I think I screwed up my Battery!

toastyjosh

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Location
Northern NM
TDI
2003 silver 2door golf
Ok, well back in July the car sat for 8weeks, would not start i jumped it and drove around for a while. Then I charged it for about 5 hrs or so on the battery charger.
Then she died the other day due to cold weather, pulled the battery, checked the water, DRY!
Added water, added to much water then charged the water leaked all over the place( not in the car).
So Now I cleaned all of that up, left the caps loose and did a 12volt low charge for about 6 hrs.
I am going to go turn it back on today( the charge has a timer and only goes for 2 hrs at a time).
Did I ruin my battery?
 

JB05

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Location
Il.USA
TDI
Golf,2005,anthracite blue
If the electrolyte level goes below the plates, then yes your battery most likely sustained some damage. The lead plates will get etched away or something like that. Debris will settle on the bottom of the battery and short it out.
 

asolo

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2009
Location
AZ
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium
Did I ruin my battery?
Almost certainly. I can scarcely believe you've survived with it since July.

Battery's are important. When they go bad, they leave you stranded. Strongly advise replacement ASAP.
 

toastyjosh

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Location
Northern NM
TDI
2003 silver 2door golf
Ok, yes the level was below the plates.
well that sucks! I am going to continue charging the battery to get me by. I will look in to getting a new OEM Battery.
 

thebigarniedog

Master of the Obvious
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Location
Fail Command (Central Ohio)
TDI
1998 Jetta tdi
Ok, well back in July the car sat for 8weeks, would not start i jumped it and drove around for a while. Then I charged it for about 5 hrs or so on the battery charger.
Then she died the other day due to cold weather, pulled the battery, checked the water, DRY!
Added water, added to much water then charged the water leaked all over the place( not in the car).
So Now I cleaned all of that up, left the caps loose and did a 12volt low charge for about 6 hrs.
I am going to go turn it back on today( the charge has a timer and only goes for 2 hrs at a time).
Did I ruin my battery?
Impossible to say. Batteries are fickle by nature. Is this the original battery for your 2009 vehicle (ie vehicle shown under your name)? Is this an aftermarket battery? If aftermarket what type and brand?
 

asolo

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2009
Location
AZ
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium
If you have a MM with min/max feature, you can approximate a load test yourself. Here's how it's done: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsJUuLu1cw0

If not, go to Wal-Mart or any battery-shop and they'll load-test your battery for free with standardized 15-second test with machines they all have specifically for this.

IMHO, you need to know more about this battery's condition than you presently do and you need to know it right now.
 

toastyjosh

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Location
Northern NM
TDI
2003 silver 2door golf
Ok thanks! I charged it for another 4hr today. I will take it to auto zone and get it load tested.

It is a OEM battery from 2010. Its a 2003 golf.
 

Powder Hound

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
TDI
'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
The least amount of damage that has been done is that the electrolyte has been diluted with too much water and then spillage.

If the cell described was completely dry, then your battery will most probably be toast. But maybe the 'dry' appearance was just electrolyte that was too low to be seen below the tops of the plates.
 
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