Blas and Other Battery Experts-Help!

[Blas]

That's ok...I didn't know what a "DD" was (as related to cars that is )

[ERA Chas]

OK some visual aids as promised:



The fluid is just to the split rings. This was taken this AM but has been cleaned 5 times before. You can see a bit of fluid on the batt top and around the cell cover perimeter. Other 3 cells are similar appearance. Plates are clearly visible in some of the cells but a few have a gray deposit (sulfate?) on their tops.
Batt was 12.6 at 63F this AM. Car not started.

[Blas]

Battery is toast....

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Blas

Battery is toast....

Man of few words.
Just a 'bad battery'? I can replace it under 3 year warranty but what / how killed it?
And why does it show normal voltage?

[Blas]

Seeing as this battery is from your daily driver, I assume it is constantly used with no extended periods of no-run time.
But - other things that come to mind are:
If the battery has ever totally discharged and was then recharged (hopefully not using a "deep-charge" type charger)...
or:
I'll also assume it has never discharged and partially frozen...
or:
If your electrolyte had got extreamly low once or twice and you didn't notice it until the car didn't start one day.... so you then refilled it with water, and hopefully did not use "Tap" water, especially if you have well water....
or:
They just don't make batteries like they used too....

Bottom line is:
If you got the build-up on the battery plates, you've got a problem...

or
Maybe you have sea monkeys are living in the battery?

[ERA Chas]

Are sea monkeys like blinker fluid? See-I loin quick Mo!

Sorry-no to all above. Car is 7 year old 45K mile cream puff. This is second battery after OEM, replaced 2 1/2 years ago. Garage kept, never frozen or deep discharged.
Any additions done with distilled water, in fact I figured I had it over filled the first time I saw this recent problem.
I can take batt back under 3 year replacement warranty.

BUT-the only factor I didn't mention was that when I bought it, I got a different group size but superior CCA and RC. I wanted a Bosch but the group 35 size (OEM for the car) didn't have correct terminal orientation. So I bought the size 25 which fit perfectly with correct terminals.

Could the size difference work differently with the charging system in the car-overcharging it at only 14.2.

[Blas]

Should not be a problem: Battery Groups are related to case sizes and +/- terminal orientations & locations.

It is odd that a Group 25 battery and a Group 35 battery which differ in their left vs right position of the "+" terminal fit you car???

[FWB]

a battery engineer explained battery construction to me, he was working for interstate, i didn't pay too much attention but the jist of it was the construction method of how the plates are affixed inside the battery was changed by most of the manufacturers, they had a bean counter tell them they could save money was the story i heard.....anyway what happens is now the plates sometimes touch inadvertently and shorts the battery, sometimes it still starts the car but other times its not as nice as cases exploding or acid puking out the top.

truth? who knows but it's what i heard......he did say he stayed at a holiday inn express, so it must be true

[Blas]

Did he mention the Sea Monkeys?