car battery

gigy · 7th July 2006, 11:20

hi.
my car battery going below 9v while trying start and had to jump start twice, ocv shows 11-12v, its three year old. even while car is running in mumbai traffic voltage drops to 12.5 when ac compressor cuts in and 13.8 when it cuts off.
can anyone tell if my alternator is going to die?
normal after start it shows 14v.
can i install larger capacity battery. i took a amaron hilife pro 55b24ls yesterday for 4k.
its a baleno

autozealot · 7th July 2006, 11:27

Why dont you get your alternator checked and serviced if needed by a good electrician in any of the service centres! Have you ever done that before? If not, than please do.

az

gigy · 7th July 2006, 11:36

the amaron pitstop guy checked alternator and said its ok. he said one cell of my old battery has gone weak, dont know if he said that to sell one battery. initially he was not ready to give higher amph battery, said battery warranty will be void. my old batery was 44amph.new is 45amph. i think stock ones are 36amph.

autozealot · 7th July 2006, 12:02

Who did you buy your battery from? Some are known to do as you mentioned. Check out the other dealers also. If you want to buy a battery, you have to move around 2-3 places to check out the problem with your old battery and also to compare the price of the new ones.
Why didn't you try Exide! Check out the chart that the dealers have which shows the exact specs for the battery required for your car or still better check your car users' manual.

How many kms has your car clocked? This will tell if you need to service the alternator.

az

gigy · 7th July 2006, 13:56

58k it has run. the one i went was authorized amaron pitstop im mumbai. so took his advice.

autozealot · 8th July 2006, 01:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by gigy

58k it has run. the one i went was authorized amaron pitstop im mumbai. so took his advice.

Wheres this dealer? If you havent got the alternator serviced even once , u should do so. Mark the difference then.

airfoil · 8th July 2006, 01:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by autozealot

If you havent got the alternator serviced even once , u should do so. Mark the difference then.

What would this service involve?

humyum · 8th July 2006, 12:04

Changing the rectifier,carbon brushes and cutout.Cleaning all the parts inside and check the alternator bearings.If they are worn out they should be replaced too.Should set u back by around 2000 to 2500 bucks(assumptions)as the same parts for my 800 cost 1100 bucks so i assuse they might be more expensive for a baleno.
The voltage output u mentioned 14 volts is also a little less.Normally it should be 14.4 volts at no load and at full load(full load does not mean draw power like a maniac

)it shoud be 13.5

autozealot · 8th July 2006, 12:11

Humyun thanks for explaining the details

.

Cheers!

az

gigy · 8th July 2006, 18:12

do you advice servicing to replacement? normally maruti service centers just replace.
can i install a different ampere rating in ableno. dont know the stock rating; expext it to be 40-50. will SA28 from lucas go in? it is 70-90 amperes continious. may be have to change belt size???

gigy · 10th July 2006, 21:55

hi, nobody to throw some light on this issue???????????

autozealot · 10th July 2006, 23:31

[quote=gigy]do you advice servicing to replacement? normally maruti service centers just replace.

Boss, servicing is enough. Why you want to get into huge expenses by replacing it!

az

Sam Kapasi · 11th July 2006, 01:38

Hi gigy,

A 3yr old battery will fail. A failed (partially shorted) battery will cause alternator voltage to drop exactly like what you case was.
Now that you've put the new battery, does this problem still occur?

Have you jump started twice AFTER putting th new amaron??
Voltage dropping during the starter load is not a problem. 14V is very acceptable for a running car.

Your current Baleno alternator should not have a problem charging a 45A battery. Please let us know if the problem still exists.
By problem i clearly mean, is your battery dying and are you having to jump start now?
12.5 to 14V are all indications of a charging battery. Check with a properly calibrated digital multimeter across the battery terminals to be sure.
It is my opinion that if everything's working fine now.... leave it be. And that said, there is no harm in getting your alternator cleaned and serviced anyways. Please don't replace it. That would be a colossal waste.

Someone said why didnt you buy Exide? I find that over the years the quality of exide has steadily dropped. Today there are many batteries i consider superior, in my opinion.... Amaron, Bosch, Prestolite are far superior than exide today. If you can find a battery called "Leader" - this is a german dry battery that was imported by prestolite, that IMO is a rocking battery. No regrets on buying the Amaron, good choice.

gigy · 11th July 2006, 17:51

hi sam,
after replacing battery the problem has not reoccured till now. it actually comes in the night time with all electrical load on. didnt get into that situation so far. i had jump started and push started when i had the old battery. the new one installed is 70% of the old one i had, still 1 amph more.
will post you if problem comes back.
there is actually multiple snags in car now- suspension is bumpy. need to rev hard on slopes, engine shuts down al low rpm. pickup or acceleration is not like it was before, can feel lot of vibration , so all are driving me crazy.
i am trying to find out reliable service center or mechanic to show the car. so till that time sitting and isolating one by one. hope the electrical problem is solved.

s0uljah · 11th July 2006, 19:28

Our Santro Zipdrive is just over 4 years old and the existing Exide battery died on me in december on the road and we had to get it charged.

Day before yesterday again the battery was weak and I had to push the car to start it. On checking the battery it showed 2 cells had gone BAD and the rest were weak, so it has been replaced with an Amaron Hi-Life, Im not sure of the exact model.

Rs 3290 - 4 year warranty
Rs 2750 - 3 year warranty <--- Went with this option.

