Another battery dead....observations
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,373
Likes: 62
Another battery dead....observations
Well, finally happened.... 2007 original battery died... and all of a sudden at that...
With old battery, DIC showed over 14 volts with engine running .... After replacement with engine running DIC shows around 13.6-13.8 or so....
Question is, with the new battery, alternator is not having to charge at over 14 volts now?... So, would DIC showing over 14V now be a sign of a weakening battery? IE needs more help from the alternator?
With old battery, DIC showed over 14 volts with engine running .... After replacement with engine running DIC shows around 13.6-13.8 or so....
Question is, with the new battery, alternator is not having to charge at over 14 volts now?... So, would DIC showing over 14V now be a sign of a weakening battery? IE needs more help from the alternator?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,373
Likes: 62
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,336
Likes: 966
From: Carlsbad Ca
What was your original battery voltage with a load? This is the only way to test a battery's true health.
What's your new battery's static
voltage? Know how to check for it?
Might wanna replace your FOB batteries too. (Unless you like being stuck.)
1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Columbus Ohio
Good Evening All: New to this forum. I purchased by GS on Saturday & picked it up Monday Evening, and by lunch time today the battery was DOA. Battery replaced and all is happy now, but not the way I wanted to start my Corvette experience off.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,578
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From: Waldorf, MD
Interesting how battery and electrical problems start showing up this time of year when the temps drop just a few degrees overnight. My Impala was acting up for a week or two with slow cranking and finally got really slow. I thought it was the alternator since the Sears Die Hard was only a couple of years old. One morning checked the battery cold and it was about 10.5V and after slowly encouraging a start I got about 13V across the terminals. Sears replaced the exactly 3 year old battery for $50 which included prorated return. Not bad. Yep, amazing what those temps do to a marginal part. I remember as a kid replacing starters and generators and batteries and solenoids this time of year.
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Well, finally happened.... 2007 original battery died... and all of a sudden at that...
With old battery, DIC showed over 14 volts with engine running .... After replacement with engine running DIC shows around 13.6-13.8 or so....
Question is, with the new battery, alternator is not having to charge at over 14 volts now?... So, would DIC showing over 14V now be a sign of a weakening battery? IE needs more help from the alternator?
With old battery, DIC showed over 14 volts with engine running .... After replacement with engine running DIC shows around 13.6-13.8 or so....
Question is, with the new battery, alternator is not having to charge at over 14 volts now?... So, would DIC showing over 14V now be a sign of a weakening battery? IE needs more help from the alternator?
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Loveland CO to Central Coast CA
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,373
Likes: 62
Yes, replaced the FOB batteries a few weeks ago...
Thanks for all the info...I know space is tight but a larger battery would have been a bonus in these cars... the battery is pretty small for sure...
Thanks for all the info...I know space is tight but a larger battery would have been a bonus in these cars... the battery is pretty small for sure...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,504
Likes: 2
From: Sacramento California
Well, finally happened.... 2007 original battery died... and all of a sudden at that...
With old battery, DIC showed over 14 volts with engine running .... After replacement with engine running DIC shows around 13.6-13.8 or so....
Question is, with the new battery, alternator is not having to charge at over 14 volts now?... So, would DIC showing over 14V now be a sign of a weakening battery? IE needs more help from the alternator?
With old battery, DIC showed over 14 volts with engine running .... After replacement with engine running DIC shows around 13.6-13.8 or so....
Question is, with the new battery, alternator is not having to charge at over 14 volts now?... So, would DIC showing over 14V now be a sign of a weakening battery? IE needs more help from the alternator?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Sacramento California
Safety Car
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From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
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St. Jude Donor '12
Jeepers op, your car is an 07 and the battery is just now going? You should be happy you got almost 6 years out of the thing. I'd be pretty happy if i get that out of my vett's.
Your battery issue is not like many have had where the battery fails pre maturely you got full life out of yours!
Did you use a maintainer to get that kind of life out of it? I keep maintainers on my vetts but did leave the trunk lid open on my 04 and the battery was dead and was never able to recover. It was 3 yrs old.
Your battery issue is not like many have had where the battery fails pre maturely you got full life out of yours!
Did you use a maintainer to get that kind of life out of it? I keep maintainers on my vetts but did leave the trunk lid open on my 04 and the battery was dead and was never able to recover. It was 3 yrs old.
Tech Contributor
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From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Bill
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
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From: FORT LAUDERDALE FL
My 07's battery is still fine @ 5 yrs. 9 months. I've had a Delco battery last 9 years in one of my Corvettes - the guys at the parts store were in shock 
. No "tender" was utilized either 
. They sent the battery to Delco.
. No "tender" was utilized either . They sent the battery to Delco.
Last edited by jimmie jam; Sep 21, 2012 at 09:04 AM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,373
Likes: 62
I did notice the car re-adjusting everything computer wise after the install.... like it was re-learning.... although I am still waiting for my extra 20HP to kick in!!
Last edited by LS14ME2; Sep 20, 2012 at 10:18 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,504
Likes: 2
From: Sacramento California
The battery in my 08 finally went in August. The car sits for extended periods of time during the year sometimes up to 4 to 5 weeks in the winter and it always started without using a battery maintainer. Don't know if a maintainer would have given me a couple of years more battery life but I sort of doubt it. I have only had one battery that ever went past the 4.5 to 5 year lifetime and it was one that I moved from car to car since it just kept going. It was a Delco and lasted 7 years.
Bill
Bill
BTW, sulfation shows up on the terminals, good way to tell your battery is in trouble. Battery testing kits are cheap, good way to keep your eye on conventional battery through electrolyte testing. I mount maintainers in the car, this way it is easy just to plug it in.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,074
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From: San Francisco CA
I am still on original 2005 battery which just passed the load test again. About 2 months ago I started to use a battery tender. Car gets driven at least once a week.