I have a problem with a starter battery at least I believe it's a starter battery. It shows cold cranking amps so it's got to be a starter battery, it's connected to another battery that's fully charged over 12 volts. I had to add distilled water to the cells I"m not sure if they could be bad, I tried charging it in regular and trickle but I couldn't get past 12.70 volts, last night It was at 12.55 and today it's at 12.12, could this battery be bad? I don't have a hydrometer to test it, do you think it needs to be replaced? Being that's a starter shouldn't it recharge with the alternator or is it controlled by the isolator?Thanks for any help.

Mark the wires and take it to an INTERSTATE BATTERY DISTRIBUTOR who will test it for you. If the battery should be found to be good return to the forum for more advice.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:Mark the wires and take it to an INTERSTATE BATTERY DISTRIBUTOR who will test it for you. If the battery should be found to be good return to the forum for more advice.X2

Checked the distributor locator on Interstate's web site and they don't have any here in Santa Fe and I'm not going to Albuquerque any time soon, ironically not till Oct, when I leave the state to move. So other than Autouzone, where else can I get this battery tested?Thanks

If the battery was sitting disconnected and dropped from 12.7 to 12.1 one day after charging.... save yourself the testing and get a new battery.

Agreed, Voltage drop that fast is probably a bad cell, or a pile of sediment starting to short cells. Just get a new one.

Battery Problem | Good Sam Community

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Aug 21, 2013
Mark the wires and take it to an INTERSTATE BATTERY DISTRIBUTOR who will test it for you. If the battery should be found to be good return to the forum for more advice.
Mandalay_Parr
Explorer
Aug 21, 2013
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Mark the wires and take it to an INTERSTATE BATTERY DISTRIBUTOR who will test it for you. If the battery should be found to be good return to the forum for more advice.

X2
wealthwise
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
Checked the distributor locator on Interstate's web site and they don't have any here in Santa Fe and I'm not going to Albuquerque any time soon, ironically not till Oct, when I leave the state to move. So other than Autouzone, where else can I get this battery tested?
Thanks
time2roll
Nomad
Aug 22, 2013
If the battery was sitting disconnected and dropped from 12.7 to 12.1 one day after charging.... save yourself the testing and get a new battery.
JamesJudasPries
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
Agreed, Voltage drop that fast is probably a bad cell, or a pile of sediment starting to short cells. Just get a new one.
wealthwise
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
I think it may be a dead cell, but then again who knows.
Thanks anyways.
westend
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
Back in my early car and truck repair days, we would test a battery for a bad cell by 1) charging the battery 2) striking an arc across the posts, instantaneously. If the voltage measurement drops significantly, it was indicative of a bad cell.
wealthwise
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
westend wrote:
Back in my early car and truck repair days, we would test a battery for a bad cell by 1) charging the battery 2) striking an arc across the posts, instantaneously. If the voltage measurement drops significantly, it was indicative of a bad cell.

It's worth a shot, what do I got to lose, thanks for the tip.
gatorcq
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
Take it to any automotive store. They will check it for free.
mena661
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
I would look up battery shops instead of automotive stores. Maybe call a golf course or two and see who they recommend.

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