Ok, this is really starting to **** me off. I just replaced the alternator and got a new battery (warranty). It's a Sears weatherhandler battery. It's been about 3 weeks now and the damn thing isn't holding a charge now. This is the 3rd battery I've had in the last year. Can anyone suggest what I should check or test to figure out what the ---- is draining my battery so fast? I usually only have my lights and defroster on and a radar detector plugged in. I have an old Clifford ACE 500 alarm as well. I have a system with 2 amps, but I haven't tured my stereo on since the problem started awhile ago. After I replaced the alternator, the battery was showing 11.8 volts with the car off and 13.6-14.2 with the car running. Seemed about right to me? Help.. please.

 

check the belts if its loese

 

I replaced the alternator belt when I replaced the alternator and I tightened it and tested it based upon the specs in my helms manual.

 

Do you leave your radar pluged in all the time? Another thing does your amps shut off when your car is off?

 

Perform an amp draw test. If you have a big draw(more than 50 milliamps), start unpluging things or remove fuses until you find your problem.

 

Any details on how to perform said test? Can I do it with a Multimeter?

 

Yes, you can do it with a mulitmeter. It is easier if you have some big aligator clips. Just switch your meter to amps. Loosen up your negative battery cable, slide it up alittle without disconnecting it and clamp the negative lead on the neg. terminal on the battery and the positive lead on the negative battery cable. Then disconnect the negative battery cable. Your meter will read the amp draw. I believe I explained this right. There is a possibility that your meter will read neg. which is fine. If you want you can switch your meter leads around and touch the neg. battery cable to the neg. terminal and then remove again. It will then read correct. I know on my meter it doesn't matter. It will just read neg. I've done this many many times on Mercedes Benz vehicles and it is normal for some of the accesories, audio/navi systems, and other things to draw a few amps for a few mins until the vehicle sleeps. The amp draw should drop to less than 50 ma. I'm not sure what a honda spec. should be but, I'm guessing you should have less than 50 milliamps. If not, you got a problem.

Here is a diagram for easy reference.

 

dont forget about cleaning up the grounds and making shure they are tight.

 

Ok, I did the amp draw test and I'm only showing .056 with my meter set at the 2 amp setting. That's 56 milliamps, right? I took my battery and starter to an auto store and had them both tested and they are good. I did notice a bit of rust/crap on the positive terminal of the starter, so I took a wire wheel to it and cleaned it all up. Now, when I start the car, it hesitates a little, but it starts. I shut it off and restarted it 5 times and tested the voltage of the battery each time and it never dropped below 12.8 volts (except when actually starting the car, it drops to between 10-11 volts) I hope it was just the crap on the starter.. we'll see.

 

yeah i just replaced my battery yesterday because i would have to keep jump starting it. you might want to look at what your volts meter says when the car is just at idle(if its 14-14.4) your ok, but then try turning on your headlights(now what does it say, or even your heater)

see the problem i had was when i put on the heater or headlights it would drain alot from the battery when the car was at idle(being at a stop light or stop sign exc... and read 13.3 or even down to 10.5 for volts some time. what i did was just turn the idle screw on the throttle body up a bit because it would idle to low when in the nuetrul position(car not reving). so now when i put on the headlights the volts do not drop at idle..

so what i'm trying to say is that you might want to check out the idle screw and see if your idle is maybe to low