Trickle Charging a Completely Dead Battery?

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Mar 4, 2018 | 11:11 AM

glroland

Thread Starter

Heel & Toe

Joined: Dec 2017

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From: Alpharetta GA

Trickle Charging a Completely Dead Battery?

Is that possible? My battery was completely dead yesterday and plugged in the trickle charger. Started getting some basic life back via engine light coming on and very weak door light bulbs. However, after sitting overnight, its basically in the exact same state (dim lights, engine won't turn over, etc). Should I just wait longer or should I get a new battery?

I was working around the disty yesterday so its possible I was too rough around the wiring there as well.

Thanks!

Mar 4, 2018 | 11:16 AM

henrikse

Pro

Joined: Nov 2016

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From: Kelowna British Columbia

Do you have a regular battery charger? If so use that. It will start out putting high amps in and settle down as it gets close to full charge. Trickle is to replenish overnight a good battery. How old is battery. A shop that sells can load test although it will need somewhat of a charge. It just went dead after working on distributor? You could have a short but would need a meter to determine that

Mar 4, 2018 | 11:25 AM

HeadsU.P.

Le Mans Master

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From: Cool Northern Michigan

I have had trickle chargers take three days, non-stop. Have patience. But every time you open a door, turn on the key, turn on the lights, etc, you are not helping the situation. If all else, you could disconnect the ground if you have to work on something and still charge it.

Mar 4, 2018 | 11:41 AM

C3 Stroker

Safety Car

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From: Youngstown Ohio

What kind of battery....regular, or AGM? What was the voltage?......low, or completely dead (zero)?........dead cell?..

Low AGMs can be revived (slowly).....dead cell batteries, no.

Mar 4, 2018 | 01:21 PM

TedH

Le Mans Master

Joined: Feb 1999

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From: Tampa Bay FL

Quote:

Originally Posted by glroland

I use a PulseTech Xtreme charger. It is not only trickle (2-battery, 2.5 amps per battery or 5amps combined for one battery). It is great for desulfating a dead battery. I gave my larger batteries 1-2 weeks (8D - bus batteries) on the pulsetech.

As long as your battery is not shorted out, it will recover a charge but it may not recover fully with a static voltage charger. Static voltage trickle charger will not refresh a battery as much as a pulse charger/desulfator.

Mar 4, 2018 | 01:44 PM

stingr69

Le Mans Master

Joined: Mar 2004

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From: Little Rock AR

I have a few Schumacher trickle chargers. They work great as long as there is enough water in each cell. If I am low water on one cell I get error code on the charger and it shuts down. Worth a check.

Mar 4, 2018 | 01:47 PM

Dynra Rockets

Burning Brakes

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Put a volt meter on it. a dead but otherwise good battery will read 10.5 volts (lead acid). If it reads less than 10.5 volts then a cell has shorted and it will not come back.

Last edited by Dynra Rockets; Mar 4, 2018 at 01:48 PM.

Mar 4, 2018 | 05:16 PM

sug

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From: perth Aus w.a

2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (stock)

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I had a dead flat battery that wouldn't charge so got on to google and the best way was hook it up to another charged battery with jumper leads positive to positive negative to negative and if the battery is ok it will take some of the charge .I gave it a hour and then you should be able to finish charging it properly .The chargers need some voltage to tell it to charge .Hope this helps.