draining battery...

[JLX 1993]

I've replaced alternator, what's causing my battery to drain in like a day or two? Weather is cold, about -20-35 depending on the weather. While installing new alternator, we forgot to unhook battery and had blown one 60amp fuse... Do I need a new battery? How can I test the alternator if it's alright? Please help... thanks.

[Shconer]

Above 1000RPM the voltage should be around 14.4 volts. When the car is off it should be around 12.2 volts. Make sure the battery terminals are clean and corrosion free. If the battery was dead and then frozen it will be grabage.

[JLX 1993]

I'm new to fixing electrical, what kind of tester do I use? Thanks. How cold is too cold for batteries? Do I need to order specific for Sidekick or are there universal battery warmers? Thanks again.

[Shconer]

Any multimeter should do. I dont know much about battery warmers but as long as a battery has a good charge it shouldn't freeze. It was below -20 here a couple of weeks ago and I had no problems.

[splash]

if u have any doubts about the battery, go to your local sparky. they will tell u right a way. failing that. if u have the use of a multi meter. with the car running the voltage between the 2 posts on the battery should be about 13.5 volts. to test that drain. turn the car off and close the doors. take the negtave terminal off the battery and using a amp meter accros the battery post and the terminal. it should be drawing no more that .03 A.\

hope this helps

[JLX 1993]

Thanks for the replies. I'll have to admit, I'm new to this, gotta start somewhere... I'll gets hands ona multi-tester... splash; what do you mean by battery post and the terminal? is that the - + terminals? thanks.

[Shconer]

He means the post on the battery and the thing that slips over the post tightens onto it is the terminal.

[Sheermadnesskick]

He means put one test lead from the multi-meter on the neg post of the battrery and one test lead on the neg cable (once you have removed the neg cable from the neg post on the battery). This will measure the draw on the battery, and as he said it should read no more than 0.03 A. Be sure doors are shut and key is off when checking for a draw. -Ed

[Shconer]

Actually you'll want to remove the positive terminal to measure the draw.

[jtgh]

Default
actually its Kerchoffs law of series circuits, "the same"
"Kirchoff's laws. First, the current in a series circuit is the same throughout the circuit."
LAB 3
so either post will produce the same number.
but removing the NEG lead is safer.
how to measure Ghost Currents: (start on high amps and work low!)


Back to Batteries and Charging:

battery is 38 amp/hr battery , any 38 or larger will work so long is it fits and doesnt hit
hood ,which is easy to do on kick (boom battery explodes)
that 38 could be higher if 4 doors, or what every you are driving , you didnt say.



your alternator spec:
55amps
will have a high charge voltage at lower temperatures (sitting and not hot)
14.5 up to 15.3vdc (fsm) (2000 rpm test point)
your battery will have only 50% capacity at that -25C ambient temperture.

any cheap volt meter will work. even the real cheap needle kind.

IS YOUR DASH CHARGE LIGHT ON WHILE RUNNING? Symbol of a battery.

next we have that pesky battery,
the voltage of any lead acid battery will tell you the state of charge at rest, engine
not running , chargers removed and resting for 4 hours.
that magic voltage is :
12.65v for lead acid plain jane all numbers below are 100% State of Charge.
12.80v for a calcium lead acid "freedom battery"
those two numbers are at room temp.
for you they are:
12.5v at -18C Jane
12.66v " " freedom <<<< this should be your car. magic number.

any charged battery that reads below 12v has a shorted cell, chuck it.

with these numbers you have everything you need to diagnose your charge circuit
down to almost -20C.

Meters: any autostore, Ace hardware, Harbor Freight(no Canada) $2.00 or radio shack.
they go for $15 max at many places and every mech should have one.

get a battery warmer and a block heater.

the trick on Kicks is a LOW + Fat, low height battery in cold climates.