I usually start my vette in the garage every 10 days, if I wait longer than 10 days the battery is dead. Is this normal????

Is it ok to leave the key and fob inside the car in the center
console box??? Does that cause a power drain??

Its a 1996 coupe.

 

I don't know about the FOB in the console. But my 95 and my 01 need to be started weekly, if I go longer they both die. I went 2 weeks on both of them just recently and was able to start the C4 ( barely ), the C5 will not make it 2 weeks, it barely started on 8 days. I think it is common as I see aalot of people here with battery tenders.

 

I let mine sit for 3 weeks and it started up with a little hesitation. Then again I have a battery thats twice as powerful as I need.

 

Is the clock light on or the radio light on?

 

Buy a Battery Tender. It will be the best $50.00 investment for the 'Vette you ever made.

 

First don't leave key ignition it will drain the battery. Second you might have short somewhere draining the battery. Third get a Battery Tender, there cheap and this way it will keep your battery ready to go and no need to start the car till you are ready to ride.

 

I'd start to wonder either about the battery or if something is pulling it down. My Vette sometimes can sit for up to two weeks and always cranks immediately with no problems. I've also got two older trucks - both '79s and it is very common for them to be driven constantly for a week then sit for a month, and they both crank as quickly as I would expect them to. I've just never had a problem with a battery draining after as little as 10 days. Maybe location/climate has something to do with it? It may also not hurt to run the battery down to the local Autozone/Advance and have them test the battery.

I don't think the fob in the console would have anything to do with draining the battery.

 

If you are only starting the car every 10 days and not driving it you are likely "short charging" it. If you can't drive it due to weather, I would give it a good 2-3 hour charge and then put it on a Battery Tender. They only charge on an as needed basis. 10 days on a fully charged battery is too little. It should last at least 30 days unless you are starting with a battery that's undercharged or you have a parasitic draw.

 

Battery tender is the way to go. Make sure no short exist and that you have a good battery to begin with. Good Luck

 

Ive been starting it and letting it run 20 minutes at a time.
It just seems it only has 10 days. In the summer I drive it at least
3 times a week. In the winter I just run the vette a few times a month.
Just at idle in the garage.

Are the battery tenders safe????? Any fires associated with using

them???

 

Running your car (idle) in the garage isn't nearly as close to being as beneficial as driving it down the road. Driving it increases the RPM's, which will increase the output of the alternator, which will increase the amount of energy in your battery. In other words, get yourself a battery tender. Yes they are very safe. Just about every one of us here has one kind or another. There are many makes and models. Don't get one that costs $5.00. You can get a really good one for less than $50.00. Usually, you can get a decent one for $30.00. There won't be any fires with them - at least none that I've ever heard about.

 

Therre are many electronics that are contantly drawing power: radio presets, alarm, pke sensors, various control modules, etc. 10 days is not that long but there is enough draw to kill a weak battery.

 

NO,NO,NO. I learned the hard way to never leave the FOB in the car. Not even at a gas station. Long story, short. I used to load up my laptop and lunch in the car in the mornings. Throw my keys on the center console and go back in to get my coffe. Well one day I threw my keys on the center console, closed the door and heard a click and a honk. Yep, that was the day I missed worked to go to the dealership to "FINALLY" get that spare set of keys made. Drivers License, Registration, Title (If you're lucky enough to have it on hand) and $120.00

 

You want to help thieves steal your car? Then leave your ignition key in the car. If the key isn't in the ignition, then the battery will not have higher than normal leakage current, but it isn't smart to leave an ignition key in the car! GM says C4's should not have leakage current higher than 50 milliamps, my 87 draws 27 milliamps. 20 minutes idling will not charge up fully a low battery and it wastes a lot of gasoline. Also, alternators are not designed to charge up low batteries, it heats them and shortens their life. Go buy and use a battery tender, they are safe. A battery tender continuously measures the battery voltage and only charges the battery when it detects a 10% drop in amp-hour capacity. Car batteries do not like sitting for long periods (4+ weeks) because they self discharge (even disconnected) and form lead sulphate on the plates and lose their amp-hour capacity since lead sulphate that sits gets hard and cannot be converted back to lead and sulfuric acid as it does if you charge it right away. It sounds like you have a sulphated battery from your description of slow cranking. A sulfated battery is like a small motorcycle battery. Once sulfated, you cannot correct this by charging, don't let it happen in the first place. Too, you might have higher than normal leakage current. A new battery can easily sit for 2 weeks and start an engine normally.
Some posters want to blame a short, . Every circuit except the starter is fused and a short will blow a fuse and you would notice electrical things not working! Your problem is not a SHORT!

Buy and use a battery tender, stop running your car (exhaust fumes in a garage is also very dangerous) stop storing your keys inside the parked car, that is my advice.

 

I just started my car the other day, first time in a month, no problem at all.

BTW, you can get them for much less than $50.00.

 

I have had mine on a tender for the last 3 years and never have had a problem.

 

I fixed my voltage drain by accident. I had read several threads
about the positive battery post on multi connection style batteries
shorting out against the cruise control mount. I was surprised
to find my newly aquired '95 had the wrong style battery in it.
I also discovered the cheap red plastic post insulator had nearly
chaffed through. I shaved the positive post and put a new
insulator cap over it. I also put a heavy dielectric pad on the
back side of the cruise mount. Shizzam! Suddenly the battery
started holding a charge for weeks instead of days. The correct
fix is to install the proper style battery. My moded battery is
working great so I'm pressing on with it till it craps out. The
battery is an exide orbital if anyone is interested.

 

Answers:

NO

NO

YES

Your vette should be able to sit for longer than 10 days without a drained battery.

It is not okay to leave the key and fob inside the car, because it will keep cycling, which will cause a battery drain after continuous cycling.

Keep the keys away from the car, and get a tender.

 

I use the Battery Tender and never worry about the car starting after sitting for months on end.

 

leaving key in ignitaion will cause a drain? Even with the door closed (chime curcuit open)?