Panasonic Base Terminal - Useless Battery indicator My Panasonic Base terminal battery fitted in May 2005 went Kaput, just one month after the 18 months warranty expired. And the indicator did not tell me about it. Thats the short story. Long one...
Recently my car started showing some starting troubles. It started with the starter appearing to take more load, the crank speed being lower.
Then one night it would not crank, the horn became a squeak and the central locking went into sleep mode. If your battery gives very low voltage the central locking deactivates and the only way to activate it again is disconnect the batter and give it a good power source.
Anyways after a lot of pushing(Cold engine, as battery could not sufficiently warm up glow plugs it starts).
My first instinct is to suspect the car. I look at the battery, it faithfully tells me its discharged by giving a "white" indication. Blue is for charged and Red is for "add water, or water bad".
Anyways its late in night and I drive away hoping it will charge as the alternator was giving correct current.
No problem that day. Same story next day, no problem at all, but the crank was again strained. I hook up the multimeter again and it indicates that the alternator is fine.
Do this for couple of days and then I am sure that the battery is the culprit.
Over to Base terminal service station. They hook up the multimeter first, and everythings fine. Next they start checking the water.
The cell on the extreme left has blackish water. Battery gone bad. the car is still starting fine and the battery indicator is telling "blue".
I go to Amaron, get a 65Ah battery give away the old for 400rs discount.
The car is running fine, cranking is perfect, central locking is fine.
My gripes
1. Indicator is useful only for telling discharge status
2. The red indication never came
3. 19 months and battery kaput, my original lasted around 3 years.
I have gotten one with 3 years warranty now. |