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Re: When should I change the battery?
Re: When should I change the battery?
On Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:08:58 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example,net > wrote:
>ACAR wrote:
>> On Jun 20, 9:13 am, jim beam <spamvor...@bad.example,net > wrote:
>>> snip
>>>
>>> "simple"? volt meters are not battery testers. proper battery testers
>>> will load the battery at, say, 100A, and monitor not only voltage under
>>> that load, but how the voltage holds during the duration of the test,
>>> which should be several seconds.
>>>
>>> afterall, it's not like you can't get new batteries that are dud or
>>> damaged in transit.
>>
>> right, so by the time the OP spends the time and money to properly
>> test his 4-year old battery, he'll have invested enough to have bought
>> a new one.
>most places, if you take it to the place where you get your car serviced
>regularly, they'll test it, wait for it, for *free*!!! whoopee!
Unfortunately, most battery testing is worthless. They'll test perfectly
right until the moment they fail entirely. Testing doesn't detect cracked
connections.
On Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:08:58 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example,net > wrote:
>ACAR wrote:
>> On Jun 20, 9:13 am, jim beam <spamvor...@bad.example,net > wrote:
>>> snip
>>>
>>> "simple"? volt meters are not battery testers. proper battery testers
>>> will load the battery at, say, 100A, and monitor not only voltage under
>>> that load, but how the voltage holds during the duration of the test,
>>> which should be several seconds.
>>>
>>> afterall, it's not like you can't get new batteries that are dud or
>>> damaged in transit.
>>
>> right, so by the time the OP spends the time and money to properly
>> test his 4-year old battery, he'll have invested enough to have bought
>> a new one.
>most places, if you take it to the place where you get your car serviced
>regularly, they'll test it, wait for it, for *free*!!! whoopee!
Unfortunately, most battery testing is worthless. They'll test perfectly
right until the moment they fail entirely. Testing doesn't detect cracked
connections.
Re: When should I change the battery?
AZ Nomad wrote:
> On Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:08:58 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example,net > wrote:
>> ACAR wrote:
>>> On Jun 20, 9:13 am, jim beam <spamvor...@bad.example,net > wrote:
>>>> snip
>>>>
>>>> "simple"? volt meters are not battery testers. proper battery testers
>>>> will load the battery at, say, 100A, and monitor not only voltage under
>>>> that load, but how the voltage holds during the duration of the test,
>>>> which should be several seconds.
>>>>
>>>> afterall, it's not like you can't get new batteries that are dud or
>>>> damaged in transit.
>>> right, so by the time the OP spends the time and money to properly
>>> test his 4-year old battery, he'll have invested enough to have bought
>>> a new one.
>
>> most places, if you take it to the place where you get your car serviced
>> regularly, they'll test it, wait for it, for *free*!!! whoopee!
>
> Unfortunately, most battery testing is worthless. They'll test perfectly
> right until the moment they fail entirely. Testing doesn't detect cracked
> connections.
if you're testing with a freakin' volt meter, it's not proper testing
and of course it'll be "worthless"! /real/ testing works just great.
you should try it.
AZ Nomad wrote:
> On Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:08:58 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example,net > wrote:
>> ACAR wrote:
>>> On Jun 20, 9:13 am, jim beam <spamvor...@bad.example,net > wrote:
>>>> snip
>>>>
>>>> "simple"? volt meters are not battery testers. proper battery testers
>>>> will load the battery at, say, 100A, and monitor not only voltage under
>>>> that load, but how the voltage holds during the duration of the test,
>>>> which should be several seconds.
>>>>
>>>> afterall, it's not like you can't get new batteries that are dud or
>>>> damaged in transit.
>>> right, so by the time the OP spends the time and money to properly
>>> test his 4-year old battery, he'll have invested enough to have bought
>>> a new one.
>
>> most places, if you take it to the place where you get your car serviced
>> regularly, they'll test it, wait for it, for *free*!!! whoopee!
>
> Unfortunately, most battery testing is worthless. They'll test perfectly
> right until the moment they fail entirely. Testing doesn't detect cracked
> connections.
if you're testing with a freakin' volt meter, it's not proper testing
and of course it'll be "worthless"! /real/ testing works just great.
you should try it.
Re: When should I change the battery?
On Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:52:18 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example,net > wrote:
>if you're testing with a freakin' volt meter, it's not proper testing
>and of course it'll be "worthless"! /real/ testing works just great.
>you should try it.
You have no experience with weather related battery failures. You can test
them till your arms wear out and they'll test perfectly. Then their ability
to hold a charge will vanish from one stop to the next and you'll have the joy
of installing a battery in some 115 degree parking lot.
I didn't say all batteries need to be replaced on a schedule everywhere.
But in phoenix, it is most definitely the case. They last 4 years tops. A
battery that would last 15 years elsewhere will fail on summer #2 when arriving
here. Just about every time. It simply isn't worth waiting till they fail.
The test then is simple. The car is stone cold dead. Test if every time you
use the car and it'll test perfectly the time before it fails. There's no
warning whatsoever. I really don't know what the failure mode is, and don't
really care. When you're stranded in 115 degree heat, you just want it fixed,
not torn apart for an autopsy.
Do you periodically test your oil? Filter?
Timing belt?
Some things are worth considering for preventative maintenance.
On Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:52:18 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example,net > wrote:
>if you're testing with a freakin' volt meter, it's not proper testing
>and of course it'll be "worthless"! /real/ testing works just great.
>you should try it.
You have no experience with weather related battery failures. You can test
them till your arms wear out and they'll test perfectly. Then their ability
to hold a charge will vanish from one stop to the next and you'll have the joy
of installing a battery in some 115 degree parking lot.
