Charging the battery
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,060
Likes: 33
From: Eagleville PA
Charging the battery
When I went to start my Vette a few weeks ago, after sitting for the winter, it wouldn't start. So I charged the battery. Then I took it to the shop for inspection and left it there a couple weeks (not running). Went to pick it up, it wouldn't start. Jumped it. Brought it home, put in on the charger. I put it on a 10A charge till it got charged all the way, then knocked the charger down to 2A. While in 2A mode, it would stop charging and the "Charge Complete" light would come on. But every few minutes, the light would turn off, and it would charge again for a minute, then light came back on again and it stopped charging. It continues to do this. Is this normal for charging? Or is the battery draining while sitting there which causes the charger to kick on again?
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 209
Likes: 1
From: Denver CO
Sounds like you have a load on the battery while it is parked. Disconnect your positive battery cable, get a multimeter, and read DC amperage between the positive post and the positive cable. If there is current flowing when the car is off something is loading the battery and you will have to trace it down with your multimeter. If not, buy a new battery!
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 332
Likes: 1
From: Watkins Glen New York
Your battery might have frozen over the winter causing an internal short between the lead plates.
It will temporarily hold a charge enough to start, but will strand you tomorrow.
Over the winter if the charge was lost, the electrolyte became water again and froze.
It will temporarily hold a charge enough to start, but will strand you tomorrow.
Over the winter if the charge was lost, the electrolyte became water again and froze.
