Massive Battery Failure

[chriscburgess]

HELP!!

OK I shall try to sequence this logically.

the van usually starts on the button but turns very slow - that said it starts in under 6 secs.

so started it a few weeks ago - on the button - moved it to get other car out. went back to van 20 minutes later - dead as a dodo. - ignition light barely on. Eventually managed to jump start it but it took 15 minutes of trying and the jump leads got very hot.

Seemed fine after that.

Decided to get a cheapo Maplin solar charger to trickle charge it through cigarette lighter. (which always has power)

Left that on for one week, hopped in to start it and no electrical power at all. No ignition lights indicators, nothing!

would not even turn engine with a jump start!

Charged battery for 24 hours - charger said fully charged.

Popped battery in again - completely dead no ignition lights etc.

checked fuse box all seems fine.

Now I don't know what to do. Could it be the solar charger has buggered the battery?

Any other clues gratefully received.

[kevtherev]

have the battery checked or buy a multimeter and check voltage should read over 13V

14.5 when on charge from the alternator

sounds like it's fu-barred though

[Other-Power]

HELP!!

Now I don't know what to do. Could it be the solar charger has buggered the battery?

No that would not have done it, either there is a huge drain on the battery like a big amplifier ????????

or

the battery has dropped a plate inside that is stopping it from delivering current to the electrics properly. take the battery out and put another one in from another car, see if it does it again.

Have you recently had a heavy cold period where you are?

Jon

[chriscburgess]

thanks for the responses - it has been quite cold - frost over the last couple of days.

I have just plugged the charger in again whilst the battery is connected and the charger says it is 70 % charged but still no power to anything at all!

[futurecut]

Corroded eart maybe? Or a short somewhere draining power intermittently.

Not all battery chargers are equal. Cheapies can't regenerate batteries.

CTek are good.

[tonytech]

Well if you have the charger attached to the battery and the battery attached to the van and no ignition lights on, or fan working etc then I'd think you have a bad connection somewhere!!!

get a multimeter on the battery, meter on the terminals, and on the cable clamps, meter from the earth strap as well.

T

[chriscburgess]

Thanks for all the advice. The nice man from the AA came out today and after 45 minutes found a wire disconnected from the battery. when connected it started on the button!

God know how I have been running it recently the wire must have just been touching in the right place........