Are My Kinetiks Toast?

[Blowndakrt]

Hey everyone, I just joined up. I came across this site when I was searching for info on my battery issue.

I am running 3 HC2000 in my Chrysler 300C. When I went to take it out of winter storage today, it wouldn't start. Pulled the batteries and tested each one individually. They each showed low voltage. 4volts and under. So I lug them home and hook them up to my charger. Charged one of them and got it up to 11.4v. Unhooked the charger and let it sit for a half hour. In that half hour it dropped down to 10.85v. The other 2 showed similiar drops but can't remember the exact amount.

Am I charging them properly? Someone local suggested to charge then at a lower amperage to build a better charge. I am not that familar with other methods of battery charging. I have always hooked up a charger and charged my batteries.

Has anyone ever had issues with their Kinetik batteries? I have been running these for a little over a year, so just out of warranty. Typical. Haha.

Any input would be appreciated. If you need more info, let me know. I am sure I am leaving stuff out but not thinking real clearly right now. Really frustrated that the money spent on the batteries might have been wasted.

Thanks

Shawn

[97maxima]

Well they could be bad id throw them back on a trickle for a day and check again. kinetic has a good out of warrenty replacement program that would be cheaper than out right buying three new ones

[wierdguy75]

I would recommend buying a trickle charger and charging each one individually. just cause it dropped doesnt mean you have a bad battery, just means the voltage is stabilizing on the battery. Give them a nice long charge and test them again.

[97maxima]

The true test will be once you put a load on them. they can fool you and show say 12.8 volts after charge but drop down to damn near nothing the first time you run them.

[RamenNoodles]

Take them to your local AutoZone or Advance Auto Parts and have them do a load test to determine if they are still good.

My guess would be no, but who knows until you get them tested.

[Airborne]

Put them on a "battery tender" type charger. I have one that carges at like 1 amp or less. It pulses the charge and has brought some batteries back from the dead.

[fritosaregood]

Put them on a "battery tender" type charger. I have one that carges at like 1 amp or less. It pulses the charge and has brought some batteries back from the dead.

2nd this

Ive got two battery maintainers from walmart, 1.5 amp charge, with a float charge once its done. 20 bucks each. ive got 2 2400s sitting on them right now

[Neo_frog]

You say winter storage? How long were they sitting there not on a charger?

If they drop voltage after being charged, you most likely have bad cells. Was there any sulfation on the terminals? I'd just contact Jon at Kinetik and get an RA number for some new ones. A new charger is not going to fix dead cells.

Edited April 12, 2009 by Neo_frog

[Blowndakrt]

Wow, Thanks for the fast response guys.

To answer some questions others have posted, They sat in storage for about 5 months. The Terminals looks clean, no pitting, no buildup of anything whatsoever. When I pulled the wires off the batteries, the posts were still as shiny as they were when they were new. But I am no battery expert, so not sure what I would be looking for. My storage building does not have power, so a battery tender is out. I should have disconnected them, but thought that going over twice a month, starting it, letting it run for 15 minutes or so would have helped. I would let the car warm up and then rev the car up to about 2K rpms and hold it for a few minutes, then back to idle, and repeat 2 or 3 times during that 15 minutes. But the last this last month when I went over, they were dead.

My battery charger has a "Maintainer" setting. Would this be the same as putting it on a 1 or 2 amp charger? Or do I need to get a smaller charger? Any recommendations as far as how little of a charge I am looking at using?

Thanks again guys.

Shawn

[troy]

id guess no.