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Old 11-16-2018   #1
wutanec
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Placentia, CA
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Default Battery not Charging - Dead Alternator?

On the 35 mile commute to work (once every two weeks in the ZR1!), on the 10 mile mark, I noticed the volt meter is dropping gradually and eventually I had to pull off to the side and shut off the car because the battery was going flat and the lights and gauge cluster were flickering.

I had it towed to Corvette Mike here in Placentia, CA. They charged the battery and started her up again and viola! the car is running fine and battery is charging again? Carl at Corvette Mike had the car run for a while and it kept charging on without a problem. We could not figure out what is going on...

Would it be the alternator just acting up? Old Battery? (2014)
I am glad the car is running fine but then again, I am worried this might happen again and want to prevent this if I can. Should I just replace the alternator and the battery? or could this be some kind of other electrical gremlin?

Only thing I did different recently to the car is that I have installed a Haibeck chip about a two weeks ago. could this be related?

Last edited by wutanec; 11-16-2018 at 02:57 AM.
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Old 11-16-2018   #2
lfalzarano
 
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Default Re: Battery not Charging - Dead Alternator?

Since the battery is 4 years old, I would replace it also. Even a good alternator can’t save an old battery, especially in a warm/hot climate.


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Old 11-16-2018   #3
A26B
 
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Default Re: Battery not Charging - Dead Alternator?

Quote:
Originally Posted by lfalzarano View Post
Since the battery is 4 years old, I would replace it also. Even a good alternator can’t save an old battery, especially in a warm/hot climate.
I agree. Putting a new alternator on a bad battery can also damage the new alternator.
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Old 11-16-2018   #4
DRM500RUBYZR-1
 
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Default Re: Battery not Charging - Dead Alternator?

Sage advice above.
A four year old battery may be ok, but start with a new known good one.
A battery costs less than one hour of senior tech diagnostic time wasted checking out silly things that need to be ruled out.
Also make certain that your cable connections are all tight first. An alternator can make power, but if there is a loose cable that is moving around, nothing gets to the battery.
A new battery installed with tight connections is always the best place to start.
While alternators certainly can behave or misbehave intermittently, a four year old battery would still likely need replacing if the alternator has and continues to act up.
Keep us posted.
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Old 11-16-2018   #5
WVZR-1
 
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Default Re: Battery not Charging - Dead Alternator?

On this occasion you chose a 'for hire' service so I'd think a very reasonable approach would be to have the battery and charging system checked by a professional using 'carbon pile load' diagnostics. I don't believe you could declare a 4 year old battery 'dead/scrap' without proper checks and jumping to an assumption that alternator is also bad maybe foolish.

Have it confirmed. If you don't understand the diagnostics involved the 'for hire' could likely save you $$$.
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Old 11-16-2018   #6
G8nightman
 
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Default Re: Battery not Charging - Dead Alternator?

Did your batt light come on at all?
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Old 11-16-2018   #7
DRM500RUBYZR-1
 
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Default Re: Battery not Charging - Dead Alternator?

Quote:
Originally Posted by WVZR-1 View Post
On this occasion you chose a 'for hire' service so I'd think a very reasonable approach would be to have the battery and charging system checked by a professional using 'carbon pile load' diagnostics. I don't believe you could declare a 4 year old battery 'dead/scrap' without proper checks and jumping to an assumption that alternator is also bad maybe foolish.

Have it confirmed. If you don't understand the diagnostics involved the 'for hire' could likely save you $$$.


Like you, I also always advocate sophisticated testing of a battery such as load testing over time with good equipment.


However, he has likely already paid a shop to do some level of diagnostics (I would hope) on his battery before charging it, which resulted in no diagnosis. Not an unusual outcome.
Shop Labor rates are $100 plus per hour, and may or may not be conclusive, leaving you $100.00 lighter.
Buying a $100.00 battery and installing it correctly at least leaves you with a new battery if nothing else.
With a four year old battery not a terrible waste given it is already post "for hire".
Keep the new battery on a battery tender, and you have eliminated the most common of causes.
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Old 11-16-2018   #8
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Default Re: Battery not Charging - Dead Alternator?

