'99 V70. No start condition MVSOLVED. New batt cables

[E Showell]

Hard to say it is after "a day". More than likely, it is three or four days of two a day twenty minute local trips.

[E Showell]

$56.89 delivered will be the total for new B+, new pos. and new neg. cables vs. $209 delivered from FCP.

[regent]

$56.89 delivered will be the total for new B+, new pos. and new neg. cables vs. $209 delivered from FCP.

That $56.89 price looks right to me, but you missed out on FCP's Lifetime Warranty + Awesome Return Policy (all those "benefits" for just $152.11 more)...

[E Showell]

Yes, unfortunately, I did. The original cables lasted 16 years. The custom cables I am having made appear to me to be higher specification and I am hoping will be better made than the combination of aftermarket and OEM replacements I was able to source from FCP. Plus, and it matters to me, that the replacement cables will be made in the USA, as opposed to Poland (OEM Volvo on the negative cable) and China for the FCP-sourced positive and B+ cables.

I doubt I'll have the car for another 16 years, but I can be pretty sure that the cable replacement will be a one-time thing.

And I'm not trying to turn this into a slam FCP thread. They've been good to me in the past. I think the lesson here is that for commodity-type products, perhaps it makes sense to look beyond the usual suspects for parts. (And a tip of the hat to JReed and Erik11 here).

The OEM cables from Volvo are certainly not cheaper than the FCP offerings, but unless you have to have right angle battery clamps, I can't see paying what Volvo and/or FCP are asking for cables.

[abscate]

Evan...that charger behaviour is normal if it is initially drawing near the rating. After maybe 5 minutes it should stop doing that.

[E Showell]

Ok, so let's give this saga a little more legs. After much freezing and sailor-like idiomatic usage, with my brother's assistance we did a new B+ cable (custom 4 awg) and a new negative cable (2 awg main and 4 awg supplemental ground) and managed to finish (outdoors) before too much actual snow fell.

I forgot to check the state of the battery before I fired up the ignition, so with initial battery voltage as an unknown, I now have 14.04 volts with the car idling and no accessories running (as opposed to 13.9 before) and now with lots of goodies running -- seat heaters, radio, lights, rear defroster, dome light, cabin heater -- I am now reading 13.75 volts so I've got a voltage drop of 0.29 volts.

Previously, the voltage drop was 0.4 volts. We didn't have time to replace the main positive cable.

What say ye about the present numbers? Are they high enough to keep the battery charged? Misha seems to think so based on a prior post.

What a PITA this was as well. It was especially bothersome because I opted for a single cable B+ replacement as opposed to the four strands of c. 10 awg in the original B+ cable. The combined four strands are way more flexible and maneuverable in tight spaces. The single cable made it much more difficult to fish through the fuse box (don't even attempt it without a fish tape -- you will not succeed) and it caused the fuse holder not to seat completely so I have a very small gap in the fuse box cover that I weather sealed with duct tape. Not the prettiest, but seems entirely functional.

Oh, and get this -- my Volvo dealer told me that OEM positive main battery cables are no longer supplied individually and are only available as part of a complete engine wiring harness to the tune of > $1,000.

[regent]

-- seat heaters, radio, lights, rear defroster, dome light, cabin heater -- I am now reading 13.75 volts so I've got a voltage drop of 0.29 volts.

Previously, the voltage drop was 0.4 volts. We didn't have time to replace the main positive cable.

What say ye about the present numbers? Are they high enough to keep the battery charged? Misha seems to think so based on a prior post.

...

I think so as well, quite an apparent improvement and a job well done. Your load test was performed at 100% duty which is seldom the case 'in the field', so you're good to go.

Oh, about that 'tune' of $1K or so for the wiring - I feel sorry for that stealership, their tune is so off-key...

[draser]

If you measure consistent 12.6v w/engine off then you have a fully charged batt.

[E Showell]

Ok, so it doesn't get better. Down to about zero degrees F overnight. Went to start and did not even have enough power in the battery to activate the automatic door locks, so I wasn't optimistic that I'd get her to crank -- and in fact, I got nothing. It has now warmed up to about 20F and I am considering putting my trickle charger (2 amp on the battery). Anything I need to be concerned about? Could the battery be frozen? With all this discharging and recharging could I be wrecking an otherwise seemingly healthy battery that is only 1.5 yrs. old?

If it were you, would you trudge out to the driveway and hook up the battery charger?

[kahl]

I would put a charger on the battery. As pointed out the charge will take several days. Have you changed the voltage regulator yet? From watching this adventure it appears to me that your VR drops off line and the car is pulling power from the battery with out replenishment.