[ds968]

Just replaced another one today- typically every 18 months, ( max. 2 years if I'm really lucky ) I have to change the battery in this car. The charging system has been tested and it works perfectly, all contacts are tight and clean, the battery's distilled water cells always filled, but the car sits a lot since it's driven only on weekends so some small drain is taking its toll - talked to Bob, seems the memory in the stereo's face plate draws quite a bit of amps, so I'll remove that from now when I don't drive the car and see how much more time that buys me.

It's good that batteries are relatively cheap so I don't mind spending $ 100 every other year and a half, but it's getting kinda' annoying [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif[/img] !

I have been using the Interstate Megatron Plus which I hear is as strong of a battery as you can buy out there, but a charge drain is a drain and if it keeps erroding at the ability to fully charge it back up little by little eventually it just does not hold that much power.. still, I'm surprised at the short amount of time it takes to die.

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[PhilG968]

Drive mine everyday, had my interstate battery in 3 years now.
PO had a cheap battery in that I had to replace almost right away.
How about a battery minder putting in a trickle charge?
Wouldn't that solve the problem.

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[rhudeboye]

I'm on battery number 3 now. Not sure when the original batt was installed but it died when my car was at IMA. They replace it with an interstate as the car wouldnt start when I came to pick it up. That only lasted 2 years. Not even a full 2. So since Sept 08 I've been running an autozone batt. I can't remember the name of it. I wanted a red top but finding one was difficult. So I got a premium auto Zone batt. We'll see if I can make it to 2011.

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[DaveN]

If I had that issue it wouldn't take me long to run a small wire out the front grill and put on a small black connector for a trickle charger. You'ld never see it there and it would be nice and convenient.

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[PorscheDude]

Check that your glovebox light is going out when the door is shut.
I just had this problem. Turned out the the light was always on.

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[Ryan]

Apparently sulfur buildup on the cell plates is the cause of premature battery death. I bought a "smart charger" that has a cycle called de-sufurization that sends high frequency waves through the cells and breaks this up. I have tried it on a battery that would not hold a charge and after the treatment the battery works again. I use this on all my batterys now and the life is greatly extended.

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[Fox944]

my car has the same battery it had when i purchased it back in October, 2005. Don't know how old it was at that point.

recently, I havnt started the car in nearly 2 months so my battery was dead, charged it up with a trickle charger and the car started right up. I also have lightweight pulleys on my car which doesnt help.

there has to be something wrong if your car needs a new battery every 18 months.

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[flash]

ryan hit it on the head

some things that cause this are high drain accessories - car stereos are big for this - the memory in the face plate draws a lot on some units - remove the plate when the car is sitting - plugging something into the dome light power (like a homelink mirror) can do this too

over charging a battery can do this too - don't leave a battery on anything but a smart charger for more than a couple of hours

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[kwikt]

Get the Battery Tender. I use em on my Harley and 911. BTW, my Bosch battery on the 968 is going on year 3. I also replaced all the cables which made a HUGE difference.

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[ds968]

Just ordered the Battery Tender. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

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[unknown4u]

I do have the same problem that life is no longer than 18 month till 21.
In rest the car is consuming 0,08 A. That is not so much. But the car must have some aliens aboard during the day and night when I am not around.
The battery is dead about in 10 days. Only with a fresh one it takes a bit longer. 4 weeks.
During the last year I was not able to found the !@#$ alien. Must be in the alarmsystem from the car. There is also next to the original alarm a second one installed due to insurance reasons.
Since the first day that I own the car I use battery tender. Only to be safe that the car will start If I want to drive...........

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[Fox944]

I still don't get it. You guys are going through batterys WAY too often. I've owned my cars for nearly 4 1/2 years and am still on the same battery that was in the car when i bought it. The previous owner serviced his car at one shop and kept all the service records, there is no record of him buying a new battery either. So my battery is at least 4.5 years old, more likely 5.5-6 years old and it still works fine.

After leavign my car to sit for nearly 2 months, my battery was almost completly flat. I used a trickl;e charger for a couple hours to charge it up on Saturday and it started right up. Went for a ride to NYC and back (5 hour round trip). Brought the car to work this morning, it started right up.

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[flash]

this is full of usefull stuff:

http://www.batterystuff.com/tutorial_battery.html

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[Lonestar968]

This may seem kinda' crazy but I purchased a <b>USED</b> Optima red top battery for my 98 Explorer Limited back in June of 2000 when the original equipment battery very suddenly bit the dust. That same red top battery is still goin' like the Energizer Bunny!!! Crazy! The truck has seen VERY extreme cold and VERY extreme heat over the last almost 10 years of service. Incredible, and it still spins up like a new battery!!!

My 968 battery (Varta, 3 years old) has been dying for about the last 4 or 5 months now and finally died altogether. So reluctantly, I was forced to buy a new one. If it weren't for the weight and size of the Optima, I would have purchased a new red top, but instead, after months of research, I bought an Odyssey 925. I saved over 10 lbs (way up high on the chassis) and spent the same money as the red top. It came fully charged and lit the car up on just three spins after having sat idle for nearly two weeks!!! An extra advantage is that it is freaking tiny (6.94L x 7.05W x 5.04H inches) and at just about 25.5 lbs, it's a bantam weight powerhouse!

I'll post endurance and performance updates as time goes by but so far, I'm liking the Odyssey.

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[rhudeboye]

Those Optimas are incredible.

I didnt give weight much thought but you make a solid point. If.. well make that when, this one dies on me I will be considering the weight of the next batt.

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[Ryan]

Good read Flash......

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[flash]

thanks - pretty useful stuff - i was especially impressed with the decreased life based on drainage and period to recharge

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[ds968]

If I'm reading the specs correctly for the same group category, the Odyssey is almost 50% lighter than the Optima [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/huh.gif[/img]
( 26 lbs vs 38 lbs )

I wonder what the Interstate weighs - could not find the data on that.

Also the Odyssey lists a 380 CCA ( the Interstate has 700 CCA.. ) Is that difference of any material impact ?

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[bob blackwell]

CCA stands for Cold Cranking Amps and is important if you use your car during the very cold winter months. Good luck, Bob Blackwell.

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[ds968]

I presume there is no way using a battery tender could trigger the dreaded " ! " light .. which has to be reset at the dealer ? Has anyone had, or heard of that problem associated with trickle chargers ?
The charger I got is the Deltran brand with all of its built-in overcharge protection, yada, yada ..

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