Battery woes!!

[Patriot]

Well, you may remeber I replaced my dead battery about 2-3 weeks ago with a yellow top optima. I took the old battery to the dealer and they said the old battery was "marginally dead" and they checked the alternator out AOK.

Well, yesterday morning, I went out to find a dead Hummer...yellow top was reading 5 VDC! I jumped it and it was fine after that. No "check engine" light and no "reduced power" light.

I checked all the front grille lights for parasitic load by reading DC amps IN LINE...it read 0.00AmpsDC. I had a multimeter on it all day and it drifted around a bit but stayed at about 12 volts. I even did some quick starts and stops...still all is OK.

It sat all last week without use and was briefly started on Friday to move parking spaces...then Saturday morning....dead.

So, I'm baffled. Could it be a starting solenoid getting stuck, every so often?? A slow drain on something else?

I hate electrical intermittant problems because the dealer just scratches there head, keeps the vehicle for 3 days and says there's nothing we can do!!

[Patriot]

Well, you may remeber I replaced my dead battery about 2-3 weeks ago with a yellow top optima. I took the old battery to the dealer and they said the old battery was "marginally dead" and they checked the alternator out AOK.

Well, yesterday morning, I went out to find a dead Hummer...yellow top was reading 5 VDC! I jumped it and it was fine after that. No "check engine" light and no "reduced power" light.

I checked all the front grille lights for parasitic load by reading DC amps IN LINE...it read 0.00AmpsDC. I had a multimeter on it all day and it drifted around a bit but stayed at about 12 volts. I even did some quick starts and stops...still all is OK.

It sat all last week without use and was briefly started on Friday to move parking spaces...then Saturday morning....dead.

So, I'm baffled. Could it be a starting solenoid getting stuck, every so often?? A slow drain on something else?

I hate electrical intermittant problems because the dealer just scratches there head, keeps the vehicle for 3 days and says there's nothing we can do!!

[Patriot]

Well, you may remeber I replaced my dead battery about 2-3 weeks ago with a yellow top optima. I took the old battery to the dealer and they said the old battery was "marginally dead" and they checked the alternator out AOK.

Well, yesterday morning, I went out to find a dead Hummer...yellow top was reading 5 VDC! I jumped it and it was fine after that. No "check engine" light and no "reduced power" light.

I checked all the front grille lights for parasitic load by reading DC amps IN LINE...it read 0.00AmpsDC. I had a multimeter on it all day and it drifted around a bit but stayed at about 12 volts. I even did some quick starts and stops...still all is OK.

It sat all last week without use and was briefly started on Friday to move parking spaces...then Saturday morning....dead.

So, I'm baffled. Could it be a starting solenoid getting stuck, every so often?? A slow drain on something else?

I hate electrical intermittant problems because the dealer just scratches there head, keeps the vehicle for 3 days and says there's nothing we can do!!

[PARAGON]

Patriot,

I have experienced the same thing. Many times mine will sit for a week w/o moving and this took its toll on my original battery plus my first optima. The optima was bad and replaced under warranty but just this past week, it started (barely) but it reset my clock to 12:00, the voltage was low.

It did this stuff before I added anything to it and has continued and is extremely intermittant. I do leave my Garmin GPS plugged in and on but that is the only thing and it doesn't draw enough to pull the battery down. This is one of the reasons I am going to do the dual-battery deal (one of these days).

[HHummer]

My '04 H2 often sits between use as it is not my daily driver. I find that soon after 15 days, it is often so low that it will not start, so apparently the standard draw diminishes the charge in about two weeks. My '03 was the same.

[HummMe]

I had this problem on my H2 and had 2 batteries replaced at the dealer because of it. After the 3rd time I switched to an Optima yellow top. Its been a few months and havent had a problem since. Oh BTW mine would go dead overnight and had no parasitic draw.

[H2 SVO]

I had the same problem after I switched to a yellow top optima on my Denali...

After the 3rd replacement from Optima, turned out to be a bad batch of batteries from my dealer. Everything is fine now, but i wonder why these batteries keep creating a short that cause this..

Per Optima....."It happens all the time"

[alecs wife]

The H2 calls for 880 CCA. All the Optimas I looked at were not at that level. I don't think the Optimas have enough CCA's for the H2. A dual set-up would be better.

My .02

[H2 SVO]

R2, I dont think that CCA has anything to do with the discharge issues.

Also just to note, my Optima is 900CCA

[alecs wife]

I was looking for a 900cca optima. What is the model Number?

[Klaus]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by H2 SVO:
Also just to note, my Optima is 900CCA <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Did you put a Group 31 Optima in your truck?

[PARAGON]

Earlier I was screwing around with my truck adjusting the "homemade" hood pin brackets and figuring out how I am going to install some backup lights I have had for a while.

I might have found an easier solution to the dual-battery setup. I have the MIT intake tube on mine, so it might not work with the stock intake tube. I am thinking I can take the radiator overflow tank, turn it 90 degrees and mount it down on to the side of the inner fender. I can then mount a battery tray where the tank was and have the second battery installed in the same spot as the original but on the passenger side.

Also, anyone know what the extra wire plug location that is unused under the rear just to the driver's side of center (shown below). I have the rear air, so that can't be it. There are 2 other plugs located there but there is one set of terminals not being used. I guess I need to go look it up in the service manual, if I can find it.

[Dan]

SUT bumper lights??

[Patriot]

Just talked to dealer...

They have reported a rash of stuck (spastic) relays/sensors in the driver seat and air ride suspensions. Basically, the relay will get stuck and drain the battery. A jump or restart will un-stick the relay so you can chase this problem for a while.

I'm taking it in on Monday...they will check the parasitic draw while running all the systems and looking for the bad relay.

Oh well...

[H2 SVO]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Klaus:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by H2 SVO:
Also just to note, my Optima is 900CCA <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Did you put a Group 31 Optima in your truck? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, and I am considering a dual if I go with a in vehicle computer/cam recording setup.

[H2 SVO]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by R2:
I was looking for a 900cca optima. What is the model Number? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


R2:
Its called a group 31 and available in Yellow Top...there are several model numbers depending on what post style you want. They do not come with the GM side posts so I had to outfit the truck for top screw posts.

[Klaus]

H2 SVO,

How did you mount your battery? Could you post some pictures?

Thanks!

[H2 SVO]

I guess your gonna make me break down and get a digital camera to take part here... http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

No problemo....gimme some time...