This is not Volvo specific.

I purchased a new battery that was reading 12.45 v. From everything I have learned about auto batteries and this being new I would expect it to be reading 12.6 v. It is an Interstate battery so I have confidence in the quality.

Avoiding all the run around to this point that includes two dealers that did not know how to test the cranking amps for this particular battery, I have put it on a charger.

With time and weather conditions I have not been able to keep the charger on it for the full 4 1/2 hours anticipated. The charger is automatic and drops the amps supplied until the battery is fully charged.

I find it odd the charger meter indicates more amps being applied when I reconnect it than when I removed it two days before. I have noticed this on other occasions with the old battery.

All this arising from a starting failure that I want to remove a potential battery problem from.

THE QUESTION:
If a battery is not charged to 100% at one time does it loose charge? Is the charging not cumulative? Am I hurting the battery by charging it when I can instead of waiting for a piece of time and weather to allow the charger to be ON until the charger meter drops to zero?


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1988 244 DL; B230F; LH-2.2; Manual 5-speed (M47)