My van battery died suddenly

[doublegregg]

I have a 2020 Chevy van that I bought from a fleet in April. I added about 40 ml distilled water to each cell last week, to about the bottom of each well,a it seemed fine for two or three drives. Today voltage was 10. I didn't leave anything on, afaik. However the van does have automatic systems that power on and off, as modern cars do. I'm more used to old tech, such as when you turn the key off, the vehicle is off. 

Just wondering if anyone can point to what systems I can look at that may have been left on... By the van... Not me, afaik, as I said... I'm going to try to charge the battery myself if I can get it out of the van...  Ty.

 

[eDJ_]

Could you drive the Van to a service facility, auto parts store, Walmart, etc and get a free test done on the battery. It may reveal that it is or is not the battery...or possibly a dead cell in the battery. Usually along in September when it can be hot during the day and plunge into the cold at night a lot of batteries will fail.

September is the month of the year when you may find car batteries on sale.

But someone experienced in automotive electrical could trouble shoot your charging system
after you have thoroughly checked the battery.

Could you just disconnect the battery terminals and connect a small charger to the battery ?

 

[highdesertranger]

I find it amazing that you bought a 2020 van in April from a fleet.

so is it the factory battery? it should be.

did you gat any type of warranty with the van?

that battery shouldn't even be a year old.

highdesertranger

 

[Trebor English]

40 ml per cell is a large amount.  Calcium alloy plates in maintenance free batteries usually make it so that water doesn't get consumed much.  Has the battery been over charged a bunch?  If the battery has been run down, waaay down, and recharged often that would contribute to early death.  A battery disconnect switch might be usefu for diagnosing and preventing.  If there is a new battery available as part of a warranty I would get that first and then modify the vehicle with a disconnect switch.

 

[B and C]

The problem with a battery disconnect switch and newer vehicles is the computer. It takes several hot/cold and speed cycles to set the computer for better efficiency and emissions. Disconnecting the battery overnight will keep the computer in the factory default mode and you will lose your radio presets too.

 

[Malamute]

Dont forget to check the obvious, like if the battery terminals are corroded. It doesnt take much to interfere with charging and using it. Pull each terminal connector wire end off the terminal, clean with the special wire terminal cleaning brush, both the terminal and the wire end, and use baking soda in warm water to neutralize any acid on the battery and wires. If it is/was corroded, get some of the felt pads that go over the terminals and some of the spray that excludes air to reduce corrosion coming back.

Mine dies unexpectedly about once a year or so, cleaning the terminals does it.

 

[doublegregg]

thanks guys for the responses! as i said, the battery has seemed ok, tho somewhat low, 12.3 to 12.5..consistently. idk if i killed it over the past few months ---- did i? am i a battery killer? sad... terminals look fine, altho i didn't remove them.

but i've had it on a solar trickle charger, and it's always started. i drove it last night. then, overnight, V drops to 10.2 or so. i figure something was left on... i just wondered if anyone familiar with modern vehicles (i'm not, my honda is 1999) might know what systems left on (by the van's system, i didn't turn anything on manually) might have drained it...

i'll try to pull it and charge it. if i'm not up to it, does it seem like a normal mechanic can trouble shoot it? i no he can, i guess, trouble shoot the battery and replace it, but why it drained might be out of his territory...

hope everyone'[s having a good summer.............

 

[Malamute]

... terminals look fine, altho i didn't remove them....

 

Looking at them without removing them wont always tell you anything. Much of the time mine needed cleaned they looked fine, or cetainly didnt look like they could be any problem. The only way I found out was to remove them and clean them, and presto! it starts and charges. It still messes me up at times, "Well, terminals look OK, cant be that....wait a minute.."...then i remember,...better check them anyways.

Its possible thats not your problem, but until you actually clean them and try it, it shouldnt be disregarded out of hand.


One of these https://www.autozone.com/wash-clean...PLA:US:EN:AD:NL:1000000:TLS:71700000043798748

 

[doublegregg]

ty, malamute................ i actually am going to try to remove them. i just watched a video, etc. i'm not used to new terminals, etc... i'm removing them mainly to remove the battery to charge it tomorrow. i have 300w of solar (dokio) and a controller.........

have a good week..........

 

[B and C]

You can check the battery cables and a good charger (not a tickle charger) left on it overnight might recover a chronically under charged battery (short trips). Any modern vehicle should not drain the battery if used regularly. There are parasitic draws such as the radio preset memory. Any mechanic worth his salt should be able to track down an electrical problem.

