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- Pueblo county CO
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- CX-5 Sport 16.5 6M
This new class of SMART chargers are claimed to be able to rejuvenate a sulfated, undercharged and abused battery. NOCO is good brand. I have a small B&D branded one, plus a larger (8amp) "asian" one.
I think most battery failures are either:
1) old age/sulfation/undercharged or
2) heat damage/warped plates.
I also have 16.5 Sport. It wouldn't start and was rundown. I replaced the OEM Panasonic a couple of years ago with a Redtop Optima, for heat resistance ( I live in a hot climate).
I moved the Panasonic to my other car. That car charges the battery a little 'harder', usually at ~15v ! The battery still works. I do try to plug in the charger several times a month, but it always starts.
The Redtop runs down but I keep a lighter jack voltmeter pluggged in so when it gets down to 12.3-12.4v I charge it. The voltmeter is of course a parasitic drain in itself .....
Otherwise, I'm not sure if I have parasitic drain in the cx5 or nor. Surely not 1.7a, but usually a few days and the voltage is 12.4v which was at 12.8-9v after a drive.
It doesn't run down if I disconnect it.
Yyrwei52 is right, you should monitor the voltage and find the parasitic drain. But a SMART charger/tender will help keep you on the road.
The battery has the 5-year warranty, but I'm guessing your cx5 is out of warranty. Still, if there is a TSB or something that 'fixes' it, maybe Mazda will help.
I think most battery failures are either:
1) old age/sulfation/undercharged or
2) heat damage/warped plates.
I also have 16.5 Sport. It wouldn't start and was rundown. I replaced the OEM Panasonic a couple of years ago with a Redtop Optima, for heat resistance ( I live in a hot climate).
I moved the Panasonic to my other car. That car charges the battery a little 'harder', usually at ~15v ! The battery still works. I do try to plug in the charger several times a month, but it always starts.
The Redtop runs down but I keep a lighter jack voltmeter pluggged in so when it gets down to 12.3-12.4v I charge it. The voltmeter is of course a parasitic drain in itself .....
Otherwise, I'm not sure if I have parasitic drain in the cx5 or nor. Surely not 1.7a, but usually a few days and the voltage is 12.4v which was at 12.8-9v after a drive.
It doesn't run down if I disconnect it.
Yyrwei52 is right, you should monitor the voltage and find the parasitic drain. But a SMART charger/tender will help keep you on the road.
The battery has the 5-year warranty, but I'm guessing your cx5 is out of warranty. Still, if there is a TSB or something that 'fixes' it, maybe Mazda will help.
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