Ok, first off, I don't get electrical systems that well, so be gentle.

My 1986 Coupe sits for 9 months out of every year, probably gets started and ran about twice during that period. (Its all I can do, I don't live where it is kept at)

So I disconnected my battery this year, as it always goes dead and I figured this should stop it. So with the posts not connected and 3-4 months since it's last use. The battery is dead.

I hook up the charger with the battery still in car and posts reconnected. It charges up to 6 amps (its the type that goes 2-4-6-8-6-4-2 until the battery is fully charged). At this point I leave it for two hours, come back, no change. I disconnect the posts and hook up some false posts and begin try. No change. I take out the batter and try on some mats on the garage floor. It fully charges.

I put it back in the car, starts right up, go for about 15 minutes of driving. Turn it off. Roll down windows with key on ACC. Then noticed I lost my touch for parking it, and try to start the car and pull it forward. It clicks sort of once and COMPLETELY DIES. No lights no power no nothing.

Now, I just hooked up my charger and it is charging normally in the car, posts connected.

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!?!


P.S. There was a lot of corrosion on the hold down bolt and the two bolts in the battery tray, I cleaned them up with water and baking soda and covered them up for now with electrical tape. I don't know if this has any signifigance but last time the battery died, there wasn't any corrosion there.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!



UPDATE:
The needle on the charger is now fluctuating wildly around 2 and there is no electricity going to interior lights/headlights/starter whatever.
Anybody???

 

No lights, no power, clicks....sounds like a dead cell to me.

 

I sure as hell hope so...wiring scares me!

 

NEW Find:

I just checked the charger, the needle is now bouncing crazily around 2, what the hell is going on?

Anybody experienced this?

 

Time for a new battery. If you're going to leave the battery for long periods of time it needs to be on a trickle charger.

 

Ditto on the battery problem. I too have some infrequent-drivers. I have about ten Deltran Battery Tenders going at any one time.

I found that if you get a motorcycle magazine, most of their larger advertisers have the Battery Tenders on sale in the magazine ads for about $34.99. Much less than the cost of one battery. I've kept nearly-deceased batteries working for many years by keeping them on the Tender when the cars are not in use.

They come with two weather-sealed quick-connect plugs so that you can either hard-wire it to your battery or attach it with alligator clips.

I'd sure try it if I were you.

 

Time for a new battery.And keep thoughs posts clean.

 

When a battery dies (dead cell) it can't be charged or the charge won't hold. Time for a new battery. Get a Sears Gold top or go the Walmart (good price and great warantee).

 

Lead acid batteries don't like sitting for long periods (4+wks) doing nothing. Even disconnected, car batteries self discharge up to 1% each day and during discharge collect lead sulphate on their plates. Lead sulphate is an insulator and a fully sulphated battery is a door stop. Car batteries when allowed to discharge and then charged back up lose some of their amp-hour capacity, so you probably have the equivalent of a lawnmower battery now. From now on, either get a battery tender or buy an interval timer (turns your home lights on each evening when you aren't home) and have your battery charger charge your battery once each day for its minimum interval (usually 15 min) and you will have a charged battery and a normal battery life. Letting batteries sit shortens their life.

 

I feel dumb...

Upside, the batter is less than a year old, which should mean...FREE replacement!
(The other one was dead before it was even time for me to lay the car to rest, so no worries, not the same cause)

I'll be buying a battery tender as well. Thanks guys!

 

Well, you should feel smart, not dumb. You asked for advice, got some and now you know more about lead acid batteries and how to keep them healthy!

 

Ok guys, I had it tested....and replaced.
I geuss the guy said it was fully charged but at 1/4 the cca it should. So uhh, yeah, thats interesting.

Did I mention I bought a trickle charger...yeah, thanks guys!

 

A float charger pays for itself in the first year