How's your battery?

[TheZProjekt]

I was bored while waiting for someone in a mall parking lot yesterday and playing around with the car. I have Morimoto 35W HID's from TheRetrofitSource in my low beams on my 2012 GX and I noticed that if I turned the engine off and left the HID's on for even 5-10 seconds, starting the engine up again makes a really weird noise. Does the battery really get drained that fast? I also leave my car outside overnight and noticed a delay in starting up the car after cold nights. Anyone share any thoughts? Has anyone considered a different battery due to battery related problems?

[midnightfxgt]

HIDs on for 5-10mins SHOULD not drain your battery. Test this with a MultiMeter.

A lower start on cold days is common. I know the first gen Mazda3s used a small 380CCA battery, but not sure about the 2G. A slower start is very common, even my VW does this on cold days.

-John

[JonsMazda]

I'm still on OEM battery since 2007 :O *Knocks on wood*

[Mangtoos]

I'm still on OEM battery since 2007 :O *Knocks on wood*

I'd expect it to fail any day now. Our 2006 Mazda battery failed a year ago with only 65K or so. :)

[Flagrum_3]

I'm still on OEM battery since 2007 :O *Knocks on wood*

Still on OEM battery since 2005. No problemo. Coming up fast on 8yrs.


_3

[cwp_sedan]

I'm still on OEM battery since 2007 :O *Knocks on wood*

+1 here

[mazdabetty]

Still on OEM battery since 2005. No problemo. Coming up fast on 8yrs.


_3

hahahha me toooo, probably wouldn't have died if it wasn't for Ottawa's -40 degree weather every single day for 3 weeks in a row lol

[Tozer]

07 OEM battery and left my HID's on by accident during a 2 hour class and no problems

[Flagrum_3]

hahahha me toooo, probably wouldn't have died if it wasn't for Ottawa's -40 degree weather every single day for 3 weeks in a row lol

A Battery blanket (warmer) would be a good purchase if you live in cold temps like that. You just rap the battery and plug her in. I had one in my previous car and the OEM battery lasted 10 years! Although I never once plugged it in, it would seem the blanket still kept the battery cosy ;-)


_3

[michaelm]

I too park my car outside and have delayed startup during cold weather. So I Switched out my oem batt in December to a higher rated CCA batt that was on sale. No struggle/delayed startups in the mornings anymore :)

[TheZProjekt]

I will look into that, thanks!


I too park my car outside and have delayed startup during cold weather. So I Switched out my oem batt in December to a higher rated CCA batt that was on sale. No struggle/delayed startups in the mornings anymore :)

[Airman Jack]

OEM battery... '04 with 182000 on the clock... only cold weather mod is a block heater and the car has spent winters in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario.

[silverstarmazda]

04 oem battery with over 190,000km. still a great battery but i might give it a health check soon.

remember though, battery efficiency changes in extreme temperature. extreme cold or hot. CCA (cold cranking amp) means how much amps your battery can give to a circuit in -18 C* temperatures. which is why you see heat shields or blankets on some batteries. i think this is why the mazda 3 had that vent thing leading to the battery, since the mzr engine runs slightly hotter than some engines or the market.

[Paul17]

i think my battery is crappy because when im driving around then when i turn the steering wheel with out moving all my lights start to dim down is this a battery issue?

[silverstarmazda]

i think my battery is crappy because when im driving around then when i turn the steering wheel with out moving all my lights start to dim down is this a battery issue?

no, this is normal. our cars use an electric power steering pump. when you turn the steering wheel, the electric pump draws power from the battery. casing a very minimal drop in power throughout the car.

much like how if you were carrying something, and i add more weight to it. youll slow down. but when i take the weight off, you speed up.

[Paul17]

no, this is normal. our cars use an electric power steering pump. when you turn the steering wheel, the electric pump draws power from the battery. casing a very minimal drop in power throughout the car.

much like how if you were carrying something, and i add more weight to it. youll slow down. but when i take the weight off, you speed up.

ohh i understand now thanks silerstarmazda

[stock3]

no, this is normal. our cars use an electric power steering pump. when you turn the steering wheel, the electric pump draws power from the battery. casing a very minimal drop in power throughout the car.

much like how if you were carrying something, and i add more weight to it. youll slow down. but when i take the weight off, you speed up.

This is totally wrong. Once the car is started the alternator has more than enough amps to provide all electrical needs, PLUS charge the battery. It is NOT normal for the lights to dim when turning the wheels.

Paul17, please have your alternator checked.


BTW, my 06 with almost 170k is still on the original battery.

[silverstarmazda]

This is totally wrong. Once the car is started the alternator has more than enough amps to provide all electrical needs, PLUS charge the battery. It is NOT normal for the lights to dim when turning the wheels.

Paul17, please have your alternator checked.