 

[bullfrog]

Are you sure all the lights are turning off. Many new vehicles have a timer and some are adjustable. I would start by making sure they all turn off or pull the fuses. If the battery is good it would take several hours to run down. After having the battery and alternator checked (alternators can malfunction and sometimes cause batteries to drain while setting, low fluid in the battery usually indicates an over charge which is usually an internal regulator problem)try pulling any lighting or non essential fuses and see if it stays up over night. If it does, start leaving them in one at a time over night till you find the circuit with the problem.

 

[B and C]

Get the battery tested as the first step. Everything else is mute until you know you are working with a known good battery.

If you have a meter, you can test if the alternator is putting out. Start the engine and put your meter on the battery, it should read above 13+ (probably 14+) volts. This is not the best test for an alternator but will tell if it is trying to charge.

 

[doublegregg]

thanks for replies........ i'm trying to charge the battery today. this is to well, charge it, but it's the only way i no to test it, being a noobie, with new controller and panels. i will see if it can be charged, and hold a charge.

however, even with bright sun, it's charging at 19v .4 to 1 amp. that does not seem right. the voltage of the battery at start of charge was 10.5 --------- seriously depleted, right? it's been charging for 4 hours, and started charging at 1.6 amps, decreasing to 1, then less than 1. idk exactly what depleted gels should charge at, but i'd be hoping for at least 7 or more amps? actually maybe 20 amps... so i wonder if my controller or panel, both of which are relatively new, one is not working right. i did use them to previously charge a couple wheel chair batteries, which were slightly depleted.

so i tried to measure current from mypanel ----- 0 amps, 19v. this where my from the panels wires connect to my controller. i measured the panels right at their sae connector - again 0 amps, similar volts. i've got an extech VOM, and connected it properly for an up to 10amp current test... as i said, 0 amps. then i set the meter to m amps --- i get 6.29, which i assume is .006 amps... that is not right........ any ideas on what is wrong? i thought this test should yield maximum current, actually.......and worried i'd blow out my 10amp max VOM...........

at this point, i reconnected my battery, which should be charging at less than an amp for the rest of today... i've got the 300w dokio portables.

i may try the pwm controller that came with the dokio, cause i'm new to this and maybe that will work better............. it's the only other controller i got. i should also recheck my parameters on the controller i'm using - the epever, but the panels themselves seem like they're not performing... so that would be the first link in the chain, right?

 

[doublegregg]

and bullfrog - thanks. i'll check lights, etc. alas, since i yanked my battery, there's no tell tales left on what happened........ but i guess i gotta look at the automatic features....... i wish new cars were stupider.......

 

[B and C]

If your charging source is solar, I hope you connected the controller to the battery before connecting the panel(s) to it. The charge controller needs to know what system it is working with before the panel(s) can be connected.

To fully charge your batteries, I recommend a shore power charger to get it (them?) charged. Quite fiddling with something that is apparently not working.

 

[doublegregg]

well, lacking anything else, i'll try to return my new solar panels, which seem to output very little current in bright sun, and just charge my battery on a small charger, and see if it holds the charge... then try to figure out if the van is leaving lights on,e tc....

 

[B and C]

The small tickle charger will take multiple days to get your battery charged. I am guessing it is less than a 2 amp charger. You need one with some cojones, probably 20 amps at a minimum. and this may take a couple of days

 

[doublegregg]

thanks brian...... well, i'll leave my battery on it. it's a 2 and 4 amp charger... it says my battery is fully charged. i don't see how that can be, due to how slowly it was charging today and how dead it was. i'll leave the battery on the charger i guess a couple days? it won't hurt it, at least... does everyone have this much trouble when they start out with lead acids? i've heard we always kill 'em...............the first set.

 

[B and C]

The first set is a learner set for most Set it on 4 amps and leave it for a week checking the acid level daily. Do not add acid, only distilled water. You really need a bigger charger. Your charger is more of a battery maintainer and not a real charger unless you have a small lawn mower battery. It may or may not charge it. After you disconnect the charger, wait at least 10 hours and check the voltage. This is called rested voltage and the rest removes the surface charge. If you can get the battery to an auto parts store, they will charge and test it for you. They have a proper charger.

It sounds like you need some real hands on help with your setup. Hard to do across the interwebs.

If you post your general location, someone may be nearby to help or able to point you to a reputable place.

 

[highdesertranger]

did I read that right. did you feed 19+ volts into a GEL Battery? if you did you ruined it.

it also sounds like from your description that you unplugged the battery from the controller with the panel hooked up? you might have also fried the controller.

highdesertranger