Car battery keeps dying?!

[noleafclover803 10+ year member]

Ok I'm 16 this is my first car and first system. '95 Eclipse GST. Just added a new Aiwa head unit model CDC-Z137, a Dual 2 channel 340 watt amp (best buy, $70) to power two new Rockford Fosgate 3 way 6X9 speakers.

I got that all wired up myself with help from a friend who wired his. Running 10 gauge wire to that amp (puts about about 60X2 RMS). Worked fine for about a week, then yesturday I came home from my dads, then about 10 minutes later was leaving again and my car battery was dead.

I have no idea why it died, its been working fine for months. Wal-mart installed it in August so its fairly new, however, since it IS walmart, its probably not the best battery in the world.

Well we jump started it, charged it, seemed to be ok and the car was starting. Then today I went to install my new Rockford Fosgate Punch 15" sub and "Concept" Amp (I think its about 300 watts or so, maybe 400, not sure, doesn't say). Bought those from my friend. Wired that with 8 gauge wire, as I wasn't sure the exact wattage of the amp.

Connected Neg back to battery....bam car won't start, batterys dead, needed to be jumped. Jumped it, system all worked, sub worked, speakers worked. Turned car off, battery is totally dead agian.

MY QUESTION. Does this sound like a problem with my wiring? Its wired exacly like every place I've talked to and read says. Does it sound like my battery isn't up to it? Or is it my alternator? I'd really like to know if its my fault or not! The battery is guarenteed so I can get it replaced tommorrow, but if its somthing that will keep happening I need to know. Thanks.

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[noleafclover803 10+ year member]

Ok, the amp on the sub is a Concept CC-452....45W RMS x 2 @ 4 OHMs or 150W RMS X1 @ 4Ohms bridged, which is what its running. So Altogether I'm running 270W RMS....but thats only the max RMS of the amps, so I doubt I'm even using that. So I doubt Its drawing too much power....hmmm

Still no ideas?

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

You shouldn't have any problems at all with that amout of power, or 2 or 3 times as much for that matter.

Do you have your remote wire hooked up correctly?? It sounds like you may have have it hooked up to a constant power source meaning the amp turned on all the time instead of turning on only when your HU is on.

The other possibility of course is your battery may just be damaged. You can have that checked at all the chain parts stores.

One other thing - are your battery terminals corroded at all?? That is a common cause of battery problems, as are worn battery wires/connectors.

 

[noleafclover803 10+ year member]

Well I know for sure the amps only come on when the head unit is on because I checked the power lights on them...so thats working correctly. No corrosion as the battery is fairly new...as of August. I'll take it in tommorrow to get it checked out. I'm just fearing alternator problems or worse, and I don't have much money right now.

 

[zane 10+ year member]

Could be either Battery or Alt from what you describe.

Auto Zone does free test's on both.

Or, if you can get ahold of a DVM- you can easily measure both in under 5 minutes.

If the battery is bad, I would recommend springing the extra cash for an Optima Red Top. Very durable batteries with a great track record. Well worth the extra $20-30 over most other OEM replacements.

The Alt's for your car shouldn't be anything outrageous, as it is a fairly common application. Fairly easy to change as well, so long as you are somewhat mechanically inclined.

take it easy,

-zane

 

[Radar 10+ year member]

Could be an alternator problem, sounds like it. If you have a charger you could charge it in your garage and see if it holds a charge for a period of time at all. That'll help eliminate the battery if its the problem.

P.s. Where in KC?

Edit- good call on the AZ zane, didnt concider that.

 

[noleafclover803 10+ year member]

I'm south of KC in Leawood, KS. Bout 135th Street. You a KC guy?

 

[eaglemn05 10+ year member]

couldn't it also be that...(question)...you are turning you car off right after you have listened to some loud music...mine won't start after i have listened to loud music and shut my car off, i dunno if that could be it, but that's what it does to me

 

[Jacobs 10+ year member]

It wouldn't be an alternator problem. It's something with the Battery. If it was the alternator the car wouldn't stay on while you were driving. Sounds like it's a battery that wont keep a charge. When your jumping its basically using the other cars battery to start... once it starts the alternator keeps it running, but once you turn it off the battery has no juice so it can't start again.

 

[zane 10+ year member]

couldn't it also be that...(question)...you are turning you car off right after you have listened to some loud music...mine won't start after i have listened to loud music and shut my car off, i dunno if that could be it, but that's what it does to me

This situation would equate to a charging system that can not keep up and operator error.

Regardless of add on accessories; the alternator supply's current fairly quick so as even the most demanding load should leave the vehicle with a minimum amount of power to start.

Not likely a contributing factor to the original issue of this thread.

 

[zane 10+ year member]

It wouldn't be an alternator problem. It's something with the Battery. If it was the alternator the car wouldn't stay on while you were driving. Sounds like it's a battery that wont keep a charge. When your jumping its basically using the other cars battery to start... once it starts the alternator keeps it running, but once you turn it off the battery has no juice so it can't start again.

Not necessarily. But possible.

A weak alternator can keep the car running and simply not have enough amperage to maintain the battery charge at the same time. Which is a possible reason that the battery dies off in the described mannor.

Likely it could be either...

It could even come out to something as simple as a faulty voltage regulator.

The test is extremely easy to do on both, so may as well cover all grounds.

 

[Radar 10+ year member]

I'm south of KC in Leawood, KS. Bout 135th Street. You a KC guy?

East of KC, in the Blue Springs/Independence area.

 

[nadir 10+ year member]

Could be either Battery or Alt from what you describe.
Auto Zone does free test's on both.

Or, if you can get ahold of a DVM- you can easily measure both in under 5 minutes.

If the battery is bad, I would recommend springing the extra cash for an Optima Red Top. Very durable batteries with a great track record. Well worth the extra $20-30 over most other OEM replacements.

The Alt's for your car shouldn't be anything outrageous, as it is a fairly common application. Fairly easy to change as well, so long as you are somewhat mechanically inclined.

take it easy,

-zane

yeah, get the redtop from costco

 

[noleafclover803 10+ year member]

will the redtop fit in my eclipse? I've been looking around and can't figure out if they make one that does.

 

[nadir 10+ year member]

i'm sure they do. just call up your local autozone/pepboys and ask!

you know what... my 89 celica has a killer audio system in it but the most major flaw is the battery is dead after 3 days of not driving it. This is constant... it's like there's a drain somewhere. I am about to switch to a Optima yellow-top (deep cycle) battery and see if it was the battery that was bad.

It also has an alarm system... the guys who installed it did a crappy job. They used a smaller gauge for the starter wire and the car would almost never start when the temprature was hot or really cold. After bypassing it with a starter switch, it would start normal.

How is your car doing now? after jumping it, driving around, and leaving it overnight, does it still start?