computer battery drain question
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 60
Likes: 33
From: The Villages, FL
computer battery drain question
Couldn't find an exact answer by searching.
Prior owner told me to always use the battery maintainer because the battery would go dead after about a week of not driving. Looking for other opinions, or even facts.
Prior owner told me to always use the battery maintainer because the battery would go dead after about a week of not driving. Looking for other opinions, or even facts.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,015
Likes: 2,709
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
^^^
While allowing a battery to go really dead must do some damage to it, our 2017 sat in a dealer warehouse all winter before we bought it, and that battery was fully dead. They gave it a quick fast charge (another bad thing) and we bought it, expecting to need a battery replacement under warranty pretty soon. But we put ~30k miles on the car over the next three years, finally replaced the battery as a precaution although it still tested good. We did use the Corvette battery maintainer if the car would be sitting for more than a week.
While allowing a battery to go really dead must do some damage to it, our 2017 sat in a dealer warehouse all winter before we bought it, and that battery was fully dead. They gave it a quick fast charge (another bad thing) and we bought it, expecting to need a battery replacement under warranty pretty soon. But we put ~30k miles on the car over the next three years, finally replaced the battery as a precaution although it still tested good. We did use the Corvette battery maintainer if the car would be sitting for more than a week.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,297
Likes: 24,776
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
If your car has a battery in good condition, you should be able to have the car sit for more than a week without worrying about the battery going dead. But, I keep my battery on a GM battery tender anytime that car is not being driven. Takes all of less than a minute to hook the tender up and have the battery ready for use at any time.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,157
Likes: 522
From: Central Jersey
I've had mine for 6 years now. Replaced the battery at 4 years just because it was 4 years old. I try to drive mine at least once a week all year. If its going to sit for 2 weeks or more, I plug in the trickle charger just because it there and why not?
No issues.
Since I use the charger so infrequently, I take the black bag that my charger came in and hang it over the shift **** as a reminder to disconnect before pulling out of the garage
No issues.
Since I use the charger so infrequently, I take the black bag that my charger came in and hang it over the shift **** as a reminder to disconnect before pulling out of the garage
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 221
Likes: 165
From: Conifer, Colorado
My 2017 GS is sitting this winter. 
I have a battery maintainer. So I "charged up" the battery with the maintainer for a week or so, disconnected the battery maintainer, and measured battery voltage at 13.0 volts. Good. I let the car sit for a week without the maintainer and the battery voltage drooped to 12.3 volts. I was rather surprised. My new battery was installed the first week in July of this year. I suspect with all the electronic systems in the C7 there is a significant parasitic energy drain. I'll bet that's why Corvette provided such a coinvent connection for a battery maintainer as they knew Corvettes aren't great on winter slick roads.
Others more knowledgeable than I will surely chime in.
David
I have a battery maintainer. So I "charged up" the battery with the maintainer for a week or so, disconnected the battery maintainer, and measured battery voltage at 13.0 volts. Good. I let the car sit for a week without the maintainer and the battery voltage drooped to 12.3 volts. I was rather surprised. My new battery was installed the first week in July of this year. I suspect with all the electronic systems in the C7 there is a significant parasitic energy drain. I'll bet that's why Corvette provided such a coinvent connection for a battery maintainer as they knew Corvettes aren't great on winter slick roads. Others more knowledgeable than I will surely chime in.
David
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
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
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,015
Likes: 2,709
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
I've had mine for 6 years now. Replaced the battery at 4 years just because it was 4 years old. I try to drive mine at least once a week all year. If its going to sit for 2 weeks or more, I plug in the trickle charger just because it there and why not?
No issues.
Since I use the charger so infrequently, I take the black bag that my charger came in and hang it over the shift **** as a reminder to disconnect before pulling out of the garage
No issues.
Since I use the charger so infrequently, I take the black bag that my charger came in and hang it over the shift **** as a reminder to disconnect before pulling out of the garage
Some kind of reminder is an excellent idea. Other folks use a sign on the dash. Etc.
We leave the trunk slightly ajar for the wire when the charger is plugged in. If I start the car that way, it gives me all sorts of lights and chimes about the trunk being open. Pretty hard to miss. No problems with rodents in the last 4 years we've used this method.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,459
Likes: 3,288
From: Hartford WI
My 2017 GS is sitting this winter. I have a battery maintainer. So I "charged up" the battery with the maintainer for a week or so, disconnected the battery maintainer, and measured battery voltage at 13.0 volts. Good. I let the car sit for a week without the maintainer and the battery voltage drooped to 12.3 volts. I was rather surprised. My new battery was installed the first week in July of this year. I suspect with all the electronic systems in the C7 there is a significant parasitic energy drain. I'll bet that's why Corvette provided such a coinvent connection for a battery maintainer as they knew Corvettes aren't great on winter slick roads.
Others more knowledgeable than I will surely chime in.
David
I have a battery maintainer. So I "charged up" the battery with the maintainer for a week or so, disconnected the battery maintainer, and measured battery voltage at 13.0 volts. Good. I let the car sit for a week without the maintainer and the battery voltage drooped to 12.3 volts. I was rather surprised. My new battery was installed the first week in July of this year. I suspect with all the electronic systems in the C7 there is a significant parasitic energy drain. I'll bet that's why Corvette provided such a coinvent connection for a battery maintainer as they knew Corvettes aren't great on winter slick roads.Others more knowledgeable than I will surely chime in.
David
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 14,607
Likes: 219
From: Ohio
I haven't noticed any significant battery drain on the C7. My C6 was the worst for battery drain.
My C7 was purchased in January 2015, sat in the cold Ohio winter without a trickle charger for 3 months and started up without any difficulty.
I do, now, put it on a trickle charger over the winter anyhow.
My C7 was purchased in January 2015, sat in the cold Ohio winter without a trickle charger for 3 months and started up without any difficulty.
I do, now, put it on a trickle charger over the winter anyhow.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 7,463
Likes: 481
From: DFW Texas
If your battery goes dead after a week you have a sneak draw, weak battery or both.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,459
Likes: 3,288
From: Hartford WI
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 7,463
Likes: 481
From: DFW Texas
Yep...a sneak circuit. Had an '06 TDI once that killed the batt about every 3 days and ended up being the factory sound system amp. R&R'ed...ops checked good. It took the regional head field tech a whole day to isolate with a DC amp clamp and a lot of prints though.
To the OP...no healthy car kills a battery sitting for a week. Have the wire guy at your local Chevy look it over, but my "guess is"...with no other info provided...you might get off with a simple fix. Good luck.
To the OP...no healthy car kills a battery sitting for a week. Have the wire guy at your local Chevy look it over, but my "guess is"...with no other info provided...you might get off with a simple fix. Good luck.
Last edited by frodoz737; Dec 16, 2021 at 01:40 AM.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 60
Likes: 33
From: The Villages, FL
Yep...a sneak circuit. Had an '06 TDI once that killed the batt about every 3 days and ended up being the factory sound system amp. R&R'ed...ops checked good. It took the regional head field tech a whole day to isolate with a DC amp clamp and a lot of prints though.
To the OP...no healthy car kills a battery sitting for a week. Have the wire guy at your local Chevy look it over, but my "guess is"...with no other info provided...you might get off with a simple fix. Good luck.
To the OP...no healthy car kills a battery sitting for a week. Have the wire guy at your local Chevy look it over, but my "guess is"...with no other info provided...you might get off with a simple fix. Good luck.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,459
Likes: 3,288
From: Hartford WI
If it is going to be more than a few weeks, maybe.
Last edited by aklim; Dec 16, 2021 at 04:05 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 1,656
From: Toronto, Canada
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021