Quote:
Originally Posted by freewheeler
... the battery was at 67% and that was after a 80 mile round trip last night. I had to charge the battery to start the car before the trip and my charger showed 80% ...
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Hello Dave,
What sort of life has this battery had since you bought it 2 years ago? Has it been flat once or twice? Has it been left for long periods without using a maintenance charger? From what you've said, particularly that you "had to charge" it, sounds as if it's sulphated to me. So yes, it may well be the battery as you've said but not due to a manufacturing fault.
You could try disconnecting the negative battery cable (to stop current consumption by the car) then using your charger for at least 24 hours, but preferably 36 hours. If it's a smart charger this will cause no harm but it will ensure that the battery has the maximum time to accept a full charge. Ignore the percentage display.
If the battery is still in good condition, that should restore reliability but if you're doing mainly short journeys, particularly with a lot of starter motor use, the charge level is likely to reduce slowly unless you supplement it with a smart charger.
Simon