I didn't say all batteries need to be replaced on a schedule everywhere.
But in phoenix, it is most definitely the case. They last 4 years tops. A
battery that would last 15 years elsewhere will fail on summer #2 when arriving
here. Just about every time. It simply isn't worth waiting till they fail.
The test then is simple. The car is stone cold dead. Test if every time you
use the car and it'll test perfectly the time before it fails. There's no
warning whatsoever. I really don't know what the failure mode is, and don't
really care. When you're stranded in 115 degree heat, you just want it fixed,
not torn apart for an autopsy.
Do you periodically test your oil? Filter?
Timing belt?
Some things are worth considering for preventative maintenance.
Re: When should I change the battery?
AZ Nomad wrote:
> On Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:52:18 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example,net > wrote:
>
>> if you're testing with a freakin' volt meter, it's not proper testing
>> and of course it'll be "worthless"! /real/ testing works just great.
>> you should try it.
>
> You have no experience with weather related battery failures. You can test
> them till your arms wear out and they'll test perfectly. Then their ability
> to hold a charge will vanish from one stop to the next and you'll have the joy
> of installing a battery in some 115 degree parking lot.
>
> I didn't say all batteries need to be replaced on a schedule everywhere.
>
> But in phoenix, it is most definitely the case. They last 4 years tops. A
> battery that would last 15 years elsewhere will fail on summer #2 when arriving
> here. Just about every time. It simply isn't worth waiting till they fail.
> The test then is simple. The car is stone cold dead. Test if every time you
> use the car and it'll test perfectly the time before it fails. There's no
> warning whatsoever. I really don't know what the failure mode is, and don't
> really care. When you're stranded in 115 degree heat, you just want it fixed,
> not torn apart for an autopsy.
exactly were in the op's post did you miss the part stating location as
"iowa"?
>
> Do you periodically test your oil? Filter?
> Timing belt?
> Some things are worth considering for preventative maintenance.
if there's no convenient test procedure, you replace according to a
statistically determined schedule. with batteries, health is easily
determined with the correct test instrument.
AZ Nomad wrote:
> On Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:52:18 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example,net > wrote:
>
>> if you're testing with a freakin' volt meter, it's not proper testing
>> and of course it'll be "worthless"! /real/ testing works just great.
>> you should try it.
>
> You have no experience with weather related battery failures. You can test
> them till your arms wear out and they'll test perfectly. Then their ability
> to hold a charge will vanish from one stop to the next and you'll have the joy
> of installing a battery in some 115 degree parking lot.
>
> I didn't say all batteries need to be replaced on a schedule everywhere.
>
> But in phoenix, it is most definitely the case. They last 4 years tops. A
> battery that would last 15 years elsewhere will fail on summer #2 when arriving
> here. Just about every time. It simply isn't worth waiting till they fail.
> The test then is simple. The car is stone cold dead. Test if every time you
> use the car and it'll test perfectly the time before it fails. There's no
> warning whatsoever. I really don't know what the failure mode is, and don't
> really care. When you're stranded in 115 degree heat, you just want it fixed,
> not torn apart for an autopsy.
exactly were in the op's post did you miss the part stating location as
"iowa"?
>
> Do you periodically test your oil? Filter?
> Timing belt?
> Some things are worth considering for preventative maintenance.
if there's no convenient test procedure, you replace according to a
statistically determined schedule. with batteries, health is easily
determined with the correct test instrument.
Re: When should I change the battery?
AZ Nomad wrote:
<snip>
> Do you periodically test your oil? Filter?
Sure do, I send a sample of the oil to Analysts, Inc. before each oil &
filter change. Their report tells me exactly what's going on in my
engine as well as the condition of the oil. I really don't want to start
another "how often should I change oil" thread, but my experience
suggests that most people are changing their oil far too often, e.g.,
every 3k miles.
> Timing belt?
Isn't every start a test of the timing belt? <jk>
TH
AZ Nomad wrote:
<snip>
> Do you periodically test your oil? Filter?
Sure do, I send a sample of the oil to Analysts, Inc. before each oil &
filter change. Their report tells me exactly what's going on in my
engine as well as the condition of the oil. I really don't want to start
another "how often should I change oil" thread, but my experience
suggests that most people are changing their oil far too often, e.g.,
every 3k miles.
> Timing belt?
Isn't every start a test of the timing belt? <jk>
TH
Re: When should I change the battery?
On Sat, 21 Jun 2008 03:01:33 -0400, Tony Harding <ToHard@nowhere.org> wrote:
>AZ Nomad wrote:
><snip>
>> Do you periodically test your oil? Filter?
>Sure do, I send a sample of the oil to Analysts, Inc. before each oil &
>filter change. Their report tells me exactly what's going on in my
>engine as well as the condition of the oil. I really don't want to start
>another "how often should I change oil" thread, but my experience
>suggests that most people are changing their oil far too often, e.g.,
>every 3k miles.
>> Timing belt?
>Isn't every start a test of the timing belt? <jk>
thank you for proving my theory that you're insane.
On Sat, 21 Jun 2008 03:01:33 -0400, Tony Harding <ToHard@nowhere.org> wrote:
>AZ Nomad wrote:
><snip>
>> Do you periodically test your oil? Filter?
>Sure do, I send a sample of the oil to Analysts, Inc. before each oil &
>filter change. Their report tells me exactly what's going on in my
>engine as well as the condition of the oil. I really don't want to start
>another "how often should I change oil" thread, but my experience
>suggests that most people are changing their oil far too often, e.g.,
>every 3k miles.
>> Timing belt?
>Isn't every start a test of the timing belt? <jk>
thank you for proving my theory that you're insane.
