Date: Thu, 6 May 2021 01:35:26 +0000
Reply-To: Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: Bad battery?
In-Reply-To: <CACvdLxN-dPTC7KT-WqhHh9dqazhL6Szaju5jvi_rFTCXaJCbOA@mail.gmail.com>
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Here's my theory: Vibration and Shock
Walmart battery was only 5 years old at the time, I typically get 8 years or more. BUT, I mostly do long roadtrips on smooth asphalt and concrete. Now, imagine over time that plates inside battery are gently corroding and getting coated with sulphates, this is perfectly normal. But structure is weakened internally. Next...go down to Baja....down to see the gray whales. Even though the road is way better than before, it's miles and miles and miles of washboard. Since battery is rigidly attached to Vanagon frame, each and every bump is felt by battery. These take their toll. A little crack here, a little crack there. You make it home....but the damage is done. Now, the corrosion stuff can really get inside those cracks. Everything is fine until suddenly one day it isn't. Voltage drops from 12.3 VDC to 10.0 VDC...mechanical failure inside one of battery cells. No amount of charging will fix this.
My theory anyway.
Rich
San Diego
On Wednesday, May 5, 2021, 5:44:38 PM PDT, David McNeely <davmcneely40@gmail.com> wrote:
It is very unlikely that the battery froze in San Diego, like dead certain
that it did not.
On Wed, May 5, 2021 at 3:02 PM Jack R <jack007@comcast.net> wrote:
> A battery with a low charge or no charge, and is allowed to freeze in the
> winter, will typically die.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of Richard Koerner
> Sent: Tuesday, May 4, 2021 8:42 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Bad battery?
>
> Was all set to go for a nice cruise today in Vanagon. Instrument cluster
> lights ok, but no familiar sound from fuel pump. No crank, no click, no
> nothing. Parking lights work, but no headlights. Voltmeter says 10.0 VDC;
> makes me assume 1 dead cell. Walmart Group 41 battery is exactly 6 years
> old, I'm used to getting much longer life, but with Covid I will admit not
> too much long distance driving these days. Tried PepBoys, NAPA, O'Reillys,
> Walmart via computer...these Group 41 batteries are getting harder and
> harder to find. But local Autozone has one; I called....the guy checked in
> the back to physically confirm the thing exists; no idea of Manufacture
> Date. My plan is to take old battery to Autozone and have them check out;
> assuming it's dead will immediately buy new one and install. I will add
> that I recently in last month replaced old alternator in Subie EJ22 motor
> with a new one; no issues, but the old one was at least 160K miles and
> replaced as a preventative measure; wondering if the renewed voltage coming
> into old battery kind of pushed it over the edge, don't know, probably just
> a coincidence. Old Walmart battery was $100; new batteries are $150, just
> the way it goes.
> Rich
> San Diego
>
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