threw me off too
another battery post
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 8
From: Belleville Il
I use the simple system,,just drive it on a VERY frequent basis!! A LOT more fun than a tender
!!I do have quite an assortment of chargers an tenders from heavy duty Schumacher 2/15/125 AMP through a CTek,to harbor freight tenders!! Use them on my old shark,motorcycle and lawn tractor. Gotta say I forgot the lawn tractor this past winter,,hooked the CTech to it for a day or so and has been firing right up since with no attention!!
!!I do have quite an assortment of chargers an tenders from heavy duty Schumacher 2/15/125 AMP through a CTek,to harbor freight tenders!! Use them on my old shark,motorcycle and lawn tractor. Gotta say I forgot the lawn tractor this past winter,,hooked the CTech to it for a day or so and has been firing right up since with no attention!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,197
Likes: 2
From: Niagara Falls NY
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
So when C5s were new and had the dated Delco batterys did they go dead after a few weeks?If so I imagine GM had a lot of fun explaining that one
.I'll still never buy another Optima but I've heard the Yellow Top being a deep cycle battery works better.
.I'll still never buy another Optima but I've heard the Yellow Top being a deep cycle battery works better.
1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
learned my lesson
After going thru a couple of batteries because I didn't have a tender, I've finally purchased one along with my latest new battery. My question is since my car had been sitting in storage for quite some time and I have used a battery starter to jump it on several occasions, will this affect other components of the vehicle? I have noticed that the last time I started it and drove it for about 15 mins, the radio and AC would not work and as soon as I turned it off, it was dead and there was a clicking sound coming from the fuse box. Also, when I first started it, the 'Service column lock' message came on, but it didn't the second time when I jumped it to limp it over to my mechanic. Do I need him to look into more than just the battery replacement?
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,114
Likes: 669
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
How do you add water to a "red top" (OPTIMA?)
If it really is an OPTIMA battery, you should only apply low amp input per OPTIMA or damage the internals. Most OPTIMA batteries can be re-charged with a slow input charge. The BATTERY TENDER PLUS (DELTRON CORP) inputs only 1.25amps. The CTEK US3300 has two settings of (if I recall correctly) .8amp and 3.3amps.
If it really is an OPTIMA battery, you should only apply low amp input per OPTIMA or damage the internals. Most OPTIMA batteries can be re-charged with a slow input charge. The BATTERY TENDER PLUS (DELTRON CORP) inputs only 1.25amps. The CTEK US3300 has two settings of (if I recall correctly) .8amp and 3.3amps.
Having said that, A Optima Red Top is an excellant battery, BUT it doesn't take to being completely discharged and then recharged. You can contact the Optima folks, but in most cases you can recharge them , But I'm not really sure of how good the battery will be going forward. I've had mine for years, but I never let the car sit for more than ten days without hooking it to a special Optima/ Odyssey built battery charger I bought.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 551
Likes: 0
From: N.J.
TIA
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,140
Likes: 4,156
From: Kannapolis NC
As per the Johnson Controls website, : Optima Red top battery has to be charged by hooking your Red Top in series with another good battery, (wet cell or not) and then hook the battery charger to the first battery, give it about ten hours and your Red Top should be recharged.
Having said that, A Optima Red Top is an excellant battery, BUT it doesn't take to being completely discharged and then recharged. You can contact the Optima folks, but in most cases you can recharge them , But I'm not really sure of how good the battery will be going forward. I've had mine for years, but I never let the car sit for more than ten days without hooking it to a special Optima/ Odyssey built battery charger I bought.
Having said that, A Optima Red Top is an excellant battery, BUT it doesn't take to being completely discharged and then recharged. You can contact the Optima folks, but in most cases you can recharge them , But I'm not really sure of how good the battery will be going forward. I've had mine for years, but I never let the car sit for more than ten days without hooking it to a special Optima/ Odyssey built battery charger I bought.
Last edited by 65GGvert; Aug 22, 2010 at 08:42 AM.
CF Community Team
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 19,354
Likes: 5,240
From: Cape Cod, Mass.
2025 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
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The AC/Delco 7 year Professional Series battery is not a gell battery. It is a wet cell but is a superior design to the old AC/Delcos that some had leakage problems with. I currently have them in 3 of my cars and have had no issues at all.
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Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 551
Likes: 0
From: N.J.
And at this point i like the idea & benefits of AGM but not the price,
like the price of wet cell but not neccesarialy the technology or lack of it
So im still researching pricing and in general driving myself crazy for a 6 year life(hopefully) investment.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,175
Likes: 1,138
From: Santa Rosa Beach FL
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=896875
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,640
Likes: 83
From: . New York
Take a minute, read down in this post to the battery section and follow the link to the video where C4C5Specialist (Paul K.) discussed the battery requirements for the C5. A lot of problems (colum lock, dead batteries) can often be traced back to installing a battery with a lower reserve capacity. Originaly they recommended RC 90 as DG said above but C4C5 recommends 100>. Only reason I mention it is the guy is a world class certified corvette guy and he's well respected in the community.
The C5 eats batteries if you let it sit, I use a Die Hard Platinum and have it on a CTec 3300 when not in use
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...ls-errand.html
The C5 eats batteries if you let it sit, I use a Die Hard Platinum and have it on a CTec 3300 when not in use
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...ls-errand.html
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,114
Likes: 669
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
I'm sorry 65ggvette,, I meant 'Parallel' not series. Sorry for the mis-statement. Your right, I'm wrong !
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,140
Likes: 4,156
From: Kannapolis NC
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 159
From: Lafayette Louisiana
2 weeks is about the limit. And once you completely drain a battery, I don't care what brand, it will only come back to about 50%. Drain it a second time ... go get a new battery.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
From: Dothan Alabama
car has been running good
Had to take it in and get a steering sensor replaced but other then that life is good. Still owe the forum pics of tires that went bad on it from a lowering job that went wrong it is now back at stock height much more comfy, it also has a new DNX 6160 with a DD din mod in it, looking at getting a radar detector holder and later send off the driver side visor to have a home link system put in it. Then maybe an organizer or that shelf thing to help keep things close to the front where I sit. will be installing heated seat kit before winter sets in down here in the south. By the way nothing quite like
a 60 mile round trip day every work day in the vette> very very nice
a 60 mile round trip day every work day in the vette> very very nice
