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Battery questions

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by LW RedTR, May 19, 2006.

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  1. LW RedTR

    LW RedTR Karting

    Jan 12, 2006
    173
    California
    #1 LW RedTR, May 19, 2006
    My 88 Testarossa had a new Interstate Megatron 75 put in in 2004. The battery still takes a charge, but if I don't drive the car a distance in about two days, the battery drains down to nothing. It seems that the battery is a good quality, and while I didn't own the car until January, this seems like too short a life for a battery.

    I took it out, put in an Exide Optimal 84 with the newer rolled cores yesterday evening and then put the Interstate on a battery charger. Within 5 hours it was showing as charged.

    This makes me think that there is something about my Testarossa, or Testarossas in general that discharges a battery within three days of non-use. Anybody here have any experience with this?

    Any opinions on the very best battery for a Ferrari 12 cylinder?
     
  2. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    26,822
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    #2 Steve Magnusson, May 19, 2006
    I'd recommend that you first measure the long-term (parasitic) current draw from the battery when everything is supposedly "off" -- just open the battery cut-off switch and touch an ammeter between the "-" battery terminal and a good chassis ground (like the RH front hood latch). If it's large (like 250~500 mA) due to some added electronics, your symptom may be the expected result.

    For reference, when I reconnect with the ammeter to make this measurement on my TR, the CD unit does a brief self-test so it draws 0.5A for a few seconds, but the long-term current drain is only ~65 mA.

    Second, confirm if the voltage across the battery is going to about +14V at 2000 RPM or not.
     
  3. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    18,045
    USA
    #3 f355spider, May 19, 2006
    Larry,
    A two year old battery in a little used car WILL lose capacity to the point that it will drain down in a few days. Think about it...each time the car is started, the battery is way low...and now must be almost complete charged back up. Say the car is used 18 times over two years...that is 18 deep discharges...very hard on the battery. Replacing the battery with new, will make it so you are good for several weeks at a time again...but with similar low use, the same result will happen. The best thing to do, is buy a Deltran Battery Tender and use it religiously when ever you park the car for more than a day or two.

    If you drove your Ferrari everyday like any other car, this would never be a problem.

    You can buy one here for cheap: http://snipurl.com/7cod

    Go to Radio Shack and attach a cigarette light plug on, and plug in in through the lighter socket makes life much easier hooking it up.

    Good luck.
     
  4. Steve King

    Steve King F1 Rookie

    Feb 15, 2001
    4,367
    NY
    #4 Steve King, May 19, 2006
    Sounds like a short somewhere. Any battery should not drain over that short a period of time. I replaced my battery in 2000 when the existing one had a dead cell. I drive the car 2500 miles a year during the summer. It sits on my lift in an unheated garage all winter without a charger on it. I start it maybe 3-5 times during the winter and take the car out when there is no snow or salt. I have never had a problem and this was an interstate battery I purchased at Autozone. So 6 years later it still cranks and runs the car. Maybe I have another year or not but you've got a short that is draining your battery. Find the short and it won't make to much difference on what battery you buy. A V12 doesn't take anything special. I usually get 5 years on my everyday batteries whether it be my Jags or Vette's or the wife's Volvo.
     

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