Stinking battery
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,332
Likes: 786
From: Redondo Beach, California
My understanding is that when a lead/acid battery goes flat (dead), it looses about 1/3 of it's original capacity rating immediately. What this means is that when your lead acid battery goes dead/flat, its buggered.
You can recharge, but my understanding is that he batery will never be good again. Tell me if I'm wrong about this. !!!
You can recharge, but my understanding is that he batery will never be good again. Tell me if I'm wrong about this. !!!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by 68/70Vette
My understanding is that when a lead/acid battery goes flat (dead), it looses about 1/3 of it's original capacity rating immediately. What this means is that when your lead acid battery goes dead/flat, its buggered.
You can recharge, but my understanding is that he batery will never be good again. Tell me if I'm wrong about this. !!!
You can recharge, but my understanding is that he batery will never be good again. Tell me if I'm wrong about this. !!!
A new battery that goes dead won't lose 1/3 of it's capacity. True, it contributes to early wear, but you can charge it up and it'll be fine. Now, you don't want an alternator to charge a totally dead battery. Not to mention a high output alt...they can be VERY harsh on a dead battery. Idealy you would want to charge it slowly with a trickle charger over night, and a low amperage. Sometimes we don't have a choice and that's acceptable.
Now, sending a battery to the grave and bringing it back a lot WILL cut it's life down by as much as half. That's how batteries go bad, and that's why I was going throught them so fast. My stereo was draining them faster than the alt could charge and more often than not, it was drained, and recharged fully by the alt when I had the stereo down.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
Originally Posted by 68/70Vette
My understanding is that when a lead/acid battery goes flat (dead), it looses about 1/3 of it's original capacity rating immediately. What this means is that when your lead acid battery goes dead/flat, its buggered.
You can recharge, but my understanding is that he batery will never be good again. Tell me if I'm wrong about this. !!!
You can recharge, but my understanding is that he batery will never be good again. Tell me if I'm wrong about this. !!!
I started using marine batteries which aren't supposed to do that and get them at Costco for the same price as most auto batteries.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
When I did truck fleet service years ago the rep from Interstate batteries had cautioned us not to let the batteries get so low that they wouldnt start the trucks
He also stated that they would last about 2/3 of the life which to me sounds like a loss of 1/3 battery life
He also stated that they would last about 2/3 of the life which to me sounds like a loss of 1/3 battery life
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
If a full drain happens often, you'll lose HALF life or more. If it happens only rarely, and you charge it back up slowly you will see very little change in overall life of the battery.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Originally Posted by Gordonm
Batteries don't last very long in these types of cars when you don't use them much. I used to get 4 to 5 years out of a battery. The last 2 seem to die out after about 30 months. Granted they don't get used much but my boat battery lasts about 6 to 7 years. It only gets used 3 to 4 months out of the year. I have not been driving my car much due to "other" things in life this year. I went to start it up a week ago and the battery was dead. Gave it a full overnight charge and it fired up fine. I went to take my daughter somewhere today and it barely turned it over. CRAP. No I don't have a short or a slow drain. Just a crappy battery. Off to the battery store tomorrow. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by DWncchs
Put a boat battery in it.
Whew! Big $$$
Winter was very rough on the batteries as the trucks wern't started for days or even weeks.
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Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
Optima batteries seem to be very popular. It is my understanding that the yellow top is a deep cycle battery, which would seem right for a car that sees little drive time/sits most of it's life. But I see a lot of red tops also.
Can anyone shed some light here?
Can anyone shed some light here?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by 682XLR8
Optima batteries seem to be very popular. It is my understanding that the yellow top is a deep cycle battery, which would seem right for a car that sees little drive time/sits most of it's life. But I see a lot of red tops also.
Can anyone shed some light here?
Can anyone shed some light here?
The red is a smaller battery, cranking amps wise. It's also $50 cheaper...and a $200+ battery is hard for some people to swallow. The yellow is better, and other than budget, will always fit your needs better than a red.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
Looked up the Optima's on Summit's website, looks like ULT-9014-045 is the one! Has the top posts for the 68 batt cables, and sides for the amp. I should get one for my pick-up also, as it sees less road time than the Vette does, and the battery is always dead whenever I need to use it.
$400+ for batteries
but I won't have to buy any more for a while!
$400+ for batteries
but I won't have to buy any more for a while!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,647
Likes: 1,871
From: LONG ISLAND
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Trickle Charger ...........
TRICKLE CHARGER ...........i leave my aligator clamps on my battery terminals feeding into a quick disconect plug, & i have the other part of the plug that goes to the charger hanging from my cieling in my garage, everytime i pull in i just plug in the trickle chager < BATTERY TENDER> EVERYTIME..........!!! even if i drive it weekly or not it's ALWAYS plugged in like an electric car, it will not over charge as it has a feature to prevent it & stops charging when complete, NEVER EVER HAVE A PROBLEM even after a long cold NY winter.........try it it's much cheaper then buying a new battery every season, thats what i used to have to do........PROBLEM SOLVED
ZIXXX PACKER
ZIXXX PACKER
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Costco has good prices.
Originally Posted by 682XLR8
Looked up the Optima's on Summit's website, looks like ULT-9014-045 is the one! Has the top posts for the 68 batt cables, and sides for the amp. I should get one for my pick-up also, as it sees less road time than the Vette does, and the battery is always dead whenever I need to use it.
$400+ for batteries but I won't have to buy any more for a while!
$400+ for batteries
but I won't have to buy any more for a while!cardo0
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
Originally Posted by Bob Onit
Dont mean to step on your toes cardo0 but a $5 disconnect is something you will never see in any of my vehicles....spend $30-$40 for a switch that wont cause a fire... .... it happens
I have seen the cheapo switches lite up two vehicles at a previous company I worked for
.... it happensI have seen the cheapo switches lite up two vehicles at a previous company I worked for
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
Originally Posted by cardo0
Can't remember what i paid but i shopped aroung and got a decent price on mine at Costco. I'd rather deal with the sideposts and save the $$$ Randy.
cardo0
cardo0
Theres one just down the road, I'll check it out before going to the parts store Thanx!
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
From: Searcy Arkansas
I actually had one of the "Tenders" go bad and over charge my battery to death in my garaged '65 p/u. I drive the truck every few months and thought it would be a good idea to use one. After replacing the battery I got another trickle charger but this time I plugged it into a house/light timer and set it to charge for about an hour a day. Never had a dead or overcharged battery after that. I had a VW that sat outside for long periods of time without being started. Did not want to run an extension cord outside so I bought one of those $39 solar chargers that plugs into a cigarette lighter. Had no problems after that... But I live in Calif... Sunny all year long....
Those good ideas jguy.
cardo0
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by justaguy10825
Yep... Solar Rocks... As far as the power on the timer goes.. I't probably a wash since the charger is not consistently using power...
I have a solar one, but it never seems to work...and I've heard they don't have an auto shutoff and can over charge the battery.