3 batteries in 2 years, any ideas?

**aim4squirrels** · 11-13-2014, 10:15 AM

I'd pass on the optima battery all together. They aren't manufactured in the same place they used to be, and quality control has slipped.

You can Google optima battery failures. Prior to 2010, there isn't much out there. After is a different story.

Look into an AGM battery. Absorbent glass mat. Not the battery for the cheap people of the world, but it has a pretty good life span as vibrations aren't the primary longevity killer of these batteries, and they use minimal acid. Doesn't need to be vented if it's a trunk mounted battery either.

**Don M** · 11-13-2014, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Huh?

Originally I had my cell phone plugged into a 12v outlet to keep it charged in the car. I only took it out when I was going somewhere or at work. Every few weeks I get the weekend off (three days) so the phone would remain in the car, plugged in to a socket that was only 'live' when the car was on or running. On those weekends, the phone would go dead even though it wasn't used. But if I had the phone unplugged and in the house, the charge would last for several days.

I didn't want this happening to the flashlight, because I spoke with STREAMLITE and they said the best way to keep the battery in the light performing at its best was to keep it plugged in except for when it's in use, so I wired it to the battery side of the system.

Maybe I need to get one of those "battery tender" things that monitors battery life and 'disconnects' it when the charge gets low, but there's still enough juice to start the car.

**Setec Astronomy** · 11-13-2014, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by Don M

On those weekends, the phone would go dead even though it wasn't used. But if I had the phone unplugged and in the house, the charge would last for several days.

Something doesn't sound right about that. Do you still have that charger plugged into the car?

**Don M** · 11-13-2014, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Something doesn't sound right about that. Do you still have that charger plugged into the car?

No, it's been gone for years since I got a different phone and a house charger.

**dcjredline** · 11-13-2014, 11:12 AM

No need for an expensive shop diagnostics test. Take the alternator out and take it to an AutoZone or Advance Auto and they should be able to bench test it for you for FREE.

**Dogfather** · 11-13-2014, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Don M

My car is a 2006, Suzuki

Originally Posted by swanicyouth

I think I may have located the problem.

**jamesboyy** · 11-13-2014, 11:42 AM

Something else to check is your battery cables, grounds, starter, etc for any cracks, corrosion, or anything similar, and do note that if your body grounds sits upon painted surface than its not fully connected with the vehicle and will need a small section of the paint removed

**SameGuy** · 11-13-2014, 12:03 PM

I don't even think I'd go through all of that now that we know the flashlight is not on a switched circuit. The battery-charger-battery circuit isn't particularly efficient and will present a relatively large parasitic draw. I'd bet it's in the neighborhood of 200 mA even if the flashlight is charged.

**SameGuy** · 11-13-2014, 12:07 PM

FWIW, I upgraded from the stock wet cell 350 CCA battery to a sealed AGM Deka with 900 CCA and haven't had an issue in my own car. I'd go Deka again before looking at today's Optimas.

**swanicyouth** · 11-13-2014, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

I would blame it on the crap "Delco" battery that came with the car (the second one lasted a little longer than the first) but then there's the dealer saying 2 weeks is too long to leave the car sitting--what are people supposed to do with their new car if they go on vacation for 2 weeks?

I don't want to argue with you but the "normal OE drain" now includes telematics systems trying to talk to the cloud to give you emails telling you what your odometer says and keyless entry systems listening for your fob. I'm not sure that the satellite radio isn't also listening for a push from space to give it the new channels, which it can't get in the garage. I may have contributed by leaving a charger plugged in or a radar detector on, but I go back to the dealer telling me 2 weeks is too long to go without starting the car. Sorry done.

I don't think a Suzuki is getting emails from a cloud. Most (all?) of those things are off with the ignition being turned off. Sirius updates and is live with the key - and keyless entry find have been around since the 1980s.

I'm not convinced cars drain power significantly more when they are powered off today. I can't imagine an engineer (well, maybe a Ford engineer) designing the electrical system to go dead in 2 weeks. All the new cars in transit and on the lot would be dead.