[Otto]

Originally Posted by R2D2

If you need a quick test, do as follows; if you have been using the car, turn off the engine, and switch on your headlamps for about 3-5 minutes to remove what is called the surface charge. Removing this charge is an important step and the engine must be at operating temperature.

After removing the surface charge, crank the engine. If the headlights go out completely i.e. literally extinguish you may have a problem. If the lights just dim when the starter is cranking but remain lit then the battery is ok.

That won't work. Most modern cars will switch off their headlamps while cranking the engine. it's sort of like a safety feature - the voltage dip will cause the lamps to draw excess current and burn out the wiring or the lamp bulbs, added to that all power is required to start the engine.

Do a discharge test. Measure the S.G and voltage across terminals every hour and see if it falls, with the engine off (and therefore the battery not charging).
disconnect the battery and conduct the same test. Do a time based comparison.
if the voltage drop is the same - your battery is faulty. if it's not, then there's a leakage.

[k2max6]

What is your car's daily running average ?
and how much had the car travelled the day you stopped it before the 7 days break?

[Jaggu]

Switch ON the cabin lights and head lights, stop the car. Wait for a min and crank, cabin light should dim and not die. This is the easiest way to check battery condition.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Switch ON the cabin lights and head lights, stop the car. Wait for a min and crank, cabin light should dim and not die. This is the easiest way to check battery condition.

the cabin light will always dim considering that all the power from the battery goes into starting.
No lights will ever remain steady while the starter is engaged and turning.

[ulhas.ahirrao]

That won't work. Most modern cars will switch off their headlamps while cranking the engine. it's sort of like a safety feature - the voltage dip will cause the lamps to draw excess current and burn out the wiring or the lamp bulbs, added to that all power is required to start the engine.

Thanks otto, I did it & headlights went off. I thought the battery is gone!

What is your car's daily running average ?
and how much had the car travelled the day you stopped it before the 7 days break?

Actually not much, the car has not traveled more than 20 kms before 7 days break.

Switch ON the cabin lights and head lights, stop the car. Wait for a min and crank, cabin light should dim and not die. This is the easiest way to check battery condition.

I will do that but won't the same funda of Head Lights mentioned by Otto, apply here?

[Jaggu]

Otto: read carefully, i said it will dim and NOT die/switch off! if battery is good. Unlike the HL which might have a bypass and hence switch off while cranking!

ulhas: Hope the above satisfy you.

[Otto]

@jaggu - the cabin light will ALWAYS dim, irrespective of a good or bad battery! this will happen when you start the car and is not indicative of battery condition, rather it is a very poor way to ascertain the battery condition.
A charge hold test is the best way and takes upto 6 hours.

[Jaggu]

Ophoooooo baba! i also said the same thing, cabin light will dim and its normal.

But on the other hand if the battery is weak then the light will completely switch off or glow very very feebly as in a 12 volt bulb lit up with 2-3 volts, i have personally tried this test in my previous cars.

Hope this is clear now.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by ulhas.ahirrao

...Start it & the car showed no signs of life. No engine starting, no roof light etc.

E-xide batmobile & they confirmed that battery is discharged.

...the battery guy checked the gravity it was fine.

@ ulhas: So was the matter resolved? What was the diagnosis?

It's a little confusing - the Batmobile guys said the battery is discharged, but the battery guy said the gravity is fine. And your car's electrics appeared totally dead - no light, no sound from starter - or so I understand?

Would like to know what exactly happened.

[torque.steer]

Post deleted by the Team-BHP Support : SMS / Slang language posts are strictly prohibited on Team-BHP. We advise you to visit our board rules before proceeding any further.

[thedreamcatcher]

Less than 10 days is hardly any time for a battery to get discharged

There could have been some fault with the battery which caused it to drain out. I would have also said that you left some appliacne on like say a parking light, in-cabin light etc, but you confirmed you didnt. You can also check with your neighbours if you alarm went off or something.

During stationary state, any small appliance can also drain the battery. The battery gets charged when the car is in motion and hence, it is advised always, that when the engine is not running do not have too many appliances running.

For instance, take any car, have the stereo on, some lights and the blower on and you will have a drained battery soon and would require a push start

Many instances where people accidenlty left their parking lights on or left a door not closed properly resulting in the in-cabin light staying on, draining the battery

[Otto]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Ophoooooo baba! i also said the same thing, cabin light will dim and its normal.

But on the other hand if the battery is weak then the light will completely switch off or glow very very feebly as in a 12 volt bulb lit up with 2-3 volts, i have personally tried this test in my previous cars.

Hope this is clear now.

My bad homie, I haven't really experimented with the cabin light switching off if the battery is dead, so won't comment on it...YET .

BUT, is a litmus test? I seriously doubt it, but you can blame that on ignorance.

IMHO, I still recommend the charge hold test - we use it all the time at work and it's the best test, easiest to perform and most accurate. A simple time log sheet with the battery connected, versus battery disconnected and Voltage and S.G will definitely confirm it.

The whole idea is that the battery manufacturer/service station will try his best to refute the claim, in which case a sheet like this will prove beneficial, can't say much about the cabin lights switching off passing as valid claim.

[ulhas.ahirrao]

@ ulhas: So was the matter resolved? What was the diagnosis?

I recharged the battery & it is working fine. But I used the car almost everyday so can't make out whether it will discharge. Looking forward to do the leakage test, load test over the weekend as suggested by fellow bhpians. Lets see what happens!

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by ulhas.ahirrao

...do the leakage test...

Do the leakage test with your remote central locking circuit alternatively connected and disconnected; if you do find leakage of more than 500mA with the RCL circuit disconnected, it's going to be quite a job to isolate which area is causing it.

YouTube - Testing For Current Drain That Runs Down Car Battery

[torque.steer]

Originally Posted by torque.steer

Post deleted by the Team-BHP Support : SMS / Slang language posts are strictly prohibited on Team-BHP. We advise you to visit our board rules before proceeding any further.

hey can the moderator please tell me for what reason have i received an Infraction ??? because i din't use any SMS / Slang language in this post i still remember.... moderators reply or PM ...