Any Autozone or O’Reilly auto parts store will check the battery and alternator for free. The test noted above, known as a battery capacity test, will ferret out a bad or weak sulfated battery. Alternators can be intermittent. I just did one on a friends Toyota truck that would charge intermittently and finally quit after about 2 weeks. Keep in mind unless the alternator can be seen going off and on or shows low output it will show as “good” when tested. That said, have them tested and go from there.
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Old 11-19-2018   #9
Paul Workman
 
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Default Re: Battery not Charging - Dead Alternator?

A good "RULE(s) OF THUMB" is:

A
  • ANY voltage reading above 12.6 when the alternator is spinning (motor idling normally), rest assured the alternator IS CHARGING.
  • Typically, after motor starts, with the headlights OFF, the charge voltage is 14.7± .1. But, after fully charged and/or the motor and under-hood temps normalize, the regulator drops it back to ~ 13.8 ±
  • After 10 sec (carbon pile) load test, a good, fully charged battery should read no less than 9 volts UNDER TEST.
  • Automotive lead-acid batteries consist of 6 internal cells, each producing ~ 2.1 volts each for a total of 12.6. If a "charged" battery is allowed to rest and reads 10.5 volts, it indicates s probable dead cell and must be replaced.
  • Without periodic charging, the acid will combine with the lead plates forming lead sulfate. The sulfate crystals form a sheet covering the lead plates with an insulating film*. This film reduces the active surface area of the plates, decreasing the battery capacity to produce power (most evident when the starter is attempting to spin the motor).

*Installing an auxiliary battery terminal switch only eliminates external battery drain. However, the forming of sulfate drains the battery internally. True, cold temperatures slows any chemical reactions down, i.e. winter months. However, sulfate production can be checked by periodic charging e.g., daily/weekly driving or using a batter tender/charger when the car/battery is in (winter) storage.


Christmas is coming. And for the man who has "everything" or must have the right tool for the right job, a battery load tester from AutoZone makes a good suggestion. It makes diagnosing battery and alternator condition a lot faster and easier - eliminates (most all) battery/alternator guesswork.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Load Tester - Duralast.jpg (195.4 KB, 30 views)
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Last edited by Paul Workman; 11-19-2018 at 11:29 AM.
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Old 11-19-2018   #10
Dynomite
 
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Default Re: Battery not Charging - Dead Alternator?

Here we go again...….I posted up that if the LT5 fires up the next day or two or a week later after a full charge (not having been discharged by a nonoperational alternator), then focus on the Alternator which can show up as an intermittent problem when it is Going South. Everyone then posted Battery Battery Battery.

Well...….I run on batteries until they will not hold a charge for a few days such that the starting voltage will not turn the engine over to a start condition (depending on the season also....Temperatures). Simple.....and I use a Battery Disconnect switch on all vehicles Disconnecting the battery for two days.....a week.....several months with NO ISSUES on restarting. I loose radio favorites


I would much rather focus on the Alternator if the battery starts the car a day or two later than the battery simply because if the alternator goes out, you are stuck draining an otherwise good battery to death even as you are driving and then you are dead in the water not even being able to push start.


I have a battery now in a Toyota that needs help starting the car when it is 10 deg but starts the car fine at higher temperatures. And once the car is warmed up a minute that battery functions normally all day long. I just put a charger on the battery below 10 deg for a minute or two and start the car with charger connected. No issues.....will get several more months of use out of that battery I am sure (that battery which is 4-5 years old needed a charge after sitting for several months disconnected but functions great once recharged)

BATTERY AND CHARGING
Battery poll
Alternator Replacement without Pulling Plenum TIPS
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Replacing Battery Cable Bolts
Replacing An Alternator
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Last edited by Dynomite; 11-19-2018 at 11:06 PM.
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