Battery Charging Issue That Has Me Puzzled.

[k8crd 11]

When I charge my brand new battery with the battery charger I experience this issue:

 

With the battery charging rate set for 2 amps,

 

and when the analog meter needle shows that the battery is charged (needle shows 0 amps going into the battery) -- then every 30 seconds the needle will jumps up to 6-7 amps and then drop back down to 0 amps going into the battery.

 

This will keep repeating as described above over and over.

 

With the battery charging rate set for 10 amps,

 

and when the analog meter needle shows that the battery is charged (needle shows 0 amps going into the battery) -- then every 9 seconds the needle will jumps up to 6-7 amps and then drop back down to 0 amps going into the battery.

 

This will keep repeating as described above over and over..

 

Something is obviously drawing power from the battery during the above 2 short events.

 

The cars doors are physically closed, but the door locks buttons are up/alarm system is disengaged, not external or internal lights are on.

 

Is this normal ?

 

I experienced this same issue, even if I switch battery chargers, and as well on two different car batteries?

 

Is the computer drawing this kind of power or is something else drawing this power for short intervals ?

 

Could I have a shorted diode in the alternator that could be causing this ?

 

Has anyone experienced this ?

 

I was going to start pulling fuses to see what circuit this issue is tied to !

 

Any ideas on how to defeat Mr Murphy will be appreciated !

 

Paul

in Michigan (COLD)

[-chart- 287]

Need to know if this charger has automatic shutoff.

 

At 2A it should not go to zero.

 

-chart-

[adio 10]

Take off the negative terminal connection and use a multimeter in series to a solid ground and to the battery ground and test for current. 

[k8crd 11]

Need to know if this charger has automatic shutoff.

 

At 2A it should not go to zero.

 

-chart-

Chart,

 

the batt. charger is an automatic one, that does not shut off after so many minutes.

[-chart- 287]

MY bat charger, on good/new battery in "auto" will shut off = 0 on the meter, for some minutes and then kick back on for seconds, than back off. That is if it is fully charged.

 

However, a bad battery, like my lawn mower last year would shutoff and immediately cycle back to charge. That is, the volts drops so quickly it kicks right back in. Volts measured at the battery ~13 kick in, ~15 kick out.

 

Good battery has much longer off time as the charged volts drops off slowly. Of course, in my case I am looking at a battery that is not hooked up to any use, like in a car there will be some very small current drawn.

 

Different chargers will have different maintenance volts for kick in/kick out. Mine is designed for deep discharge marine battery use but works fine for my cars.

 

-chart-

[k8crd 11]

MY bat charger, on good/new battery in "auto" will shut off = 0 on the meter, for some minutes and then kick back on for seconds, than back off. That is if it is fully charged.

 

However, a bad battery, like my lawn mower last year would shutoff and immediately cycle back to charge. That is, the volts drops so quickly it kicks right back in. Volts measured at the battery ~13 kick in, ~15 kick out.

 

Good battery has much longer off time as the charged volts drops off slowly. Of course, in my case I am looking at a battery that is not hooked up to any use, like in a car there will be some very small current drawn.

 

Different chargers will have different maintenance volts for kick in/kick out. Mine is designed for deep discharge marine battery use but works fine for my cars.

 

-chart-

I hooked up the dc ammeter is series with the negative terminal on the battery and the ammeter showed 1.5 amps initially, then dropped to .5 amp and then zero amps at approx. 30 min.

So therefore no parasitic losses going on with the car.

This phenomena was all caused by the batt. charger doing its thing internally and causing the ammeter on the batt. charger to cyclingly

jump from zero (or very close to it) to 6-7 amps.

Thank all of you gentleman for your valued input -- I learned something

from this exercise.