Battery Questions...
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 17,729
Likes: 1,210
From: Aiken, SC
St. Jude Donor '13 thru '26
Battery Questions...
This marks the third winter with our car.
Winter 1: The car was stored in our garage with a tender on it all winter. Spring time rolled around, no issues.
Winter 2: Car went to heated storage. The battery was disconnected over the winter. A few days before I picked it up it was put on a battery charger then at home back on the tender, no issues.
Winter 3: Car again went to heated storage, only the battery was not disconnected. It was jumped to get it started right before I picked it up. Being told it was dead I put it on my charger for a day, then my tender before I headed out for a week long trip. Arriving home the tender light is still red which means it's charging. I'm surprised it hasn't moved to green maintaining yet.
The battery is an AC Delco. Per the battery code it was new in March of 2014.
Any thoughts. Thanks.
Winter 1: The car was stored in our garage with a tender on it all winter. Spring time rolled around, no issues.
Winter 2: Car went to heated storage. The battery was disconnected over the winter. A few days before I picked it up it was put on a battery charger then at home back on the tender, no issues.
Winter 3: Car again went to heated storage, only the battery was not disconnected. It was jumped to get it started right before I picked it up. Being told it was dead I put it on my charger for a day, then my tender before I headed out for a week long trip. Arriving home the tender light is still red which means it's charging. I'm surprised it hasn't moved to green maintaining yet.
The battery is an AC Delco. Per the battery code it was new in March of 2014.
Any thoughts. Thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
So if I understand, winter #3 the car was stored with battery connected and no tender? If that is the case the battery was more than likely totally discharged, may be damaged and will no longer take a full charge.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 17,729
Likes: 1,210
From: Aiken, SC
St. Jude Donor '13 thru '26
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 714
Likes: 104
From: Springfield Ohio
Fully discharging a battery takes a toll on the battery and reduces it's life by about half. Regardless of the advertisements, a battery tender isn't the best tool for a discharged battery. It should be put on a regular charger until is fully recharged. A regular charger bring the battery up much faster and it will be better for the battery.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 7,796
Likes: 2,256
From: Brighton MI
Where you went wrong was leaving the battery connected over the winter w/o a tender.
Keep in mind that the warmer temps of a heated garage only serve to expedite the battery's demise as the chemical activity inside the battery is greater, not less, in warmer temps. This means it will discharge faster and more completely in warmer temps vs cold. Although, it would probably be dead by now even if it was in a cold garage without a tender.
You are probably best served at this point by getting a new battery. You might be able to skate along with this one, but given the C5's sensitivity to battery voltage, I wouldn't chance it.
Good luck.
Keep in mind that the warmer temps of a heated garage only serve to expedite the battery's demise as the chemical activity inside the battery is greater, not less, in warmer temps. This means it will discharge faster and more completely in warmer temps vs cold. Although, it would probably be dead by now even if it was in a cold garage without a tender.
You are probably best served at this point by getting a new battery. You might be able to skate along with this one, but given the C5's sensitivity to battery voltage, I wouldn't chance it.
Good luck.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 17,729
Likes: 1,210
From: Aiken, SC
St. Jude Donor '13 thru '26
Where you went wrong was leaving the battery connected over the winter w/o a tender.
Keep in mind that the warmer temps of a heated garage only serve to expedite the battery's demise as the chemical activity inside the battery is greater, not less, in warmer temps. This means it will discharge faster and more completely in warmer temps vs cold. Although, it would probably be dead by now even if it was in a cold garage without a tender.
You are probably best served at this point by getting a new battery. You might be able to skate along with this one, but given the C5's sensitivity to battery voltage, I wouldn't chance it.
Good luck.
Keep in mind that the warmer temps of a heated garage only serve to expedite the battery's demise as the chemical activity inside the battery is greater, not less, in warmer temps. This means it will discharge faster and more completely in warmer temps vs cold. Although, it would probably be dead by now even if it was in a cold garage without a tender.
You are probably best served at this point by getting a new battery. You might be able to skate along with this one, but given the C5's sensitivity to battery voltage, I wouldn't chance it.
Good luck.
Oh well, last winter for storage. Once in the new house it will be home year round.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Yes. The owners manual recommends disconnecting battery if car isn't driven for 25 days to avoid discharge. Sounds like you have it under control now.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,325
Likes: 1,588
From: Western NY
For what it's worth, I've never disconnected the battery of my C-5, during winter storage (unheated garage). I'm out in the garage enough over the winter, either fixing something, or using the snow blower outside, that I put the charger on it for 60-90 minutes, once a week. I have an attached garage, so there's NO WAY I'll leave any kind of charger hooked up all the time.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
For what it's worth, I've never disconnected the battery of my C-5, during winter storage (unheated garage). I'm out in the garage enough over the winter, either fixing something, or using the snow blower outside, that I put the charger on it for 60-90 minutes, once a week. I have an attached garage, so there's NO WAY I'll leave any kind of charger hooked up all the time.
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 365
Likes: 44
From: KETTERING OHIO
Fully discharging a battery takes a toll on the battery and reduces it's life by about half. Regardless of the advertisements, a battery tender isn't the best tool for a discharged battery. It should be put on a regular charger until is fully recharged. A regular charger bring the battery up much faster and it will be better for the battery.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 194
Likes: 1
From: Moon, VA
A friend of mine had the same problem with their Porsche 911. A one year old battery, the car sat for a year, and a 15 amp charger would not bring it up, despite connecting a second battery to trick the charger. I took the battery to NAPA, where she bought it, and they then put in on a 50 AMP charger/car starter, the one that is on wheels. After 6 hours, it had plenty of juice.
FYI: Many C5 owners have had problems with conventional batteries leaking acid and damaging wires and the PCM, which is under the battery tray. Another friend of mine spent $1500 repairing the damage from the battery leaking. The first thing I did when I bought my car was to pick up an AGM battery. I have had good luck using an Optima battery, but will not buy them, now that they are made in Mexico. East Penn Battery Corp. makes NAPA batteries and sells Duracell Batteries at Sam's Club for a pretty reasonable price. I went that route.
FYI: Many C5 owners have had problems with conventional batteries leaking acid and damaging wires and the PCM, which is under the battery tray. Another friend of mine spent $1500 repairing the damage from the battery leaking. The first thing I did when I bought my car was to pick up an AGM battery. I have had good luck using an Optima battery, but will not buy them, now that they are made in Mexico. East Penn Battery Corp. makes NAPA batteries and sells Duracell Batteries at Sam's Club for a pretty reasonable price. I went that route.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 17,729
Likes: 1,210
From: Aiken, SC
St. Jude Donor '13 thru '26
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 17,729
Likes: 1,210
From: Aiken, SC
St. Jude Donor '13 thru '26
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 122
Likes: 3
From: olmsted falls ohio
St. Jude Donor '15-'16