Re: Battery question

["Tom Harais" <tjhemh@domain.elided>]

Rob:


"YES" to all your questions.

Check the battery voltage after charging. If it's 9 or less, you've got one
or two bad cells. Individual cells do short out when plates break or
sulfating plugs the space between.

Use a hydrometer to check the specific gravity of the acid in each cell and
make sure it's in spec. If not, your battery is suspect.

The ultimate battery test of course, is a load test where  you test the
battery volatage in response to a heavy load. Too large of a drop indicates
a bad battery as well. I don't have a load tester, but have been able to
get by just by connecting my VOM to the batter and turning on headlights
and fan and watching the drop. If it drops from a fully charged 13.whatever
to less than about 10 volts, I know it doesn't have the reserve it should.

Tom H.