[Z06] Another battery question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
From: Purcellville, VA
Another battery question
The winter has been pretty relentless out here in Utah this year, so the Z has been a garage queen since November. I have been travelling quite a bit this year and have not been diligent with the battery (no battery tender...shame on me!). Well I now have the Battery Tender Plus and my battery is dead. I have an Optima red top and it has never been discharged until now. I put the battery tender on it and it has been about two solid days of charging and I still have nothing. If my battery is so completely discharged will the BT not charge it up? I am thinking that I should just get the battery to an auto parts store and let them charge it, then put the BT on from now on and chalk it up to a lesson learned. Anyone have any thoughts on the discharge issue?
Mike
Mike
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver Washington
Possible causes:
1) Battery is not accepting the charge. Reason: It’s sulfated
2) Massive drain. Reason: Electrical issues such as bad diodes within the Alternator.
Try the following:
Disconnect the cables from the battery, and then charge it for (24hrs). If the battery accepts the charge, you most likely have a drain. If it does not …you most likely have a sulfated battery. The former requires a trip to the dealer; the latter requires a new battery.
I think your battery has gone bust. Take it out and get it checked first ….
1) Battery is not accepting the charge. Reason: It’s sulfated
2) Massive drain. Reason: Electrical issues such as bad diodes within the Alternator.
Try the following:
Disconnect the cables from the battery, and then charge it for (24hrs). If the battery accepts the charge, you most likely have a drain. If it does not …you most likely have a sulfated battery. The former requires a trip to the dealer; the latter requires a new battery.
I think your battery has gone bust. Take it out and get it checked first ….
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 10,864
Likes: 196
From: Southern CA
A battery "tender" does not have the power to charge a fully discharged battery. Jump start it & give it a good drive. Then use tender.
Tender is to keep a fully charged battery "topped off"
Tender is to keep a fully charged battery "topped off"
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
I had the exact same problem recently. I called Deltran, makers of the Battery Tender, and asked their tech about this. After two days of trying, my tender would not recharge my battery so I wasn't sure which was bad, the battery or the tender. I took my red-top Optima to a friend's dealership and it checked out fine but was indicated that it needed a charge. I followed Deltran's instructions on how to check out my Tender and it was okay. I got my battery charged on a regular battery charger, slowly of course, and reinstalled it in my car. The car is running perfectly now. The Tender is also keeping it charged properly, too. BTW, according to Deltran, the Battery Tender is designed to maintain the charge in a battery that is charged but not being used. It is not designed to, or capable of, charging a dead battery that needs a complete recharge. Everything is fine now. That should help you out.
