Battery is Shot?
11-05-2008, 02:58 AM
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Battery is Shot?
Okay so I didn't drive my car for about 3 days. I go to start my car I guess it just had enough juice to open doors and it wouldn't even come near to turning over. So i jumped it and figured i'd left a light on. Then I didn't drive for a day and a half and again but started to turn over but no where near enough juice. I don't think it's the alternator because she runs great while driving and at idle. I can also turn the car off and wait a little and turn it back on again. Keep in mind I have HID's and a system drawing 1000 watts rms. I checked my visor tv, dvd player, amp, etc. all were turned off after the first time. I'm guessing that my battery is done? Is this normal for a two year old car? I'm guessing my system etc. played a part too.
im pretty broke as **** right now trying to get money for new apartment security rent so spending alot on a new battery is out of the question. If I had the change I'd get a kinetik or yellow top. Where's the best place and the best battery bang for my buck I can get. Preferrably something that might help with the non dimming of the lights also if that's possible without spending the extra dough. Maybe I should just hit up a junkyard and see how much a used battery would be for now. Anyone know what I should offer for it?
im pretty broke as **** right now trying to get money for new apartment security rent so spending alot on a new battery is out of the question. If I had the change I'd get a kinetik or yellow top. Where's the best place and the best battery bang for my buck I can get. Preferrably something that might help with the non dimming of the lights also if that's possible without spending the extra dough. Maybe I should just hit up a junkyard and see how much a used battery would be for now. Anyone know what I should offer for it?
11-05-2008, 03:02 AM
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Yea I want to know too, cuz my car has 31000 miles and I dont have HID's or anything, and my car had problems turning over, but my car was sitting there for a week or 2 lol. How many miles is on your car
11-05-2008, 03:05 AM
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11-05-2008, 03:13 AM
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oh and you have had it for 2 years? Batteries are suppose to last like 4-5 years before going out, but with the stuff you say you have on your car are some major battery drainage **** lol, So I guess it could be normal for your battery to start acting up.
11-05-2008, 03:16 AM
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is there any way of knowing i'ts the battery and not the alternator besides taking it out to autozone to have it tested?
from what i've read on the net so far im thinking its the battery. i have a voodoo digital voltmeter/distribution block which doesn't have digital output turned on atm. tomorrow i'll hook it up and see if she's putting out the proper voltage near 14. from what i've read if it's lower it's the alternator.
11-05-2008, 03:26 AM
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hopefully emperor will see this thread later.
is there any way of knowing i'ts the battery and not the alternator besides taking it out to autozone to have it tested?
from what i've read on the net so far im thinking its the battery. i have a voodoo digital voltmeter/distribution block which doesn't have digital output turned on atm. tomorrow i'll hook it up and see if she's putting out the proper voltage near 14. from what i've read if it's lower it's the alternator.
is there any way of knowing i'ts the battery and not the alternator besides taking it out to autozone to have it tested?
from what i've read on the net so far im thinking its the battery. i have a voodoo digital voltmeter/distribution block which doesn't have digital output turned on atm. tomorrow i'll hook it up and see if she's putting out the proper voltage near 14. from what i've read if it's lower it's the alternator.
11-05-2008, 03:30 AM
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The batteries in these cars are ****. Mine is fucked and I've had the car a little over a year. Add anything to the electrical system especially high drain devices such as stereo's and you can kiss your battery goodbye. I'm replacing mine with a yellow top this week and I have a theory as to why these cars have battery problems and it might not necessarily be the battery itself. I'm going to see what the results of upgrading the positive charging lead to the battery and the ground to 4 gauge as I feel that this is a pretty major part of the problem.
11-05-2008, 03:36 AM
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i should be able to find the root of the problem tomorrow. hopefully the car turns over tomorrow and the voltmeter reads between 13.6 and 14.3. Then the alternator is good and the battery is shot.
11-05-2008, 03:38 AM
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yea that sounds about right, coo man, hope everything goes well 2morow then.
11-05-2008, 03:46 AM
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11-05-2008, 03:59 AM
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just FYI, HIDs draw less current than regular halogens....thats why the projector housings dont get hot. but the sound system is for sure a power drain. Sounds to me like your battery is toasted.... same thing happened to me. Got to the point where if i left it off for more than 8 hrs, it wouldnt start without a jump (probably about 5 days away fromwhere u r now) I bought a new battery and ever since has been good. i bought a bigger battery btw....one more benefit to trunk mounted batteries....size upgrades are easy 
to test the battery, you'd have to see if it has a charge, if it doesnt, then charge it...test it after charging, then leave it alone for say 6 hrs and test it again. if the charge dropped off then its a busted battery
to test the battery, you'd have to see if it has a charge, if it doesnt, then charge it...test it after charging, then leave it alone for say 6 hrs and test it again. if the charge dropped off then its a busted battery
11-05-2008, 04:18 AM
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11-05-2008, 06:25 AM
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good thing is car started this morning....i hooked up the ground to the dristribution block voltmeter and im getting 14.3 volts. so in conclusion im 99.9% sure it's the battery. im gonna stop by the autowreckers and see what i can get. I know i gotta check the service manual for the cranking amps blah blah blah. im gonna try and get something a little bigger in order to last me with my system etc.
11-05-2008, 03:30 PM
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I got 73k miles on mine and haven't changed the battery yet..I got a full police strobe package in the car,if I leave that on too long it kills it. I leave my interior light on all the time,I think its shuts off after 5 mins.
11-05-2008, 07:08 PM
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Man I turned off my interior light. If I need it on, I'll flip the switch, but other than that I don't need the thing staying on for a minute every time I open the door.
11-05-2008, 08:37 PM
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i would love to get a nice large kinetik battery etc. or even a yellowtop but the problem is im dead broke and have to come up with $ for security deposit on new apt. gonna have to get a slightly used junker battery until i have $ again.
11-05-2008, 08:54 PM
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It won't be the alternator if you can drive the car. If the alternator was bad it would take no time at all and jumping the battery would do no good. It would start then like 2 minutes later completely die again.
The amp was ran to a remote switch that powers off when the ignition is off?
Is the 12v power on the HIDs hot all the time? That shouldn't draw enough power to kill the battery though because I have mine ran to the fuse box 12v and never had a problem.
The amp was ran to a remote switch that powers off when the ignition is off?
Is the 12v power on the HIDs hot all the time? That shouldn't draw enough power to kill the battery though because I have mine ran to the fuse box 12v and never had a problem.
11-06-2008, 12:12 AM
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It won't be the alternator if you can drive the car. If the alternator was bad it would take no time at all and jumping the battery would do no good. It would start then like 2 minutes later completely die again.
The amp was ran to a remote switch that powers off when the ignition is off?
Is the 12v power on the HIDs hot all the time? That shouldn't draw enough power to kill the battery though because I have mine ran to the fuse box 12v and never had a problem.
The amp was ran to a remote switch that powers off when the ignition is off?
Is the 12v power on the HIDs hot all the time? That shouldn't draw enough power to kill the battery though because I have mine ran to the fuse box 12v and never had a problem.
