Winter Weather Begins This Week

[mykalberta]

You were at sleep at work - sweet.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by J pold

Somebody stole my extension cords so I couldn't plug it in last night.

Nice. When I get home I'll give it a boost, I'm pretty thrilled as I thought I was going to have to pay for a new starter.

Thanks guys.

You might need to shell out $100 for a new battery. Figure out how old your battery is, if its more than 5 years, you can count on replacing it.

[CKPThunder]

Originally Posted by J pold

I don't think so. When I turn the key all the dash-lights come on, and my radio fires up. Than again, like I said, I know nothing about cars so I'll give it a boost when I get home.

Thanks.

Your battery is dead. This happened to me on Sunday and I had almost the exact same symptoms as you. When I finally got some time to boost the car, it took forever to finally get the engine to turnover. I had my foot on the gas for like 15 minutes and when I finally took my foot off, the engine died and would not start up again without another boost.

Do what I did and get yourself a new battery. The last thing you want is to have your car stall out on you in the middle of some intersection.

[J pold]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

You might need to shell out $100 for a new battery. Figure out how old your battery is, if its more than 5 years, you can count on replacing it.

Flipping cars! such money pits.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

You might need to shell out $100 for a new battery. Figure out how old your battery is, if its more than 5 years, you can count on replacing it.

First of all, if its old, check if its swollen before you try boosting it, old batteries can freeze, and if its frozen DONT boost it.

Dont bother thawing it either, just turf it and buy a new one, if its frozen its done.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by CKPThunder

Your battery is dead. This happened to me on Sunday and I had almost the exact same symptoms as you. When I finally got some time to boost the car, it took forever to finally get the engine to turnover. I had my foot on the gas for like 15 minutes and when I finally took my foot off, the engine died and would not start up again without another boost.

Do what I did and get yourself a new battery. The last thing you want is to have your car stall out on you in the middle of some intersection.

That sounds like a bad voltage regulator in your alternator.

[Ramsayfarian]

It amazing how warm -10 can seem.
http://wx.ca/

[CKPThunder]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

That sounds like a bad voltage regulator in your alternator.

I thought it might be the alternator but it seems the new battery has done the trick. I will get the alternator looked at when I take the car in cause I'd hate to drain the battery again due to the alternator.

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

That sounds like a bad voltage regulator in your alternator.

In the old days, yes, but with all the electronics engines rely on now, if the battery is completely hooped the alternator might not supply the right voltage.

Alternators charge at 13.7 volts and that might be too high for a fuel pump or the cars puter ?

On a side note, a lot of car starters can be programed to start the vehicle every hr or what ever. If you can't plug in, this could be pretty handy.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by CKPThunder

I thought it might be the alternator but it seems the new battery has done the trick. I will get the alternator looked at when I take the car in cause I'd hate to drain the battery again due to the alternator.

It might be intermitent. Sometimes they will still run the car if the revs are high enough. Usually though, the battery ends up carrying the load or a portion of it, and it slowly drains over time.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Pinner

In the old days, yes, but with all the electronics engines rely on now, if the battery is completely hooped the alternator might not supply the right voltage.

Alternators charge at 13.7 volts and that might be too high for a fuel pump or the cars puter ?

On a side note, a lot of car starters can be programed to start the vehicle every hr or what ever. If you can't plug in, this could be pretty handy.

If the battery was done, the alternator would put out more volts trying to charge it. His description sounds like its not putting out enough power to deliver spark, hence the long boost time and flooring it.

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

If the battery was done, the alternator would put out more volts trying to charge it. His description sounds like its not putting out enough power to deliver spark, hence the long boost time and flooring it.

I understand that, but some electronics want 12 volts, not 11 or 13, 12.

And bad batteries won't hold any charge, nothing. Like a frozen one.

While were at it, electronic cars should not be running when you give someone a boost, jumps in voltage or a dead short could fry YOUR computer or lots of other stuff. Tow trucks have separate isolated batteries for boosting because of this.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Pinner

I understand that, but some electronics want 12 volts, not 11 or 13, 12.

And bad batteries won't hold any charge, nothing. Like a frozen one.

While were at it, electronic cars should not be running when you give someone a boost, jumps in voltage or a dead short could fry YOUR computer or lots of other stuff. Tow trucks have separate isolated batteries for boosting because of this.

I'm not an electrical expert, but I'm pretty sure the different components will either accept varying voltage, or they have some sort of step up or down transformers. Most tow trucks have separate batteries because they are diesels, and you dont want to fry the glow plug circuit. At least my truck is this way.

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Most tow trucks have separate batteries because they are diesels, and you dont want to fry the glow plug circuit.

Oki doki

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Pinner

Oki doki

I could say the same thing about your theory regarding boosting an "electronic" car while running.

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I could say the same thing about your theory regarding boosting an "electronic" car while running.

There's just as much electronics on a diesel as a gas job, neither should be running.

Jeez, I gave good advice that could save people huge problems and big money, and you just want to disagree with anything I say. /

[Mazrim]

Well Pinner, it IS pretty fun to watch you continue to try to debate everything people say in this thread like you're the only reliable source of information.

[TylerSVT]

-8.3 break out the shorts!@!!@ woot

[Raekwon]

Well Pinner has been pretty bang on this whole thread, I hate to admit it but its true

Edit: ok just the driving stuff not the alternator posts

[Barnes]

Anything in your car is designed to run 11, 12, 13 Volts. Fortunately, the rest of except apparently Pinner live in a world governed by the laws of physics where a battery system cant just up and boost potential difference (Voltage).

Tow trucks probably carry external batteries in case they need to boost a 24V system. They probably can switch from a series (24V) to a parallel (12V) set up.