Battery died while garaged

MacCool

Float charger, not trickle charger. Latter will boil the battery if left on too long.

cjeezy

Very helpful. Because of this post, my car just started.

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cjeezy

My trickle charger has 2, 12V settings...a 2A and a 6A. Which one should I use?

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SouthArk370Z

Once the battery is charged, used the lowest setting. As MacCool pointed out, a float charger is what you need. The charger you have may be able to regulate at the low current level required - keep a close eye on electrolyte level for a few weeks and see what happens.

Buy a cheap float charger* designed for car batteries and sleep easy at night.

* Not a recommendation for the vendor or product, just one of the first examples I found when I Googled "float charger".

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cjeezy

So should I use the 6A setting until it's charged?

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cooltoy

You don't want to go there.

cjeezy

Why not? Because I only have my crappy a** phone to access the internet these days and I wanted a quick answer instead of searching through pages of stuff on my 2 inch screen? Yep, lets go there lol

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SouthArk370Z

Depends on the state of charge now. If you have a few hours, I'd put it on 2A. If you are in a hurry, go with 6A. If the battery needs the extra amps, it'll take it; if it still has some charge, the charger/battery should self-regulate (if everything IRL worked like theory). But many chargers designed for charging a battery cannot properly float a battery.

The more I think about it, the more strongly I want to suggest buying a new float charger that is designed to maintain charge during storage. You can find cheap ones for $10 and better-than-adequate ones can be found for $30-50. As others have mentioned, over-charging the battery can kill it. It can generate enough heat to cause a fire (not that likely with a small charger like you have), and can even release enough hydrogen gas to be an explosion hazard (always possible, so make sure the area around the battery is well-ventilated when charging).

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cooltoy

Not the fact that you did not search, I meant the well intentioned sarcasm.

cjeezy

Thank you. Sounds like I'll just buy a new charger if they're that inexpensive. I'm in no hurry to charge it, so I'll put it on 2A in the meantime. Should leaving it on this setting overnight do the trick? At least Ill have a new charger for next winter (if I keep the car).

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2010 Base Sport Package (6MT) | Pearl White | Powercoated OEM Sport Rays | 3M Clear Bra | GTR start button | Ohio legal tint | Nitto Invo tires

SouthArk370Z

If it's a decent charger, it will float (close enough for overnight) once the battery is charged.

The charger you have may work for storage, but why risk it when the right one is so cheap? But, yeah, the charger you have should work fine for overnight use (unless it's a POS).

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LMBmikeZ

I don't understand why people are so scared

just unplug the negative terminal on your car every year or any time you will not be driving it for 4+ weeks

takes 30 seconds to reset the windows everything else.

O wait! you will need to do the clock on the centre bezels, if you have nav that one on screen normally sets itself

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LMBmikeZ

^^This is also the cheaper route costs you zero$$$ for electricity

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MacCool

A $40 Battery Tender is simpler. Here in Minnesota, seasonal rolling stock is the norm. I have boats, quads, motorcycles, cars, and mowers on these things all winter. In the spring, I take 'em off and put on the snowmobiles and snowblowers.

A discharged battery (less than 80% charge) will not only short the plates due to sulfation (decreased battery life), it will also freeze. A charged battery won't freeze until about -56 degrees. That's sufficient, even in Minnesota.

LMBmikeZ

mah I've never had a problem and I am in the true great white north CANADA but to each their own

at work a battery not in use is only disconnected and only ever placed on charger if and when it's needed not just because you want to keep it topped up. we can have batteries sit in storage for a couple years pull them out and they are good to go.

I guess I also saved $40 minimum as I didn't have to go buy anything extra

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