I thought I had my electrical problem figured out. I needed a new ignition
cylinder because my old one was broken and wouldn't turn off all the way
causing the battery to drain if my D1 wasn't used for a few days. It got
worse to the point where it would lose just enough charge during work that
I'd have to jump it and I was having to constantly re-charge it with a
charger I bought. I stopped charging it before I went to bed because it
would lose it by the next morning. I finally got around to changing the
lock cylinder on Wednesday and thought that was it. Charged the battery and
left it alone the rest of the day. I try to start the car the next
afternoon and the battery has enough power to strongly release the door
locks and the dash lights looked bright, but it just didn't have enough
power to start the car. I threw a jump starter on it and it started up
without hesitation. It did start ok this morning but I had charged again 8
hours earlier before I went to sleep. After work was over the car wouldn't
start again just not having quite enough juice in the battery to start.
It's a duralast gold so I took it to Autozone after a 30 min. drive from
work (didn't turn anything on during the drive). They had to completely
recharge it just to test it and it tested good. I tested it a month ago and
that time they had to recharge it to test it and it was ok. The alternator
was replaced last year with OEM and LR and my mechanic both said it was ok
and there are no large power draws. The only thing that is on when the
truck is off is the clock and the light around the ignition key hole. The
only thing I have left to try is unplugging the stereo amp and not running
the stereo and seeing what happens. I'm convinced it's the battery but
Autozone won't exchange it unless it tests bad and I may just bite the
bullet and get a new one from Costco. Is it possible the battery isn't able
to hold enough charge but still test ok? Thanks for your input.

A battery will hold a charge for many a week, not lose it overnight. Does
the battery lose its charge whilst standing out of the vehicle and no
drain?, if so it's definately faulty, otherwise i'd be looking over the
electrics in a serious way if it loses charge overnight. The easy way to
check if there is a drain is to use a multimeter to check the current draw
in the vehicle with everything switched off, this way you will know if
something is killing the battery.

Wolfie

"eric" <eric.2@cox.net> wrote in message
news:BfuKg.2175$nL2.562@fed1read02...
>I thought I had my electrical problem figured out. I needed a new ignition
>cylinder because my old one was broken and wouldn't turn off all the way
>causing the battery to drain if my D1 wasn't used for a few days. It got
>worse to the point where it would lose just enough charge during work that
>I'd have to jump it and I was having to constantly re-charge it with a
>charger I bought. I stopped charging it before I went to bed because it
>would lose it by the next morning. I finally got around to changing the
>lock cylinder on Wednesday and thought that was it. Charged the battery
>and left it alone the rest of the day. I try to start the car the next
>afternoon and the battery has enough power to strongly release the door
>locks and the dash lights looked bright, but it just didn't have enough
>power to start the car. I threw a jump starter on it and it started up
>without hesitation. It did start ok this morning but I had charged again 8
>hours earlier before I went to sleep. After work was over the car wouldn't
>start again just not having quite enough juice in the battery to start.
>It's a duralast gold so I took it to Autozone after a 30 min. drive from
>work (didn't turn anything on during the drive). They had to completely
>recharge it just to test it and it tested good. I tested it a month ago
>and that time they had to recharge it to test it and it was ok. The
>alternator was replaced last year with OEM and LR and my mechanic both said
>it was ok and there are no large power draws. The only thing that is on
>when the truck is off is the clock and the light around the ignition key
>hole. The only thing I have left to try is unplugging the stereo amp and
>not running the stereo and seeing what happens. I'm convinced it's the
>battery but Autozone won't exchange it unless it tests bad and I may just
>bite the bullet and get a new one from Costco. Is it possible the battery
>isn't able to hold enough charge but still test ok? Thanks for your input.
You say tested has the battery been load tested if there is a fault this
will show it up rather than less agressive testing hydrometer voltage etc
see http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq4.htm if that checks out as
Wolfie says its time to get out the multimeter, note the radio and clock
will give a very small reading, probably easiest to pull off a battery lead
and check the current passing between the lead and the battery.
Derek

Derek wrote:
> "eric" <eric.2@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:BfuKg.2175$nL2.562@fed1read02...
>> I thought I had my electrical problem figured out. I needed a new ignition
>> cylinder because my old one was broken and wouldn't turn off all the way
>> causing the battery to drain if my D1 wasn't used for a few days. It got
>> worse to the point where it would lose just enough charge during work that
>> I'd have to jump it and I was having to constantly re-charge it with a
>> charger I bought. I stopped charging it before I went to bed because it
>> would lose it by the next morning.

I I tested it a month ago
>> and that time they had to recharge it to test it and it was ok.

The
>>alternator was replaced last year with OEM and LR and my mechanic both said
>> it was ok and there are no large power draws. The only thing that is on
>> when the truck is off is the clock and the light around the ignition key
>> hole. The only thing I have left to try is unplugging the stereo amp and
>> not running the stereo and seeing what happens. I'm convinced it's the
>> battery but Autozone won't exchange it unless it tests bad and I may just
>> bite the bullet and get a new one from Costco.

> The thing about batteries is that they are a hundred year old technology
and suffer from many faults not just one.
>
I think what you have here is called self discharge. Its caused by
some ****e in the bottom of the battery causing a bridge ( partial
short) and running the battery down whilst its left stood. Its a common
problem .

So it tests OK when its charged........well it would do wouldnt it ...
test OK when its full. Your problem isn 't voltage drop under heavy load
with a fully charged battery. The problem is that it wont "stay full"
will it. It's a bit like a man with a leaky water tank going to the
plumbers and saying

"Cant get no water out of the tank"

"Yeah mate we've filled it up now and theres gallons of water in it.
Look I'll put this bucket in and it comes out Full. Nah you cant have a
new one , must be a problem wiv yer pipes innit."

The problem being that by the time you get the tank home all the water
has leaked out of the tank through a little hole .

I think we will see more and more of this "The machine says its OK so it
must be ".

I'd go along and say you want a new battery that youve been to an Auto
electrical place and they have told you that its suffering from self
discharge and can you see the manager please and if they dont give you a
new one you will sue them in the small claims court
Al G
( RL driver is out having a rest)

"Derek" <del.wattsnospambaby@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:6RxKg.5317$tG3.2938@newsfe3-win.ntli.net...
>
> "eric" <eric.2@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:BfuKg.2175$nL2.562@fed1read02...
> >I thought I had my electrical problem figured out. I needed a new
ignition
> >cylinder because my old one was broken and wouldn't turn off all the way
> >causing the battery to drain if my D1 wasn't used for a few days. It got
> >worse to the point where it would lose just enough charge during work
that
> >I'd have to jump it and I was having to constantly re-charge it with a
> >charger I bought. I stopped charging it before I went to bed because it
> >would lose it by the next morning.

<snip>

> Wolfie says its time to get out the multimeter, note the radio and clock
> will give a very small reading, probably easiest to pull off a battery
lead
> and check the current passing between the lead and the battery.
> Derek
>
>
When you pull off the battery lead to test for current drain, leave it off
overnight or until the next time you use the vehicle and if it won't start
then it means the battery is not holding charge and is knackered. Try this
for a few days. Don't forget to check charging voltage/current to make sure
it actually is charged.

Martin