Strange clicking/ dead battery
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Instructor
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Strange clicking/ dead battery
Yesterday I went out in the garage for some 'Vette' therapy..( dressing the leather seats). After I opened the doors, I noticed an odd 'clicking/buzzing' noise coming from the battery/computer area. Thinking it might be the battery, I tried to start the car and sure enough, it was dying and the car would not start. I did jump-start it using my other car and it's not had a problem since. The battery is a Die-Hard only 2yrs. old. I think an alternator only replaces the juice that's already present so I probably need a new battery. I've read good reviews on the Duralast. Do you think I did any damage by jumping it? Did I damage my custom tune? Thanks so much for your input.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2007
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How long had it been sitting? The C5s are known to draw more power when shut off then other cars do. If your battery recharges then it is obviously still good. Don't worry about those noises you heard while the battery was drained - there are some relays that will 'chatter' as the battery drains towards zero. Get a battery tender to keep that battery charged during longer periods of no use.
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If you haven't started it for several weeks, it could just have drained down enough to not start the car. Take the battery to a place where they can test it and see if it is bad. I doubt that you damaged anything by jumping the car. And if you don't drive it often, the purchase of a battery tender would be a great idea.
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Instructor
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Thanks so much for the replies! Do you think it will be OK to leave the battery in the car while it's being tested? It will start as normal and I could drive it over. BTW, one of my faults is that I don't drive it enough, especially in the winter...and it has been really cold lately....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Paducah Kentucky
If you haven't started it for several weeks, it could just have drained down enough to not start the car. Take the battery to a place where they can test it and see if it is bad. I doubt that you damaged anything by jumping the car. And if you don't drive it often, the purchase of a battery tender would be a great idea.
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My experience with most batteries is that once you let them go completely dead, they are never the same again.
Maybe you should just disconnect the battery if you are not going to drive it for weeks at a time.
Maybe you should just disconnect the battery if you are not going to drive it for weeks at a time.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: San Diego CA
From what I've seen, each drain that is severe enough so that the battery won't start the car will chop off about 3-5 months from the life of the battery. If you don't have an automatic charger, you might want to get one. It will come in handy, sooner or later. Most shops want you to remove the battery and take it inside so they can quickly attach their charging equipment (the battery must be fully charged to run a load test). Yes, it can be done outside, but that leaves the engine bay exposed to passer-bys.
certainly, a Battery Tender Plus is great to have if your car won't be started and taken out for a good run for two weeks or more, depending upon the age of the battery. Still, it's always a good idea to keep the battery as close to a full charge as possible.
certainly, a Battery Tender Plus is great to have if your car won't be started and taken out for a good run for two weeks or more, depending upon the age of the battery. Still, it's always a good idea to keep the battery as close to a full charge as possible.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: MI
My car does the same thing you are speaking of when the battery is dead. Once on the battery charger for about 30 Seconds it normally stops ticking. I have replaced my battery and still have this problem when I let the car sit for longer then about 3 weeks. When the time comes to get another new battery(sure I have drained this New once to many times), I am going to start keeping it on a charger like described above.
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Instructor
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battery problem
Thanks again for all the help, folks! I purchased an 800 MA Battery Tender, hooked it up and it worked just fine. It took overnite to do it, so the battery was really low. Now we'll see if it holds the charge. Either way, I needed to invest in a Battery Tender anyway. Hooked it up to the Duralast in my Mazda and it only took an hour and a half to reach full charge and it's almost 2 years old. That will be the next battery to replace the Vettes' DieHard (DieEasy)!
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Thanks again for all the help, folks! I purchased an 800 MA Battery Tender, hooked it up and it worked just fine. It took overnite to do it, so the battery was really low. Now we'll see if it holds the charge. Either way, I needed to invest in a Battery Tender anyway. Hooked it up to the Duralast in my Mazda and it only took an hour and a half to reach full charge and it's almost 2 years old. That will be the next battery to replace the Vettes' DieHard (DieEasy)!
You shoult use a conventional charger, that can produce around 10 AMPS, to fully recharge a dead battery. I'll bet that your Mazda battery was not dead when you hooked it up to the battery tender.
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Instructor
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Battery problem
Actually, you're correct.. the Mazda battery was fine and the car gets driven often. The Vettes' battery was holding the charge from the jump-start, so I'm hoping it will be OK. Whattaya think?
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