but in hindsight I think its probable that one cell started failing (hence the low voltage) and this leads to all the other cells being "cooked". Be prepared for sudden total failure when this dodgy cell eventually dies which in my case occurred just a few days later. BTW "sealed" car batteries don't have gel, they are still liquid, calcium technology batteries should be maintenance free....

[Masked Marauder]

Yes, my money is on failing elecrolyte, not just needing topped up.

 

When a battery goes totaly flat over a slow drain (like a light left on) the sulfer (S) in the elecrolyte (H2SO4) becomes detached from it's oxide and attaches it's self to the metal plates of the battery. This causes the acidity level of the battery to fall.

 

Acid, as you may know, works better when heated and conversly, worse when cold. So exhausted acid in a car battery makes a cold morning start failure.

[Andrew T]

Even a jump-start from my other neighbours taxi wouldn't budge it.

 

Is the Galaxy known to be tricky to jump-start ? Even with a thick pair of jump leads my Galaxy wasn't turning over quickly enough to start. In the end I installed the seven year old old battery off my Honda (which is about two-thirds of the size of the one on the Galaxy) and it started instantly. I then drove to the top of the hill and put the dead battery back on and the Galaxy bump started first go. Is there some trick I've missed ? :rolleyes:

[Masked Marauder]

Did you give it a couple of minutes with the leads connected before you tried to start it? Were the leads connected properly?

[Andrew T]

Yes, gave it over 5 minutes with the engine revving at 2500rpm, the Galaxy was certainly getting a charge because it went from being as dead as a Do-Do to being able to crank, but not fire up. But the second I started it with the Honda battery fitted it fired. I trickle charged it overnight and it showed 12.54 Volts this morning, now that I've found a battery to go in my multimeter.

BTW, It was also making strange sucking noises from somewhere behind the CC panrel. :rolleyes:

[seatkid]

I would say your battery's knacked - cell failure - should have over 14 volts when charging and almost full.

[Guest Andy]

totally agree new battery....

:rolleyes: :unsure: :blink: :(