Use them or lose them.
Stinking battery
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Stinking battery
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: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,675
Likes: 13
From: Sudbury MA
Buy yourself a Battery Tender. I use them for all my cars after I replaced the battery in my 79 Benz twice in a year at a cost of $200 each time. I learned that lesson.
Since I don't drive my cars very much, the battery tenders have really done a great job and the cars start each and every time with no trouble at all.
You can get them for $29 or $39 . Sometimes they are on special, just buy a good one not some junk. Batteries get expensive.
Kurt
Since I don't drive my cars very much, the battery tenders have really done a great job and the cars start each and every time with no trouble at all.
You can get them for $29 or $39 . Sometimes they are on special, just buy a good one not some junk. Batteries get expensive.
Kurt
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,951
Likes: 1
From: Shore NJ
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.
will you please get that monster out of the barn, it's crying to be driven...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Sounds more like an electrical problem.
Our vette batt box is isolated by fiberglass and has little to drain current through the case. Problem is some tiny system current drain is fully discharging the batt, sulfating the cells, and full capacity will never return unless the plates are removed and the bad lead is scraped off.
Heat will kill a batt also but your mod climate and batt inside the pass compartment doesn't sound like your problem.
Try a $5 cable disconnect - no more drain from the system.
Upgrade to an Optima (regenetive gas/paste lead acid) batt. The Optima type batt (can't call them dry cells though they are - sounds to much like an alkaline flashlight batt) actualy likes a slow discharge and slow/low amperage recharge.
I don't like the battery tender as bandaid fix as it won't help your electric bill at all. But hey it gets the job done.
Good luck.
cardo0
Heat will kill a batt also but your mod climate and batt inside the pass compartment doesn't sound like your problem.
Try a $5 cable disconnect - no more drain from the system.
Upgrade to an Optima (regenetive gas/paste lead acid) batt. The Optima type batt (can't call them dry cells though they are - sounds to much like an alkaline flashlight batt) actualy likes a slow discharge and slow/low amperage recharge.
I don't like the battery tender as bandaid fix as it won't help your electric bill at all. But hey it gets the job done.
Good luck.
cardo0
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio Texas
used to have the same problem. lack of use drains 'em fast. used to have to replace battery every year.
get a quick disconnect (ecklers, mid america, etc. they all sell them)
disconnect battery every time you put it in the garage. i do and haven't replaced a battery in about 5 years now.
get a quick disconnect (ecklers, mid america, etc. they all sell them)
disconnect battery every time you put it in the garage. i do and haven't replaced a battery in about 5 years now.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by cardo0
Try a $5 cable disconnect - no more drain from the system.
.... it happensI have seen the cheapo switches lite up two vehicles at a previous company I worked for
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,951
Likes: 1
From: Shore NJ
Originally Posted by Gordonm
I do have a battery tender that I use for the boat battery. Looks like I should use it for the Vette also.
Yea I do need to use it more!
Yea I do need to use it more!
And a HD disconnect like I have....
BTW: Smithville is the 15th next month....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 7,106
Likes: 38
From: Newark DE
I use BOTH a battery disconnect and a battery tender on both of my vettes with good luck.
Even after a winter long storage I just turn the key and they start right up. Besides the expense of a new battery which I don't like, changing out the battery in the '65 is a royal PITA so the battery tenders are a life-saver!
They are only about $29 or so.
Even after a winter long storage I just turn the key and they start right up. Besides the expense of a new battery which I don't like, changing out the battery in the '65 is a royal PITA so the battery tenders are a life-saver!
They are only about $29 or so.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 98
From: Ontario
Sounds as if you drive as little as I do. My Corvette can sit for 2-3 weeks without being driven. My tack was to purchase an Optima and use a blade-type disconnect everytime I park the car. So far, so good. Another reason for the Optima is that it does not gas-off as an ordinary battery does. With the C2 that leads to corrosion of the expansion tank.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 7,106
Likes: 38
From: Newark DE
Gordon, you can see from Paul's picture why us C2 guys HATE replacing batteries....... it's tucked into and under the front fender and to get it out you need to unbolt and move the expansion tank out of the way and than fight bringing it up and over the heater hoses. All without hitting the fender and chipping your paint as you lift it up and over the fender.
oh yeah....... it's fun.
Makes lifting it out of the rear storage compartment in the C3's childs play - that's nothing more than slightly inconvienent!
Therefore, most C2 guys LOVE and depend on Battery Tenders and swear by them as they do a great job of keeping the battery charged up without overcharging it so it keeps the battery life good.
Hey, BTW, it's nice to finally post something that YOU could agree with for a change
oh yeah....... it's fun.
Makes lifting it out of the rear storage compartment in the C3's childs play - that's nothing more than slightly inconvienent!
Therefore, most C2 guys LOVE and depend on Battery Tenders and swear by them as they do a great job of keeping the battery charged up without overcharging it so it keeps the battery life good.
Hey, BTW, it's nice to finally post something that YOU could agree with for a change
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 7,106
Likes: 38
From: Newark DE
DB, a lot of the parts vendors sell them.
also, many local battery distributor stores carry them.
Paul
I can imagine what it would do to the fender....... i've seen what a brake rotor dropped on a fender of a C2 can do! luckily it's wasn't MY rotor or fender.
also, many local battery distributor stores carry them.
Paul
I can imagine what it would do to the fender....... i've seen what a brake rotor dropped on a fender of a C2 can do! luckily it's wasn't MY rotor or fender.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by BarryK
Hey, BTW, it's nice to finally post something that YOU could agree with for a change
I picked my Battery Tender up off Ebay but I have seen them in a lot of part stores also.
Disconnect switch is coming also. I posted in the tech section about this type of switch. Any ideas on one of these. They look pretty heavy duty. Rated at 150 amps continuous and 1000 amp surge. That should be enough
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...8&autoview=sku
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by BarryK
DB, a lot of the parts vendors sell them.
also, many local battery distributor stores carry them.
Paul
I can imagine what it would do to the fender....... i've seen what a brake rotor dropped on a fender of a C2 can do! luckily it's wasn't MY rotor or fender.
also, many local battery distributor stores carry them.
Paul
I can imagine what it would do to the fender....... i've seen what a brake rotor dropped on a fender of a C2 can do! luckily it's wasn't MY rotor or fender.
What was the rotor doing above the fender? I'll look around for a good tender.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Try Hobo Freight.
Originally Posted by Gordonm
I was thinking the same thing this morning when I read your post.
I picked my Battery Tender up off Ebay but I have seen them in a lot of part stores also.
Disconnect switch is coming also. I posted in the tech section about this type of switch. Any ideas on one of these. They look pretty heavy duty. Rated at 150 amps continuous and 1000 amp surge. That should be enough
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...8&autoview=sku
I picked my Battery Tender up off Ebay but I have seen them in a lot of part stores also.
Disconnect switch is coming also. I posted in the tech section about this type of switch. Any ideas on one of these. They look pretty heavy duty. Rated at 150 amps continuous and 1000 amp surge. That should be enough
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...8&autoview=sku
I just saw that switch at HF today Gordomn for $5.29.
This may rattle a few cages but so be it. I had to control myself not to buy it as i don't have a drain problem with my Optima. I've been training myself to just keep moving - no stop - when i see something i like at HF but don't really need. cardo0
