Battery seems to shut off

[cannonman]

My battery will completely shut off power to all circuits every once in a while. It usually happens when I shut the key off. All I have to do is lightly touch the negative terminal to reactivate it. I don't even have to touch the cable, just the terminal.
I have cleaned that terminal several times without seeming to correct the problem.
Can a battery develop an internal short or loose connection.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Battery seems to shut off

yes all of the above

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Battery seems to shut off

The battery doesn't shut off anything. It provides power. If the connections are intermittent it is the bad connection that interrupts the current flow. Battery cables have two ends. One at the battery, and then the one at the far end. Cleaning one does not solve a problem if it is the other end that is the issue. It is possible that the battery post is broken internally. When things are working properly, wiggle the battery post to see if it causes the issue. If it does, the battery post is likely broken. This is NOT a rare. People have a tendency to really crank down hard on on some threaded items and tend to break things.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Battery seems to shut off

An intermittent connection inside the battery can be more than just a nuisance.
If the intermittent is below the acid level is is a nuisance.
If it is above the wet area, the potential for a spark is created.

The bubbles that you see when charging a battery are not just air.
They are the water in the battery electrolyzing in to Hydrogen and Oxygen in the absolutely perfect Flammable ratio.
Add a spark and the reaction reverses itself in a millisecond and releases all the energy stored during the electrolysis. The results are not pleasant.



If the intermittent is truly confirmed to be internal to the battery, Retire that battery NOW!

 

[cannonman]

Re: Battery seems to shut off

Thank you for your response. I will replace the battery.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Battery seems to shut off

Thank you for your response. I will replace the battery.

Why?. You haven't proven it is bad have you?

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Battery seems to shut off

Why?. You haven't proven it is bad have you?

+1

There was a definite reason I ended my previous post with ...

If the intermittent is truly confirmed to be internal to the battery, Retire that battery NOW!

Not to tell you to just replace the battery, but, because of the hazard, replace it IF it was intermittent.

Place a Test Light or Meter on the Battery Terminals. NOT the clamps or the cables. The actual lead battery posts. Now, Turn On your NAV lights and flex the battery cables at the Battery posts.

If the Test Light/Meter indicates erratically, the battery is bad.
If the Nav lights Flicker, but the Test light/Meter does not, the problem is in the wiring and not the battery.

Always confirm that what you are replacing truly needs replacing.
Buying parts based on a hunch becomes expensive quickly.