Interstate Megatron Plus Car Battery - I had good luck in the past but now...

[Meketrefe]

Hi guys,

I noticed that my car battery is running low. I purchased the Interstate megatron-Plus car battery
because it had 6 year warranty and more cranking amps for this type of winters here but something is happening.
It is only 2 years old so I am surprised it would go bad that soon. The car sleeps in attached garage too.

The thing is, the battery is charging to a point but if I don't move the car in 2 or 3 days it goes down to 3 volts!

Nothing is on in the car. I don't think there is a parasitic discharge or anything. connectors are clean.

I don't have the receipt but should I just walk into their outlet and tell them?

Any ideas what to check for?

Thanks.

[Cgrutt]

if you have a test light (or 12v bulb) disconnect negative terminal and run the test light/bulb in series between terminal and ground wire. The bulb will light up if anything is drawing power. If you have a draw start pulling fuses until light goes out, that will get you to what circuit is causing problem. Of course, you may have just got a weak battery...

[dwa12479]

Sounds like you've got some bad cells. I'd change it out before winter for sure.

[Calculon]

I always try the easier solution first. Try replacing battery. Pretty sure the batteries have date codes stamped on them so even without receipt they know how old it is.

[Meketrefe]

if you have a test light (or 12v bulb) disconnect negative terminal and run the test light/bulb in series between terminal and ground wire. The bulb will light up if anything is drawing power. If you have a draw start pulling fuses until light goes out, that will get you to what circuit is causing problem. Of course, you may have just got a weak battery...

Thanks. I actually have a voltage meter so I will check it out. The thing is there is going to be a tiny draw from the clock and alarm but it should be a few miliamps.

[Meketrefe]

Thanks guys. I think I am going stop by interstate in clay rd. and see what they say. The winter is coming and I don't like the though of driving around with a bad battery.

[Tony]

If you were to hook it up to a 10 amp charger and it charged at a rate of initially about 9 amps and the charge rate slowly ( over a period of hours ) went down to 6 or 7 I'd say the battery is good. If it will not take a charge or charges at 3 or 4 amps and drops to 1 the battery is bad and not taking a charge. What you are describing sounds like a bad diode in the alternator and it slowly drains the battery...

[thughes]

Sounds like you've got some bad cells. I'd change it out before winter for sure.

This^

Volts is one thing but amps is what you need to start the car. A simple load test will determine the actual state of the battery, the place that sold you the battery will be able to perform this test....if not just take it out to dwa and he'll be happy to test it for you (for a BBQ lunch and a blowjob).

[camper4lyfe]

This^

Volts is one thing but amps is what you need to start the car. A simple load test will determine the actual state of the battery, the place that sold you the battery will be able to perform this test....if not just take it out to dwa and he'll be happy to test it for you (for a BBQ lunch and a blowjob).

+1. Definitely have it load tested.

[Meketrefe]

The alternator is working fine. The battery looses charge fast even when disconnected from the car. So I am going to take it to interstate.
Thanks guys for your wise advice.

[Meketrefe]

I got a chance to stop by Interstate to get it inspected and it simply was too depleted from the time I was on vacation.
I gave it a good charge as they suggested and the battery came back to life. Deep charging is something good to do if you didn't use
the car for 2 or 3 months. Or leave it on a battery tender like the motorcycles in the winter.

[Calculon]

Glad it worked out well. Had 2 batteries go last week and replaced both with interstate. Tried charging both overnight but despite a full charge did not have enough cranking amps. Picked up a load tester at Harbor Freight for $21 and was able to test them myself. Well worth the money with the time it saved me running to a tech or store to have it tested.