Batteries

My wife inadvertantly left the dome light on on our '03 Echo in the summer when the car was only a year old. The car wouldn't start the next morning...completely dead. Her father had a brand new battery, never used, and that new battery would no longer hold a charge. I learned a lesson then not to let a battery go dead even if it's new as it was useless after a couple of years sitting idle. Most know about that probably, but this warning is for those that don't.

I have a battery charger with a guage on it to tell me state of battery condition.

I always have a few extra batteries in the garage, but occassionally I put them on the charger to keep them going.

My wife inadvertantly left the dome light on on our '03 Echo in the summer when the car was only a year old. The car wouldn't start the next morning...completely dead. Her father had a brand new battery, never used, and that new battery would no longer hold a charge. I learned a lesson then not to let a battery go dead even if it's new as it was useless after a couple of years sitting idle. Most know about that probably, but this warning is for those that don't.

I had that happened not too long ago. The trunk didn't close properly and the trunk light drained it. The moment I found it didn't start, I pulled it and sat a computer power supply on top of the -ve terminal, +12V to the +ve post, turned it on and ran it overnight. It won't properly charge this way, so the next day I took it to crappy tire for a test. Turns out to be still good and they charged it for free. As of this moment it still holds a charge.

Try my computer power supply trick. It may save a car battery or two down the road.

(EDIT: I'm in a pinch and don't have a proper charger. If you have one, by all means use it.)

actually an old PSU will charge the battery OK, but be careful. a 250W power supply could supply enough amperage to hurt the battery. batteries should be charged slowly to avoid damage, sometimes those 1 hour fast charges can kill a battery faster than being drained completely!

So Musak -- what happened? Were you able to recharge the battery in the Echo? Or did you have to buy a new battery?

I ran into a similar problem last winter. On a particularly cold night, my Corolla did the uncommanded lights-on trick, and my battery was dead the next day. Fortunately it was my day off; and being an amateur radio operator, I had a 12 volt power supply which I was able to use to get a small charge on the battery and then get the car started. That same day I went to Sears and purchased a "jumper box" and I now keep it charged at all times. It has also proved handy to power my small 12 volt air compresser which I use to keep my tires properly inflated, on both my Corolla and my bicycle! I did end up using it to start the car on yet another cold morning -- and this time it really saved my bacon because I was on my way to work! I'm a Paratransit bus driver, and if I miss my start time, my day's work is given to a "list" operator. So, the day's pay that jump box saved me paid for it many times over! Now I keep it in the trunk on any day the temperatures are forecast to dip below freezing.

So Musak -- what happened? Were you able to recharge the battery in the Echo? Or did you have to buy a new battery?

I ran into a similar problem last winter. On a particularly cold night, my Corolla did the uncommanded lights-on trick, and my battery was dead the next day. Fortunately it was my day off; and being an amateur radio operator, I had a 12 volt power supply which I was able to use to get a small charge on the battery and then get the car started. That same day I went to Sears and purchased a "jumper box" and I now keep it charged at all times. It has also proved handy to power my small 12 volt air compresser which I use to keep my tires properly inflated, on both my Corolla and my bicycle! I did end up using it to start the car on yet another cold morning -- and this time it really saved my bacon because I was on my way to work! I'm a Paratransit bus driver, and if I miss my start time, my day's work is given to a "list" operator. So, the day's pay that jump box saved me paid for it many times over! Now I keep it in the trunk on any day the temperatures are forecast to dip below freezing.

As long as you can get enough of a charge to the battery to start the car, the alternator will charge it up after that.

 

 

So Musak -- what happened? Were you able to recharge the battery in the Echo? Or did you have to buy a new battery?

Yes, the Echo battery just had to be charged but it was the brand new heavy duty battery that wouldn't hold a charge. It was a couple of years old and never used as her father bought two as they were on sale. Not much of a sale when you have to dispose of one of them.

So Musak -- what happened? Were you able to recharge the battery in the Echo? Or did you have to buy a new battery?

Yes, the Echo battery just had to be charged but it was the brand new heavy duty battery that wouldn't hold a charge. It was a couple of years old and never used as her father bought two as they were on sale. Not much of a sale when you have to dispose of one of them.

Some places will pay you for your old battery, when you buy a replacement from them.