BTW, my 06 with almost 170k is still on the original battery.

depends on how much they dim. a very slight amount is normal. your putting load on an electrical system, of course it will dim a bit. the power steering pump isnt on all the time, only when you make a move does it start pumping. this sudden load is what causes a slight drop in voltage.

the alternator does not provide anything to the electronics of the car. the only purpose of the alternator is to charge and maintain the battery. the electronics draw power from the battery and as power is being drawn, the alternator replenishes this power. which is why when you stop steering, the lights come back brighter. because the load(steering pump) is no longer there.

it may be a sign that the battery is no longer as strong as it use to be. because the electrolyte solution diminishes over time.

[stock3]

depends on how much they dim. a very slight amount is normal. your putting load on an electrical system, of course it will dim a bit. the power steering pump isnt on all the time, only when you make a move does it start pumping. this sudden load is what causes a slight drop in voltage.

the alternator does not provide anything to the electronics of the car. the only purpose of the alternator is to charge and maintain the battery. the electronics draw power from the battery and as power is being drawn, the alternator replenishes this power. which is why when you stop steering, the lights come back brighter. because the load(steering pump) is no longer there.


First of all, the power steering pump is on all the time, that's the slight buzz when the vehicle is idling.
Second, you have no clue how cars electrical system works. As I said before, the alternator provides power to everything, including charging of the battery.



http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/diagnosing-car-problems/mechanical/5-signs-alternator-problems.htm

[Booter22]

there is also a buzz noise that you can hear from the electric throttle body before the car is started and after it is turned off. at least i hear that on my 3 3's

[Paul17]

This is totally wrong. Once the car is started the alternator has more than enough amps to provide all electrical needs, PLUS charge the battery. It is NOT normal for the lights to dim when turning the wheels.

Paul17, please have your alternator checked.


BTW, my 06 with almost 170k is still on the original battery.

will do thx

[silverstarmazda]

First of all, the power steering pump is on all the time, that's the slight buzz when the vehicle is idling.
Second, you have no clue how cars electrical system works. As I said before, the alternator provides power to everything, including charging of the battery.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/diagnosing-car-problems/mechanical/5-signs-alternator-problems.htm

theres a buzz everywhere in the engine compartment. just because the power steering pump is on, does not mean its operating. which is where i made my mistake in the comment above. the alternator DOES NOT run ANYTHING. it simply creates electricity for the car to use, and charge the battery while rectifying AC to DC for the car to use when running. when the power steering is on, the pump is not doing anything. but when you steer, the pump then makes a connection and runs the pump. this happens nearly instantaneous and you dont feel the pump kick in and out. but the effects are that the lights dim a bit that whirring/whining sound.

your confusing the alternator itself, and the electricity it generates as one thing. the battery provides the working load voltage which is what runs the accessories and components. when there is a demand in power somewhere, it draws it from the battery. thats the drop in power. the alternator creates electricity and keeps the battery charged. the voltage regulator keeps the battery from over charging when the load is gone.

your link:
" the alternator ~ induces electrical current. That current is used to power your car's accessories"(not the alternator itself)
" The alternator also keeps the battery fully charged" (which is where the current comes from for the accessories)

the alternator basically 1)creates power for the car to use 2)keep the battery charged.

the dimming doesnt happen on every car though. but its pretty normal. so the OP can get a battery health check as stock3 mentioned to be on the safe side. but i doubt theres a problem.

http://autorepair.about.com/od/glossary/a/howitworks_alternator.htm

[GSXi]

my battery just died. car parked over the long weekend. needed a boost to get it going today :/

mod/plug-ins: gps & dash cam (only on when car is on).

bought new in Fall of 2009. 90% highway driven (5 days a week), so the battery should be charged up. checked all the interior lights to see if any was on by accident (nothing).

kinda worried now. i should change it soon.

[silverstarmazda]

my battery just died. car parked over the long weekend. needed a boost to get it going today :/

mod/plug-ins: gps & dash cam (only on when car is on).

bought new in Fall of 2009. 90% highway driven (5 days a week), so the battery should be charged up. checked all the interior lights to see if any was on by accident (nothing).

kinda worried now. i should change it soon.

get the system checked with a tester at a partsource. if you cant, take it in. you might be covered under warranty. they will do a test to see if theres something wrong with the system. you might even have an internal short which will require a new battery.