Oh yeah I got 200 bucks for the old battery

7th July 2006, 11:20	#1
gigy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 1,321 Thanked: 47 Times	car battery hi. my car battery going below 9v while trying start and had to jump start twice, ocv shows 11-12v, its three year old. even while car is running in mumbai traffic voltage drops to 12.5 when ac compressor cuts in and 13.8 when it cuts off. can anyone tell if my alternator is going to die? normal after start it shows 14v. can i install larger capacity battery. i took a amaron hilife pro 55b24ls yesterday for 4k. its a baleno
	() Thanks

7th July 2006, 11:27	#2
autozealot BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 204 Thanked: 12 Times	Why dont you get your alternator checked and serviced if needed by a good electrician in any of the service centres! Have you ever done that before? If not, than please do. az
	() Thanks

7th July 2006, 11:36	#3
gigy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 1,321 Thanked: 47 Times	the amaron pitstop guy checked alternator and said its ok. he said one cell of my old battery has gone weak, dont know if he said that to sell one battery. initially he was not ready to give higher amph battery, said battery warranty will be void. my old batery was 44amph.new is 45amph. i think stock ones are 36amph.
	() Thanks

7th July 2006, 12:02	#4
autozealot BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 204 Thanked: 12 Times	Who did you buy your battery from? Some are known to do as you mentioned. Check out the other dealers also. If you want to buy a battery, you have to move around 2-3 places to check out the problem with your old battery and also to compare the price of the new ones. Why didn't you try Exide! Check out the chart that the dealers have which shows the exact specs for the battery required for your car or still better check your car users' manual. How many kms has your car clocked? This will tell if you need to service the alternator. az Last edited by autozealot : 7th July 2006 at 12:04.
	() Thanks

7th July 2006, 13:56	#5
gigy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 1,321 Thanked: 47 Times	58k it has run. the one i went was authorized amaron pitstop im mumbai. so took his advice.
	() Thanks

8th July 2006, 12:04	#8
humyum Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 2,750 Thanked: 5,422 Times	Changing the rectifier,carbon brushes and cutout.Cleaning all the parts inside and check the alternator bearings.If they are worn out they should be replaced too.Should set u back by around 2000 to 2500 bucks(assumptions)as the same parts for my 800 cost 1100 bucks so i assuse they might be more expensive for a baleno. The voltage output u mentioned 14 volts is also a little less.Normally it should be 14.4 volts at no load and at full load(full load does not mean draw power like a maniac)it shoud be 13.5
	() Thanks

8th July 2006, 12:11	#9
autozealot BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 204 Thanked: 12 Times	Humyun thanks for explaining the details . Cheers! az
	() Thanks

8th July 2006, 18:12	#10
gigy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 1,321 Thanked: 47 Times	do you advice servicing to replacement? normally maruti service centers just replace. can i install a different ampere rating in ableno. dont know the stock rating; expext it to be 40-50. will SA28 from lucas go in? it is 70-90 amperes continious. may be have to change belt size???
	() Thanks

10th July 2006, 21:55	#11
gigy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 1,321 Thanked: 47 Times	hi, nobody to throw some light on this issue???????????
	() Thanks

10th July 2006, 23:31	#12
autozealot BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 204 Thanked: 12 Times	[quote=gigy]do you advice servicing to replacement? normally maruti service centers just replace. Boss, servicing is enough. Why you want to get into huge expenses by replacing it! az
	() Thanks

11th July 2006, 01:38	#13
Sam Kapasi Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mumbai (but wat Posts: 6,997 Thanked: 2,378 Times View My Garage	Hi gigy, A 3yr old battery will fail. A failed (partially shorted) battery will cause alternator voltage to drop exactly like what you case was. Now that you've put the new battery, does this problem still occur? Have you jump started twice AFTER putting th new amaron?? Voltage dropping during the starter load is not a problem. 14V is very acceptable for a running car. Your current Baleno alternator should not have a problem charging a 45A battery. Please let us know if the problem still exists. By problem i clearly mean, is your battery dying and are you having to jump start now? 12.5 to 14V are all indications of a charging battery. Check with a properly calibrated digital multimeter across the battery terminals to be sure. It is my opinion that if everything's working fine now.... leave it be. And that said, there is no harm in getting your alternator cleaned and serviced anyways. Please don't replace it. That would be a colossal waste. Someone said why didnt you buy Exide? I find that over the years the quality of exide has steadily dropped. Today there are many batteries i consider superior, in my opinion.... Amaron, Bosch, Prestolite are far superior than exide today. If you can find a battery called "Leader" - this is a german dry battery that was imported by prestolite, that IMO is a rocking battery. No regrets on buying the Amaron, good choice. Last edited by Sam Kapasi : 11th July 2006 at 01:41.
	() Thanks

11th July 2006, 17:51	#14
gigy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 1,321 Thanked: 47 Times	hi sam, after replacing battery the problem has not reoccured till now. it actually comes in the night time with all electrical load on. didnt get into that situation so far. i had jump started and push started when i had the old battery. the new one installed is 70% of the old one i had, still 1 amph more. will post you if problem comes back. there is actually multiple snags in car now- suspension is bumpy. need to rev hard on slopes, engine shuts down al low rpm. pickup or acceleration is not like it was before, can feel lot of vibration , so all are driving me crazy. i am trying to find out reliable service center or mechanic to show the car. so till that time sitting and isolating one by one. hope the electrical problem is solved.
	() Thanks

11th July 2006, 19:28	#15
s0uljah Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: BLR Posts: 2,222 Thanked: 26 Times View My Garage	Our Santro Zipdrive is just over 4 years old and the existing Exide battery died on me in december on the road and we had to get it charged. Day before yesterday again the battery was weak and I had to push the car to start it. On checking the battery it showed 2 cells had gone BAD and the rest were weak, so it has been replaced with an Amaron Hi-Life, Im not sure of the exact model. Rs 3290 - 4 year warranty Rs 2750 - 3 year warranty <--- Went with this option. Oh yeah I got 200 bucks for the old battery
	() Thanks