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Old Jan 22, 2011 | 06:11 PM
  #21  
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Chuck,
The only reason to keep a battery off concrete,is concrete will draw the charge out of a good battery in a very short time.
Ed
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Old Jan 22, 2011 | 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by hfddirty30
Chuck,
The only reason to keep a battery off concrete,is concrete will draw the charge out of a good battery in a very short time.
Ed
thanks
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Old Jan 22, 2011 | 08:25 PM
  #23  
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If you have to store it for winter, just get a charger and let it charge, you will need one anyways. Starting your car is just that much harder on it for keeping your battery charged. These cars drain batteries quickly.
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 12:00 AM
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You can go months without starting the car - just keep the battery charged (I'd get a battery tender or similar product) and just leave the battery in the car. No need to take it out to charge it up. I would put Sta-Bil in the tank if you plan to keep it in storage for more than say 60 days but that's just me. I'd also put a few extra pounds of air in the tires and perhaps even put some old carpet squares under the tires to keep them off the concrete.
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 07:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Vetteman Jack
You can go months without starting the car - just keep the battery charged (I'd get a battery tender or similar product) and just leave the battery in the car. No need to take it out to charge it up. I would put Sta-Bil in the tank if you plan to keep it in storage for more than say 60 days but that's just me. I'd also put a few extra pounds of air in the tires and perhaps even put some old carpet squares under the tires to keep them off the concrete.
Thanks its on the fake grass rug,and its full of gas
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 08:11 AM
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Originally Posted by hfddirty30
Chuck,
The only reason to keep a battery off concrete,is concrete will draw the charge out of a good battery in a very short time.
Ed
This myth has been around for a long time. This was true in the early 1900's when battery cases were mostly made of a tar/pitch blend material but with the cases used in modern batteries it no longer applies.

A modern battery won't discharge any faster on concrete than it will on a wood or a metal shelf.
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 08:11 AM
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Originally Posted by 2k2C5
This myth has been around for a long time. This was true in the early 1900's when battery cases were mostly made of a tar/pitch blend material but with the cases used in modern batteries it no longer applies.

A modern battery won't discharge any faster on concrete than it will on a wood or a metal shelf.
How about cold temps?
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 09:03 AM
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If you remove the battery, make sure you have your radio security code as well.
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 09:11 AM
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Originally Posted by 4 KRUSIN
If you remove the battery, make sure you have your radio security code as well.
last time i changed my battery i dint need a code, were would this code be located at?
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 10:40 AM
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Originally Posted by Chuck A
How about cold temps?


Originally Posted by Chuck A
How about cold temps?
Actually cold temps slow down the discharge rate but it gets a little complicated depending on the state of charge the battery has.

You never want the electrolyte in a battery to freeze. The point at which a battery will freeze depends on the state of charge the battery has.

A fully charged battery (100%) will freeze at -77* F (-67* C)
At a state of 75% charge it will freeze at -35* F (-37* C)
At a state of 50% charge it will freeze at -10* F (-23* C)
At a state of 25% charge it will freeze at +5* F (-15* C)
Fully discharged (0%) it will freeze at +20 F (-6.7* C)

So as you can see, if the battery isn't kept at a high level of charge in very cold temps the possibility of the batteries electrolyte freezing increases. If the battery does freeze it is pretty much ruined and will need to be replaced.

For batteries that are stored or left in the vehicle for long periods it is always a good idea to leave them hooked up to a battery maintainer like a Battery Tender. There are different brands that work well just make sure you use a computerized maintainer.

They use various stages of charge rates to keep the battery charged without overcharging. The old "trickle" style chargers will not provide a fully charged condition like the new ones do. The old style chargers can actually do more harm than good if left hooked up for long periods. The new ones maintain a full charge with no danger of overcharging.
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 11:00 AM
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Well i got great news i found the original receipt, and yes it was still under warranty, i had a 36 month free replacement, woo-hoo 3 years would have been Feb 2, so yes i installed the battery , vette started up, but now i have check engine, and i bet several other codes i need to clear, talk to you guys later.
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 11:00 AM
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Chuck,

If you leave the battery in the car without a charger, at minimum always disconnect the neg. terminal.

If an unattended battery drops below 12.4 volts, sulfation will start which is usually irreversible. cold cranking amps will start to drop off. Get a cheap volt ohm meter to check this.

As others have said give it a high amp charge followed by continuous maintenance charge.

If the battery falls below 11 volts a cell may be compromised. The cells can be checked by removing the caps and using the VOM probes from positive term. to acid in first cell, then cell by cell. All cells should check 2.1 volts, anything much below 2 is suspect.

The general condition of a battery can be determined after a complete charging and letting it set idle for 8 hours then checking resting voltage with a VOM, should be 12.6 volts.

In a completely discharged battery sulfuric acid level goes from 25% to zero, freezing will soon follow.

I am currently experimenting with a desulphating maintenance charger (Battery Minder)
to bring back older batterys out of my boat. One has a resting voltage of 12.3 and the other 10.8 (two of the cells check low).

Andy

Last edited by ahphares; Jan 23, 2011 at 11:10 AM.
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 11:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Chuck A
Well i got great news i found the original receipt, and yes it was still under warranty, i had a 36 month free replacement, woo-hoo 3 years would have been Feb 2, so yes i installed the battery , vette started up, but now i have check engine, and i bet several other codes i need to clear, talk to you guys later.
Great, I hope you picked up a tender while you were out or you will end up in the same boat again.
Mr.Bill
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 11:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Mr.Bill
Great, I hope you picked up a tender while you were out or you will end up in the same boat again.
Mr.Bill


Andy
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 11:29 AM
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Thats on the list, a tender
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 11:31 AM
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[QUOTE=ahphares;1576592167]Chuck,

If you leave the battery in the car without a charger, at minimum always disconnect the neg. terminal.


what would that do? i wonder how much of the battery is being used if the car is not on?
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 11:35 AM
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[quote=Chuck A;1576592459]
Originally Posted by ahphares
Chuck,

If you leave the battery in the car without a charger, at minimum always disconnect the neg. terminal.


what would that do? i wonder how much of the battery is being used if the car is not on?
Enough to kill a battery in 3 weeks or so.
Once the car is on it doesn't use any battery.
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 11:38 AM
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[QUOTE=Chuck A;1576592459]
Originally Posted by ahphares
Chuck,

If you leave the battery in the car without a charger, at minimum always disconnect the neg. terminal.


what would that do? i wonder how much of the battery is being used if the car is not on?
Corvettes are notorius for low amp "parasitic draw, computer etc. My '99 will pull down a battery within 3 weeks.

Andy
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 11:39 AM
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Originally Posted by 8VETTE7
He's talking about the user set security code that can (doesn't have to be) set to prevent theft of the radio if you have the Theft Lok radio.

If you have changed the battery before and had no radio problems then either you do not have the Theft Lok radio or the lock code is not set.
I guess i do not have the lock radio on
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Old Jan 23, 2011 | 11:44 AM
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Make sure the battery isn't frozen before attempting to charge. If you suspect it's frozen take it out, and into a warm area. Chances are if it froze then it’s dead. Just my $.02 from the frozen white north.
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