battery tenders? Dead battery issue.

[rh71]

Have a '95 Rodeo 3.2L that I use only once a week - I'm trying to use it within 3 days of the last jump but it's dead again. The Rodeo doesn't have an active cigarette power source does it? I was hoping to leave it on a solar charger throughout the week when not in use but doesn't the key have to be in the ignition for it to work? I say that because I tested the cig lighter without the key and it never got hot.

Right now when I put the key in, the voltage is reading less than 8 just like last time I got it jumped and let it run for 30 mins.

Would getting a brand new battery help matters or would it just die like this after a while too? It's an old battery from another car that has been serving me for a year.

[danielsatur]

Just like a bad cell phone, it doesn't hold a charge!
Throw it away , and get a new battery befor you burn your alternator up.

[rh71]

would the new battery survive on once-a-week 20-minute runs? Is that at least somewhat acceptable?

[danielsatur]

The demand for power is great for todays Autos, the ECU, PCU, Fuel pump, digital dash, and all the bells + whistles.
1) Have a load test done on both the battery and alternator.

I never turn stuff on, until engine is at normal operation temp, this buys some time for the charging process. and prior to distination, I turn everything off, this buys a little more time for charging.

A trickle charger is great for solar lights, but not my car.

[Cat Fuzz]

Originally Posted by danielsatur

The demand for power is great for todays Autos, the ECU, PCU, Fuel pump, digital dash, and all the bells + whistles.
1) Have a load test done on both the battery and alternator.

I never turn stuff on until engine is at normal operation temp, this buys some time for the charging process. and prior to distination, I turn everything off, this buys a little more time for charging.

A trickle charger is great for solar lights, but not my car.

Inaccurate information. Cranking the engine drains the battery VERY little if any at all. Waiting to turn on accessories is unnecessary. The battery still gets re-charged with accessories turned on. A good battery is recharged within seconds of a re-start.

The OP has a problem either with a bad battery or the battery is being drained by a short.

What many people do not understand is that once the engine is started, all the electrical power requirements come from the alternator and the battery is only there to stay charged by the system and wait for the next re-start.

The battery should hold a charge for months if not years. I've let cars sit for 6 months at a time and they would fire right up without an issue.

Solar trickle chargers that plug into the power outlet are great except for cars where the power is cut to the power outlet when the key is off. This is the case for Rodeos. You could simply re-wire the power outlet to stay on with the key off.

[danielsatur]

A fuse is used to protect the ECU, PCU, and the control modules from shorts.
How much battery does an Anti theft use?
Are you having water problems?
Try working on Jaguars with water problems.
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=893556

Don't forget toget a load test on your alternator, because it's probably not doing it's job.
Are the cables tight and cleaned?

[rh71]

You guys have me concerned about a possible short. I read up on how to test the alternator when the engine is running so I'll do that - it should read 14V.

About a short, right before I noticed all the draining problems I noticed my alarm (dealer installed 14 years ago) was acting up. It went off for no reason after I parked it for 5 minutes. I had to turn it off completely and it's been "off" (LED light stays on) because I really don't need an alarm anymore anyway. I can't think of any other electrical component that stays on - there shouldn't be any correct? I have no accessories even plugged in.

[Cat Fuzz]

Don't get worried about electrical issues just yet. Taking a voltage reading while the engine is running is only a small part of the overall function of your charging system. Go have the load test done before worrying about other problems. Some auto parts retailers will do this for free.