Some sort of battery/charging problem

[ianw1974]

I have a problem with my car, it's a Saab 9-3 1.9TID 120bhp, 2004 model.  Last year I bought a new battery, and I had the alternator fixed.  Then after the winter, I found that after a few short journeys that my battery is run down.  I can narrow this down further.  If I start the car, drive 1 or 2 miles then stop.  Then start it again and drive 1 or 2 miles.  Then start the third time and do the same.  The fourth time I try to start, the battery is dead.  I then jumped the car and drove 50 miles home.  I then went away on holiday for two weeks, but left the battery connected to see what state the battery would be in when I returned.  It showed 12.2 volts, so not fully charged, but then a 50 mile drive would not fully charge the battery anyway.

So, I put the battery on charge, when I returned one hour later, it was showing as fully charged.  Disconnected the charger, waited until the next day and checked and it showed 12.7 volts - fully charged battery.  Car starts fine.  But as I said, I cannot do short journeys.  I checked the battery, and shows 80 amps and 12.7 volts so to me the battery seems to be good.

What's my problem?  Why is it pulling so much power from the battery that 3 starts and I'm completely dead?  Anyone else had this problem?

[Max Headroom]

HI ian, I'm no expert - particularly with electrics, but I would say that sounds to me like the alternator is not doing its job

[ScarbSaab]

One hour for a full charge sounds suspicious. I would get the battery checked out properly. The local tyre place I go to (and have bought replacement batteries from) have a device for testing the capacity and current from a battery - they check it for free. This is probably your cheapest route to diagnosis.

[Geoff1951]

One hour for a full charge sounds suspicious. I would get the battery checked out properly. The local tyre place I go to (and have bought replacement batteries from) have a device for testing the capacity and current from a battery - they check it for free. This is probably your cheapest route to diagnosis.

My thoughts exactly. My local indy does this too.

[Max Headroom]

Drop check?

[sgould]

I would think that you have a weak battery.  Although all batteries these days are sealed, many have a way into the cells.  I've got a battery hygrometer.  I've usually found that one cell is not taking a full charge.

Also, most batteries come with a few years guarantee.  Can you invoke this and at least get that supplier to do the test?

[Saabman]

Is it the correct amperage of battery? a lower amperage of battery would cause this problem

[ianw1974]

How do you mean correct amperage of the battery?  My battery has 74amp written on it, and shows 80amp.  So I'm guessing that's OK.

The alternator from what I know is working fine as it's charging.  Everything is OK once the alternator kicks in.  When I have a low battery and start the car, there's all alarms going off for the ABS, power steering because there's not enough power in the battery.  Then after two minutes after starting the car, everything is charging as it should be probably because the glow plugs are no longer pulling power as they do when starting until they cut out.  I've verified charging with all electrics off at 14.0v.  When the aircon, radio and lights are on, it's charging around 13.7v/13.8v.

I thought it was the battery, but the capacity seems to be there showing 80amp.  I can take it back to where I got it from and get them to check it for me, I should have a guarantee somewhere if I can find it.....

[ScarbSaab]

I think Saabman was referring to the CCA (cold crank amps) which is the maximum current the battery can supply under a set heavy load. If the rating is too low, the battery may be charged but the voltage may dip too far for starting. I think mine is 700 CCA, can't remember the Saab original spec.

The 74 Ah is the original capacity of the battery, but your symptoms do sound like a failed battery.

[Saabman]

I think Saabman was referring to the CCA (cold crank amps) which is the maximum current the battery can supply under a set heavy load. If the rating is too low, the battery may be charged but the voltage may dip too far for starting

Yes I was thanks  just rushing at dinner to type a reply.
Diesels take a lot more out of the battery at start up and this would discharge a non HEAVY DUTY battery if stopped and started in quick succession but may work ok with a big charge in between.
I would check the correct battery has been fitted first, If it is correct then I'd check it for malfunction.

[ianw1974]

The cold cranking amps on mine is over 700, can't remember exactly, but I know it's definitely over 700.

I'm going to check with a colleagues battery and see if I can replicate the three starts and dead battery with his.  If not, then that would concur that mine has failed.  Seems weird that it shows the 12.7v and 80amp as if it's fully charged.  I think in between the starts I'll measure the voltage and ampage and see how much it's dropping with each start.

Sadly can't find my guarantee, so depending on the results will have to buy a new one.

[ianw1974]

I have a new battery, Varta with 750 cold cranking amps, and this is much better.

Despite testing my old battery and it showing as being perfectly fine, something was definitely wrong with it.  Will see how the new one goes.  Now the glow plug light goes out extremely quickly, whereas before it took five seconds or more even.

[Guyver1]

Despite testing my old battery and it showing as being perfectly fine, something was definitely wrong with it.

If you can get your mitts on a battery optimiser you might drop lucky

I've had a motorcycle battery that's been dead for years, I plugged it into the optimiser and 24 hours later it's as good as new, could be a cell was being a bit iffy and the charge and discharge and cooking the battery sorted it out

Also if the battery is shot, the optimiser will tell you pretty quickly

Search for optimate 4 online

[chris_de_ze]

I have an OPTIMATE battery charger (mostly for my bike) and it's just fantastic!
If it senses a dead battery then automatically applies 20V pulses to restore the battery's condition. It's microprocessor based.