2004 AC Delco Battery DEAD ?????
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Introducing teh Offical Car of your dreams
2004 AC Delco Battery DEAD ?????
I have read several posts about this stock battery dying and early death in early C5's. I thought the problem had been corrected by the time the 2004 C5's were built.....I guess not 
May car is one year old now. I drive it 2 to 3 days a week about 60 miles each trip. I drove it 60 miles Friday and Saturday. Monday morning (today) it was totally dead, no lights , no horn, nothing at all. Checked the voltage and it was at 3.46 volts
I double-checked to make sure everything was turned off and it all was off and the doors were closed and locked.
My only area of concern was that 2 months ago I installed a Valentine V1 Radar using the power from the mirror. I take the radar out odf the car everytime its parked and just leave the cord dangling from the mirror. Could this cause a power drain in 48 hours ????
I have it on the battery charger now and will see what happens in about 8 hours. Any ideas ????
May car is one year old now. I drive it 2 to 3 days a week about 60 miles each trip. I drove it 60 miles Friday and Saturday. Monday morning (today) it was totally dead, no lights , no horn, nothing at all. Checked the voltage and it was at 3.46 volts
I double-checked to make sure everything was turned off and it all was off and the doors were closed and locked.My only area of concern was that 2 months ago I installed a Valentine V1 Radar using the power from the mirror. I take the radar out odf the car everytime its parked and just leave the cord dangling from the mirror. Could this cause a power drain in 48 hours ????
I have it on the battery charger now and will see what happens in about 8 hours. Any ideas ????
Last edited by CRWDDYZ; Feb 14, 2005 at 01:08 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 235
From: North Carolina
Haven't seen two many posts with problems on the newer top post batteries. Mainly problems with the old leakers like my original from 98 and the replacement Delco AGM that bit the dust a year later. Not familiar with the detectors power supply requirements, if there is no seperate power supply for the detector and all that is hanging is a -12v from the mirror source that should not be a drain on your battery. On the other hand if its powering a seperate power supply for the detector then there is some drain. Curious to see what happens with the recharge. You should have some warranty left on that battery if its proves to be defective.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Rochester MN
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St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
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I would not see how a radar detector could drain a battery in 48 hours, and certainly batteries should be capable of sitting for more than 48 hours even with the constant small loads of todays cars.
As I keep saying, AC Delco, screwing up the batteries in C5s since day 1.
As I keep saying, AC Delco, screwing up the batteries in C5s since day 1.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 19
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How did you measure the battery voltage ?
If you read 3 volts, with the meter leads right
at the battery terminals (making good contact),
it's more than likely that battery has been
"deep discharged", and is not going to give you
the reliability/service you expect from a new
battery.
You might want to check the current draw with
a good battery. Use the ammeter function of the
digital multimeter and put it in line with either
the plus or minus side of the battery cables. Depending
on your meter, there's probably a plug marked with
an "A" (as opposed to V, which is what you'd use to
measure voltages).
Just don't try to start it with the meter in line !
You should be able to measure the static current
draw on the battery.
3 volts is about the voltage output of one cell in
the battery. Meaning, the rest of them are probably
not viable.
Get a new battery - but make sure you measure
the current drain on the existing systems. You've
got some sort of parasitic drain that's substantial
to kill your battery in a few days.
If you read 3 volts, with the meter leads right
at the battery terminals (making good contact),
it's more than likely that battery has been
"deep discharged", and is not going to give you
the reliability/service you expect from a new
battery.
You might want to check the current draw with
a good battery. Use the ammeter function of the
digital multimeter and put it in line with either
the plus or minus side of the battery cables. Depending
on your meter, there's probably a plug marked with
an "A" (as opposed to V, which is what you'd use to
measure voltages).
Just don't try to start it with the meter in line !
You should be able to measure the static current
draw on the battery.
3 volts is about the voltage output of one cell in
the battery. Meaning, the rest of them are probably
not viable.
Get a new battery - but make sure you measure
the current drain on the existing systems. You've
got some sort of parasitic drain that's substantial
to kill your battery in a few days.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,217
Likes: 0
From: Introducing teh Offical Car of your dreams
Thanks for the replies everyone. Looks like I did leave the "dome" light switch on by mistake. 
I thought this car would have turned off the lights even if I left the switch on...my 2003 Suburban and 96 Chrysler do this.
Charged the battery for 8 hours on an automatic charger. It had clicked off when I checked it indicating a full charge. Checked the voltage at the terminals and it showed 12.97 volts. Started right up and checked the voltage at the terminals with the car running and showed 14.56 volts. Obviously the alternator is working. I will keep an eye on it for a few days, but I am getting an Optima ASAP. Maybe I better get a yellow top..or remember to turn stuff off
Checked the drain with the V1 on and it didnt even register.
Thanks again for the help
I thought this car would have turned off the lights even if I left the switch on...my 2003 Suburban and 96 Chrysler do this. Charged the battery for 8 hours on an automatic charger. It had clicked off when I checked it indicating a full charge. Checked the voltage at the terminals and it showed 12.97 volts. Started right up and checked the voltage at the terminals with the car running and showed 14.56 volts. Obviously the alternator is working. I will keep an eye on it for a few days, but I am getting an Optima ASAP. Maybe I better get a yellow top..or remember to turn stuff off
Checked the drain with the V1 on and it didnt even register.
Thanks again for the help
