Wet Battery?

[RawbDidIt]

You're right, I was showing during charging or discharging, you mentioned that you move the car every now and then, but not whether the moisture appears before or after starting and moving the vehicle. I mean check for a parasitic draw to see if that's an issue, but I don't have another reason for the moisture to be there if it's not cracked and it isn't natural causes. There's lots of write ups on here for checking for parasitic drains, I know because I've written at least 2. That could reasonably cause it, but probably not if it's been dead and then you check. Either way, the battery is either a problem, or it isn't the only way to tell is to test it, and it sounds like you're in the middle of doing just that.

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[454cid]

You're right, I was showing during charging or discharging, you mentioned that you move the car every now and then, but not whether the moisture appears before or after starting and moving the vehicle.

I've only noticed the moisture recently. I can't really correlate it to anything, for sure. I wasn't paying that close attention to it.

I mean check for a parasitic draw to see if that's an issue, but I don't have another reason for the moisture to be there if it's not cracked and it isn't natural causes. There's lots of write ups on here for checking for parasitic drains, I know because I've written at least 2. That could reasonably cause it, but probably not if it's been dead and then you check. Either way, the battery is either a problem, or it isn't the only way to tell is to test it, and it sounds like you're in the middle of doing just that.

Yes hopefully, I can do that tomorrow. I'd rather not have to buy another battery, just before winter, for a car I don't drive.

I decided to check the voltage on the truck's battery for comparison..... it's been sitting about as long since it was last run and it's at 12.00 volts. I think I'll drive it tomorrow, just to keep the battery charged, oil flowing, and so on.

 

[Supercharged111]

No NOCO, this is what I got. It does make a noticeable difference on older batteries.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Q3CM2QY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

[TechNova]

Since it is a Buick, it will likely have a few convenience lights such as ash tray, glove box, trunk, underhood and kickpanel.
Check those and also the always troublesome cigar lighter.

 

[454cid]

Since it is a Buick, it will likely have a few convenience lights such as ash tray, glove box, trunk, underhood and kickpanel.
Check those and also the always troublesome cigar lighter.

This one is pretty basic.... vinyl seats, crank windows, no passenger side mirror. It does/did have AC, Though.

 

[Ehall8702]

It either has a shorted cell or more likely something is drawing it down. Glovebox light? Charge the battery then
disconnect the Neg cable. Put a volt meter in between and start pulling fuses. When the meter reads 0 put the fuses in one at a time until you read voltage on the meter. Clean the top of the battery with warm water as well. If the top is dirty and it gets wet it can draw the battery charge down.

Should be using ammeter to properly test for parasitic draw, cars have "dark current" , yeah sinister sounding rite? After a month or so acceptable draw can actually kill a battery , but two weeks is too short. Acceptable amperage draw can be between 20-120amps, depending on model. If you don't have an ammeter , u can go old school and put a test light between negative post and the negative wire and brighter the light is the more draw you have. Easiest thing to do if the car isn't a daily driver is out a disconnect on the negative terminal and disconnect it when not in use, my 67 Riviera sc has a disconnect for the same reason, it sits more than it drives and tired of always charging/replacing batteries.

 

[454cid]

I tried to test it today. I found that my Fluke digital meter that I planned to use, only does uAmps. The Fluke clamp meter is AC only. That left my old analog Triplett meter that typically confuses me as I never know what scale I'm supposed to use. As best as I could tell it was .2 milliamps. Maybe I'll pick up a cheapy meter and try again.

The battery isn't fully charged, but was good enough to start the car..... The car isn't charging super well, at only 14.3-ish volts...... should be more like 14.6 or .8, right? It started out in the high 12.X range, but as it warmed up and starting running better that improved to the previously mention 14.3volts.

I put the charger back on it, with the battery now re-installed in the car. I wonder if I can improve that charging by cleaning connections at the alternator and/or regulator..... maybe spray some deoxit in the connectors. I did use Fluidfiim on the battery connections after wire brushing them.

 

[Ehall8702]

I tried to test it today. I found that my Fluke digital meter that I planned to use, only does uAmps. The Fluke clamp meter is AC only. That left my old analog Triplett meter that typically confuses me as I never know what scale I'm supposed to use. As best as I could tell it was .2 milliamps. Maybe I'll pick up a cheapy meter and try again.

The battery isn't fully charged, but was good enough to start the car..... The car isn't charging super well, at only 14.3-ish volts...... should be more like 14.6 or .8, right? It started out in the high 12.X range, but as it warmed up and starting running better that improved to the previously mention 14.3volts.

I put the charger back on it, with the battery now re-installed in the car. I wonder if I can improve that charging by cleaning connections at the alternator and/or regulator..... maybe spray some deoxit in the connectors. I did use Fluidfiim on the battery connections after wire brushing them.

14.3 I'd plenty, old alternators didn't put out as much as newer stuff, but that plenty to keep battery charged. I ended up going to a lower end snap on manual digital meter, cause the autorange one never end up where u want em. Be careful when using meter for parasitic draw, start on a 10a setting just incase and DO NOT OPEN A DOOR or anything that causes a light to come on! I've blown too many $18 fuses in my meter like that! .2 amps is 200milliamps which is WAY too much for an old car. New cars have so many computers they draw more and some cars take over 45 minutes for everything to go to sleep and draw be acceptable. Old cars usually end up being an alternator or coil , not saying that's the case with urs but we have started to check alternators on EVERY car as soon as they first come in. Seen faulty alternators cause car to shift improperly even.

.2 on milliampere scale is 200 milliamps , you want .07 (70ma) and down I'd imagine, don't know specs for your car but that is acceptable in most vehicles .

 

[454cid]

Gonna run out in a bit to buy a meter..... while looking online I found several new toys.... I mean tools, that I want..... I mean need.

Last night I found something interesting. I was headed out to the gas station to get something to drink, and I noticed a faint red glow on the dash of the Buick from the front seat of my truck..... the "GEN" light was on! It wasn't getting full power, so it wasn't very bright, and likely wasn't visible in the day light. I put the key in the ignition and turned it back and forth, and I heard a click, and it went off. Apparently, that lock cylinder is a little sloppy and earlier I had been able to pull the key out without fully turning it completely off. I'm not sure if I found THE problem, or if this is just a contributor.

 

[Erik the Awful]

It's charging now, but the charger is only a 1amp..... I may swap the Noco charger out for my old Craftsman, which will do 10 amps, but I usually only use the 5amp setting.

"Only 1 amp" is perfect. The only use I've had for high-amperage is when I'm trying to use the charger to help start the car, or trying to burn the micro-shorts off a battery. A lower amperage will do a more thorough job of charging the battery, it just takes a couple days.