YACT - easy dead battery question

[spidey07]

This should be easy...

1) Car/battery is 3 years old
2) She spent the night outside in sub-zero temps with dome light on
3) Amazingly battery was totally dead in the morning - not enough to open door locks, could barely enough to illuminate dash lights let alone accesories
4) Honda accord could not jump her, turned her over, just not enough power
5) Got a better jump and drive 20 minutes to work, damn dome light is still on (my own fault, I didn't realize until later that is the reason for my dead battery, thought it was just the cold/age)
6) Leave work, battery plum dead (hey dumbarse, turn off the dome light), built-in theft deterant appears to be reset, thinks I am stealing the car, enter code into stereo. Sit embarassingly in parking lot as horn barks for 120 seconds everytime you open a door. Shoulda RTFM.

So the question remains - drained battery to nothing twice, in 0-15 degree weather. New battery or not? Does this kind of drainage/cold weather actually harm the battery? If so I don't mind spending money on a really good battery.

 

[RGUN]

Sounds like a new battery is in order

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: RGUN
Sounds like a new battery is in order

So I killed the battery, eh? Never had a problem before. I know a fair amout about cars, but don't know if this kind of "abuse" can "kill" a battery. If so then so be it and I'll pick one up tomorrow.

 

[Heisenberg]

Charge the battery and see if it holds the charge and/or take it to a parts store and have it load tested. Deep cycling batteries is not good for them, but it doesn't necessarily kill them.

 

[amdskip]

Cold weather is hard on batteries in general and draining one in cold is even worse. Get the biggest battery that will physically fit in your car and that the cables will work with.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Charge the battery and see if it holds the charge and/or take it to a parts store and have it load tested. Deep cycling batteries is not good for them, but it doesn't necessarily kill them.

Yup. And to the OP... Just FYI, when a battery dies in the winter it is usually from damage endured during the heat of summer. Cold cranking requires more amperage and that is usually when the battery's issues come to light.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

It won't necessarily kill it, but your battery is certainly at the end of its expected lifecycle.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
It won't necessarily kill it, but your battery is certainly at the end of its expected lifecycle.

Thanks. I'll pick up a new battery.

Interesting to note that the Honda couldn't start my Acura. But a GM could. Even with that poor hamster working as hard as she could, it just wasn't enough.

 

[Sukhoi]

Originally posted by: spidey07
This should be easy...

1) Car/battery is 3 years old
2) She spent the night outside in sub-zero temps with dome light on
3) Amazingly battery was totally dead in the morning - not enough to open door locks, could barely enough to illuminate dash lights let alone accesories
4) Honda accord could not jump her, turned her over, just not enough power
5) Got a better jump and drive 20 minutes to work, damn dome light is still on (my own fault, I didn't realize until later that is the reason for my dead battery, thought it was just the cold/age)
6) Leave work, battery plum dead (hey dumbarse, turn off the dome light), built-in theft deterant appears to be reset, thinks I am stealing the car, enter code into stereo. Sit embarassingly in parking lot as horn barks for 120 seconds everytime you open a door. Shoulda RTFM.

So the question remains - drained battery to nothing twice, in 0-15 degree weather. New battery or not? Does this kind of drainage/cold weather actually harm the battery? If so I don't mind spending money on a really good battery.

:laugh: That would have been hilarious to see.

If you have a good battery charger you could try doing a real slow or fast charge (thinking you need to do a fast charge to shock it, but not sure) and that *might* get it mostly back to normal. But you'll probably need a new battery.

 

[Kelemvor]

Get a charger and charge it up. If it doesn't work, just take the charger back. But it's a good thing to have on hand anyway. Just plug it in and let it go overnight. SHould charge it up and trickle it the rest. No need to buy a new battery if the one you have is just fine and just needs a charge.

And it's much better for the battery to charge it on a charger than to charge it by just letting the car run...

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
:laugh: That would have been hilarious to see.

If you have a good battery charger you could try doing a real slow or fast charge (thinking you need to do a fast charge to shock it, but not sure) and that *might* get it mostly back to normal. But you'll probably need a new battery.

Security brought out this little device, couldn't not have been larger than a portable defribolator (sp?). Cranked her over real quick.

 

[Shawn]

tard.


Just replace it. It may hold a charge for a while but it's not worth risk getting stuck again, and you likely will.

 

[Sukhoi]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
:laugh: That would have been hilarious to see.

If you have a good battery charger you could try doing a real slow or fast charge (thinking you need to do a fast charge to shock it, but not sure) and that *might* get it mostly back to normal. But you'll probably need a new battery.

Security brought out this little device, couldn't not have been larger than a portable defribolator (sp?). Cranked her over real quick.

Well that's good. Security people actually doing something useful, who knew?

 

[FoBoT]

no, spring is just around the corner, wait

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
It won't necessarily kill it, but your battery is certainly at the end of its expected lifecycle.

Thanks. I'll pick up a new battery.

Interesting to note that the Honda couldn't start my Acura. But a GM could. Even with that poor hamster working as hard as she could, it just wasn't enough.

Some batteries will last 5 or 6 years. Some only two, it just depends. I think my truck battery I replaced this year lasted 4. Living in Wisconsin, I would flat out replace any after 4.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Shawn
tard.


Just replace it. It may hold a charge for a while but it's not worth risk getting stuck again, and you likely will.

Well that was my main question...

If you drain a battery that low can it ever recouperate? Or is a surefire sign to replace.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
:laugh: That would have been hilarious to see.

If you have a good battery charger you could try doing a real slow or fast charge (thinking you need to do a fast charge to shock it, but not sure) and that *might* get it mostly back to normal. But you'll probably need a new battery.

Security brought out this little device, couldn't not have been larger than a portable defribolator (sp?). Cranked her over real quick.

my dad ran a used car lot for a couple of years and has one of these. theyre *very* handy.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: xSauronx
my dad ran a used car lot for a couple of years and has one of these. theyre *very* handy.

Heh, I looked at that thing and said "you,re gonna start this motor with that when an accord couldn't do it?"

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Get a charger and charge it up. If it doesn't work, just take the charger back. But it's a good thing to have on hand anyway. Just plug it in and let it go overnight. SHould charge it up and trickle it the rest. No need to buy a new battery if the one you have is just fine and just needs a charge.

And it's much better for the battery to charge it on a charger than to charge it by just letting the car run...

 

[Kaervak]

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Some batteries will last 5 or 6 years. Some only two, it just depends. I think my truck battery I replaced this year lasted 4. Living in Wisconsin, I would flat out replace any after 4.

I managed to get seven years out of the battery in my Saturn. Probably would have gotten a few more if someone had bothered to tell me the power door lock switch broke was stuck on all damn day slowly draining the life out of it.

Anyway, I'd charge it first and then have it load tested before replacing it. Only thing it will cost you is time.