Re: Battery shorting out

["Dennis C." <dennis.2914@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

You may have just been the lucky one to have two bad batteries.  Get
the battery replaced under warranty.  Depending on where you are
getting the battery they may even do a basic test of your charging
system.

As said, nothing external to the battery should be able to cause one
cell to short.  Having said that a standard car battery is not a deep
cycle battery and repeated deep or full discharges are very hard on
the battery and will shorten the life and capacity of the battery. A
bad voltage regulator that over charges a battery will cause excessive
heat and gas discharge of the battery and damage the battery.

You are probably aware but when working on a battery always remove the
neg. cable first.  It reduces the chances of a wrench slipping and
shorting the positive terminal to ground which will cause a major arc
that can in some cases result in a battery explosion from the hydrogen
gas in the battery.

However here are a couple of things that you can check that have been
mentioned:

Check the voltage at the battery with a good battery in the car and
the engine running, you should get around 14 volts plus or minus a
little.

Check your voltage regulator, take it off (with the neg battery cable
off) and look at the bottom.  If it has two long wire resistors it is
a mechanical regulator and it should be replaced.  ALL of the major
parts houses have your regulator in stock.  Prices will range from $20
to $60 per unit. Ask to see a low to mid priced unit and look at the
bottom, no reisistors it should be an electronic unit.

Install the new regulator, make sure it is well grounded and all
terminals look good.  Any new electronic equipment like your sound
system will like the new regulator, less electrical noise on the
system.

Check the terminals on the alternator, (with the neg. battery cable
off) all should be in good condition and tight.

Again check your voltage at the battery, around 14 volts running and
you should be good.

Here is a link to some basic information, much more can be done with a
Google search:

http://www.familycar.com/Classroom/charging.htm

Take Care
Dennis C.

On Nov 6, 5:11 am, Laborboy <labor...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Any ideas on why a new battery would short out after about a month?
> Shows a charge, but won't take a load--tester indicates a bad cell.
> This is the second battery where this happened. How should I diagnose
> this problem, and what are the potential causes?
>
> Engine wiring harness has been replaced, alternator is new.
>
> Zack in Chicago
> 1964 Dodge 330, 318 poly

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