Question on batteries
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,876
Likes: 1
From: Jersey Shore Exit 98
Its a Corvette thing. I've owned a C2, C3, & C5 also my friend has a C4 all would eat a good battery in about 3 weeks. The C2 & C3 had ground issues, the C4 & C5 like many newer cars have clocks, alarms, PMC's and seat memory etc, etc that use battery power. If yours dies in one week it sounds like a weak battery. When you put a new one in and plan on storing the vette for 2 weeks or more get a mini-charger.
G/L
G/L
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 45,000
Likes: 586
Its a Corvette thing. I've owned a C2, C3, & C5 also my friend has a C4 all would eat a good battery in about 3 weeks. The C2 & C3 had ground issues, the C4 & C5 like many newer cars have clocks, alarms, PMC's and seat memory etc, etc that use battery power. If yours dies in one week it sounds like a weak battery. When you put a new one in and plan on storing the vette for 2 weeks or more get a mini-charger.
G/L
G/L
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,334
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From: las vegas nv.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,121
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From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
according to the Corvette Quality Control Manager that came to speak to our club a few weeks ago (his name is not coming to me right now), you should be able to go 3 weeks without putting a battery on a tender. that being said... once the battery dies you will need a new one. he said to think about it like this "a battery is the heart of the car, it works just like your heart. once it dies (as with a heart attack), it will never be the same. its always going to be weak and unreliable." so, once you kill it one time its time for another.
(ask me how i know hes speaking the truth
ive been through 5 batteries in 1.5 years)
(ask me how i know hes speaking the truth
ive been through 5 batteries in 1.5 years)
Batteries, any of the automotive types last from a few weeks old to seven or eight years. I have a Optima Red Top and I have a really good float charger for it. The batteries have a parasitic 20Ma drain. So when I know I'm not going be using the car for a few weeks, I lift the hood and hook up the float charger and close the garage door. I never had a problem. But I know that if push came to shove, the Optima could go 2 or 3 weeks, but not much more. If you look after the battery, you won't have any problems.
You need to find out what the heck your amps or radios and or any monster wiring is sucking all the juice out of the battery. The C5 in stock configuration has a 20Ma draw, which is really very small and you'd never notice it if the cars started and run everyday. Look your electricity drain is. I'd disconnec everything that isn't stock. And start adding one more amp or whatever music radio or stereo hooked up. You should see that one or more is a bad or heavy draw on the battery. Measure it with a meter hooked up. Once you find it it should show up on the meter and you'll find that what it is gounding out on. Good Luck !
Last edited by killain; Feb 12, 2011 at 07:16 PM.
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From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
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St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
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If you have a good battery, you should be able to go a few weeks of not driving without having any problems. The C5 has an electrical draw on the battery even though the car is not running so it will eventually discharge the battery if left sitting long enough.
Not all cars have the fuel sending unit problem, but it is a common issue with the C5s. A good preventative measure is to run a bottle of Techron in the gas every now and then to help keep the sulfur deposits from building up.
Not all cars have the fuel sending unit problem, but it is a common issue with the C5s. A good preventative measure is to run a bottle of Techron in the gas every now and then to help keep the sulfur deposits from building up.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 361
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From: Landisville PA
I have a 3 year old DieHard Platinum P3 that's been drained a couple times over the winter from sitting too long (4+ weeks). Drained soooo badly, you can't even open the door with the remote & weird electrical things start to happen.
We've trickle charged it each time (for weeks) and it's back up to 13-14volts - but It's still sluggish to start.
Perhaps we should've had the trickle charger on it the entire winter to save the battery? I'll probably take it to Sears for a load check.
We've trickle charged it each time (for weeks) and it's back up to 13-14volts - but It's still sluggish to start.
Perhaps we should've had the trickle charger on it the entire winter to save the battery? I'll probably take it to Sears for a load check.
