Car battery life - playing radio

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the duration a car battery can last while playing the radio at a low key position. Participants explore factors influencing battery life, including battery age, charge status, and power consumption of the radio.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the expected battery life for a 2005 model while playing the radio.
  • Another participant states that estimating battery life requires knowledge of the power consumption of the radio and the battery's capacity, as well as its age and charge status.
  • A participant expresses frustration over the lack of a rough estimate, providing additional context about the vehicle model (2008-2010 Saab 93 sedan) and conditions (no AC, heating, or headlights).
  • It is suggested that battery performance can vary significantly based on its condition, with one participant mentioning the importance of checking for weak cells that could affect performance.
  • Another participant suggests that if the radio cannot be played for more than about 15 minutes, it may indicate a dying battery or one that was not fully charged.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that multiple factors affect battery life, and no consensus is reached on a specific duration for playing the radio. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the exact battery performance without additional information.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of specific power consumption data for the radio and the unknown condition of the battery, which could significantly influence the discussion.

Square1
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How long have you ran your car battery running on "lowest key position", just playing the radio.

How long do you think a 05 model should have it's battery last for this. Range?

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There is no way to tell without knowing exactly how much power your electronic devices use, and the capacity of your battery. Plus things like age of the battery, if there was a full charge before you used it, etc.
 


seriously not even a rough estimate? it is year 2010 (correcting above) saab 93 sedan. not running ac, heating, headlights. no ball park figure?
 


ok screw it i don't know the year lol
 


Square1 said:
ok screw it i don't know the year lol

2008 - 2010 for sure though. oh well.
 


It would depend on the battery.
 


It would be a good idea to check the cell-to-cell charge from one pole. One weak cell (sulfated, perhaps) will kill that battery because it won't be able to take a full charge nor deliver the amperage that your application demands.

I always used sacrificial probes (an iron nail clamped in an alligator clip, for instance) to probe the acid in the cells. Car batteries are mass-produced and are not rigorously tested.
 


I mean if you can't play the radio for more than about 15 minutes, I'd bet that your battery was either not charged, or it is dying. But I don't think we could give you a reasonable estimate of what a fully charged, properly working battery should give you if we don't know the battery and we don't know the power consumption of your stereo system.
 


Ok fair enough. Thanks all.

Ps Turbo. That's nothing compared to once he casts his hallucinogenic spell to make you close your eyes and drift away. :s
 

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