Battery Tip

[Russ]

The battery in my Jetta finally gave up. The tender said it was fully charged, but it wouldn't turn the engine over. When I put my voltmeter on it, the battery was only reading ~9 volts.

My friend Perry suggested that I try Interstate on Shallowford Road and ask for a "blem" battery (short for blemish). They are reconditioned batteries that have scratches or dents on the case and a different label.

I got one of those for $49 with tax and it has a year free replacement warranty, as long as you keep the receipt. List price on a brand new battery for my car is $95 and up. Most "new" batteries are just reconditioned ones in a new plastic case, so for half the price who cares if the outside doesn't look new?

If you're needing a new battery soon, that might save you some bucks.

[Bignick]

I've heard about blem batteries before and my dad has visited them for these before. I haven't had the opportunity to go try this, but my Isuzu was acting up the other day...

Another awesome tip I learned about batteries was that if you have a battery that if left alone for a few weeks ends up dying and your charger keeps popping up "error", you can often salvage a battery by piggy backing a known good battery off on the bad one with jumper cables. The charger gets fooled into thinking that the bad battery is still good, just low, because it is reading the known good battery's levels. *Disclaimer, I use an old battery that I run my boat off of for the known good battery- don't do this on your even nicer, fancier car's battery!!! I claim no responsibility for your $200 high-line, fancy-pants car's battery if you try this with it!!!

[Russ]

That is a good tip also, one I learned when I got back from vacation. I left my Jetta at home and didn't have the trickle charger plugged in all week, so the battery ran down all the way and I couldn't revive it with my charger. The bus is the same size battery, so I pulled it out and jumped it to the Jetta battery, then applied my charger. Eventually it brought it back.

Come to think of it, this may be one of the reasons my Jetta's battery died. Running them all the way dead usually isn't a good thing for them.

[travisyoung]

I have used a lot of the blem batteries with decent results

[Ret.Bugtech]

That is a good tip also, one I learned when I got back from vacation. I left my Jetta at home and didn't have the trickle charger plugged in all week, so the battery ran down all the way and I couldn't revive it with my charger. The bus is the same size battery, so I pulled it out and jumped it to the Jetta battery, then applied my charger. Eventually it brought it back.

Come to think of it, this may be one of the reasons my Jetta's battery died. Running them all the way dead usually isn't a good thing for them.

This is all very strange. Not driving Albert for months at times you would think it would go down but it turns over just fine and cranks up after some gas gets to carb.  2-3 min's.   If a battery goes down in a week just sitting there, Its more than likey sulfated or you have a drain.

[Russ]

Oh I most definitely have a drain because I have to charge it back up every few weeks or it won't start.

[travisyoung]

The thing has an interstate battery that was used when I got it and I can let it sit for a month and it will still crank

[dubtech]

Oh I most definitely have a drain because I have to charge it back up every few weeks or it won't start.

You should get one of the solar panels that the cars get shipped with.  I'm sure they have a few extra at the dealer.

[Russ]

That is a good idea. How well do they work? Also I was thinking of maybe constructing a spoiler out of cardboard or perhaps disconnecting my alternator. What do you think of that?

[dubtech]

The panels work great to offset the ~20 mA of draw your car should have once all the modules in the car go to sleep.

As far as the spoiler goes, I had assumed that was the new style with wagons and I can't believe you haven't already installed one.  Better yet, perhaps you can fashion an adapter for a hamster wheel so that you can attach it to the alternator pulley and keep the battery charged.

[ASBug]

That is a good idea. How well do they work? Also I was thinking of maybe constructing a spoiler out of cardboard or perhaps disconnecting my alternator. What do you think of that?

+ 5 points for a semi pertinent smelly cat poke!

[Bignick]

That is a good idea. How well do they work? Also I was thinking of maybe constructing a spoiler out of cardboard or perhaps disconnecting my alternator. What do you think of that?

+ 5 points for a semi pertinent smelly cat poke!

Why doesn't SC just run his car off of these?

[Russ]

That's exactly the one I need!

[ASBug]

How could one get these from the dealer?
Is this a return to manufacturing Item?
Travis?
KC

[ASBug]

That is a good idea. How well do they work? Also I was thinking of maybe constructing a spoiler out of cardboard or perhaps disconnecting my alternator. What do you think of that?

Did your account get hacked by smelly cat or did his Karma rub off on you?
KC