[stock3]

your confusing the alternator itself, and the electricity it generates as one thing. the battery provides the working load voltage which is what runs the accessories and components. when there is a demand in power somewhere, it draws it from the battery. thats the drop in power. the alternator creates electricity and keeps the battery charged. the voltage regulator keeps the battery from over charging when the load is gone.

your link:
" the alternator ~ induces electrical current. That current is used to power your car's accessories"(not the alternator itself)
" The alternator also keeps the battery fully charged" (which is where the current comes from for the accessories)

You are the one that is confused and are trying to twist my words to come out on top. Of course the alternator is creating electricity, which in turn powers accessories and charges the battery, so in essence it's the alternator that is running everything that needs electricity in a car. By your analogy, the car is not propelled by the engine, but by the gasoline.
Alternator simply converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, just like the engine converts chemical energy into mechanical energy.



the alternator basically 1)creates power for the car to use 2)keep the battery charged.
the dimming doesnt happen on every car though. but its pretty normal. so the OP can get a battery health check as stock3 mentioned to be on the safe side. but i doubt theres a problem.

http://autorepair.about.com/od/glossary/a/howitworks_alternator.htm

You just confirmed what I said. OK, the way I phrased it wasn't clear, but my point was that the alternator provides electricity to all accessories, while the engine is running, and charges the battery. Originally you were saying that all accessories draw their power from the battery, and all the alternator is doing is charging the battery, which simply is not true and the guy in the article you linked is wrong.
And again, dimming is not normal. I've had some pretty old beaters in the past, but they did have a good working charging and electrical system and I never had lights dim when load was introduced. If you're experiencing this something is not right. It could be the alternator, or voltage regulator or maybe a short somewhere in the wiring, but it is not normal.

[peterm15]

I didn't bother reading all of this thread but I do want to say this.

First off. An internal combustion engine does not turn chemical energy into mechanical. An engine is a enclosed system that turns combustion into mechanical energy.

The electrical system in a car works generally the same way as any power system. Nuclear power uses steam to spin a turbine, that turbine spins a generator which basically charges a battery to release power to a grid. ( there is conversion steps in between)
Same with wind. A spinning turbine charges Batteries.

Your alternator, charges a battery which then releases the power to the accessories. In some cases the alternator can directly power components. But that is rare.

If you would like to test this yourself. Turn your car on and unplug the battery, car will stop running.
But with a fully charged battery and a blown alternator, your car will not only start but remain running until the battery looses enough juice to no longer power the essential components.

[stock3]

First off. An internal combustion engine does not turn chemical energy into mechanical. An engine is a enclosed system that turns combustion into mechanical energy.

Really and where is the combustion process coming from? Or are you saying that gasoline is not a chemical?


The electrical system in a car works generally the same way as any power system. Nuclear power uses steam to spin a turbine, that turbine spins a generator which basically charges a battery to release power to a grid. ( there is conversion steps in between)
Same with wind. A spinning turbine charges Batteries.

Your alternator, charges a battery which then releases the power to the accessories. In some cases the alternator can directly power components. But that is rare.

If you would like to test this yourself. Turn your car on and unplug the battery, car will stop running.
But with a fully charged battery and a blown alternator, your car will not only start but remain running until the battery looses enough juice to no longer power the essential components.

The power station does not charge any batteries, they vary their output according to demand and all power generated goes straight to the grid. There may be some backup in form of batteries, but most of the time the backup consist of diesel generators or another power station picks up the slack, hence the term power grid.
And the car will run just fine without a battery otherwise how on earth could you start a car and keep it running when the battery goes dead with just a quick boost? Explain that to me.
Maybe some newer cars cut the engine off when the battery is disconnected as a security measure, but that doesn't mean that the alternator does not power the accessories.
Seriously where do you guys get your info from, or do you just make your own assumptions?

[peterm15]

Chemical energy is something like lighting a match. Mixing chemicals to get a reaction. Usually the chemical only has to mix with oxygen.

And I got all my info from 3 years in collage where my course was based on "green" energy and regenerative energy. Including creating a braking system that could charge batteries to power an off grid 1964 Vespa.

Honestly go start your car, and unplug the battery and tell us how long it stays running.

The alternator does not directly power accessories. However it is essential in maintaining power to the same accessories.

[stock3]

And I got all my info from 3 years in collage where my course was based on "green" energy and regenerative energy. Including creating a braking system that could charge batteries to power an off grid 1964 Vespa.

Ahh, that explains a lot. But you did not pay attention in the class as these grids are not implemented yet. This is probably what you are talking about:
http://socialinnovationmn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Smart-Grid.jpg

Notice that even they say that the batteries COULD be used. They are certainly not used today. Here is how today's power grid looks like. You won't find any batteries there.
http://www.altenergymag.com/articles/09.04.01/smartgrid/grid.jpg



Honestly go start your car, and unplug the battery and tell us how long it stays running.

The alternator does not directly power accessories. However it is essential in maintaining power to the same accessories.

Ask and you shall receive.,
Here is one, granted it's not mine, but it's running just fine without batteries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMGBK77dBYc

Here is another one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiOryv6ouHM


I have a suspicion, given your schooling, that you're talking about hybrids, just like you talked about the smart grid, except there are no Hybrids being discussed and batteries to store megawatts worth of electricity are a pipe dream for now.