Dead Battery GRRRRR!
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Dead Battery GRRRRR!
I just got a 2000 C5. Dead battery after 3 weeks of garage.
New battery, and after 2 weeks of garage...DEAD.
What is draining my battery? Does anyone know?
I see this is a problem on the 2005's. Anyone having this with the 2000's?
New battery, and after 2 weeks of garage...DEAD.
What is draining my battery? Does anyone know?
I see this is a problem on the 2005's. Anyone having this with the 2000's?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Bill Curlee is the Forum electrical guru. He posted a great summary on how to run a drain check.
Try this thread:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...rent+draw+test
Try this thread:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...rent+draw+test
Last edited by DeeGee; Feb 12, 2007 at 01:19 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,743
Likes: 0
From: Omaha Nebraska
St. Jude Donor '06
Doesn't hurt to check for excess drain as DeeGee suggests but it is VERY common to find your battery dead if you do not drive the car for two weeks or more (obviously!)
There are many electrical drains on the C5 that suck the power out of a perfectly good battery and even a very good used one.
Your best bet is to use a battery tender if you do not drive her once a week or so. They're simple, easy and safe to use.
A battery tender is simply a 1 or 1-1/2 amp trickle charger that runs as needed and then when it senses the battery is charged, goes into standby mode until more charging is needed.
Lots of threads on these.
Good luck!!
Oh and WELCOME to the Forum and C5 ownership!!
There are many electrical drains on the C5 that suck the power out of a perfectly good battery and even a very good used one.
Your best bet is to use a battery tender if you do not drive her once a week or so. They're simple, easy and safe to use.
A battery tender is simply a 1 or 1-1/2 amp trickle charger that runs as needed and then when it senses the battery is charged, goes into standby mode until more charging is needed.
Lots of threads on these.
Good luck!!
Oh and WELCOME to the Forum and C5 ownership!!
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Get a Battery Tender Plus or something similar and keep it hooked up between drives.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 727
Likes: 0
From: Olympia Washington
I have an 01 and a new battery will go in this spring along with my spring maintenance. It's common to have them replaced every 4 or 5 years. Like the others said, they pull a lot of power simply sitting there. There aren't many of us that don't use a battery tender, very easy and safe.
Vinnie
Vinnie
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
From: Youngsville,LA,USA La
I have a Y2K, no dead battery issues. In fact had the car in the garage for 2 months straight due to knee surgery and she fired right up last weekend. But I do agree with the preivous post for the battery tender or a trickle charger. It will maintain the battery charge and extend the life of the battery.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,642
Likes: 450
From: Texarkana Texas
I also have an 01. It sometimes sits for a week or two between drives. I go out into the garage and can sometimes hear the seat pump operate for a second, pumping air into the air bag I presume (I may have a leak). It does this a couple of times an hour. The computer also takes power. I also have an aftermarket alarm system that has LED's in both front and back that blink all the time, so my battery is constantly draining. I just put a battery charger on it every few days and charge it up.
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