I need batery info guys

[grumpyvette]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------heres your chance to teach me something I know little about.....

 

I need some battery info, guys

all three of my corvettes get driven sporatically,they tend to sit in the garage occasionally ,while I drive the others , sometimes for up to three weeks at a time, now its can be because Im doing engine or drivetrain mods, engine swaps, ETC. which I do frequently or just don,t feel like driving that particular corvette, but the end result is that the batterys in the vettes tend to go dead,faster than if they were in use daily even if I use a charger on them, fairly frequently.I usually have batteries die after about 15-20 months, even those garaunteed for 72 months, and its a P.I.T.A. dealing with warranty B.S.

example WALL MARTS best battery tends to go about 15-18 months even thou its warranteed for longer , and the reciepts tend to get lost or fade so you can,t read them.

QUESTION, has anyone found a type or brand of battery that goes long term better than the standard car batteries, IM thinking a marine deep cycle battery may be the trick here???

 

"Why not hook up a battery maintainer?"

 

I have several chargers, and use them constantly,on trickle charge,the batterys just don,t hold up as long as I think they should, unless I drive the car frequently, personally I think the vibration durring use helps keep the battery plates cleaner

 

 

opinions.info welcome guys

[jnjdragracing]

I use a battery maintainer / conditioner. It is called a Battery Minder. I think it was around $50.00 or so. I use it on my lawn mower, jet ski, race car, and batteries just sitting around. It is the best $50.00 I have spent. I use to have to buy a new jet ski battery every year because lack of use. They were around $115.00 a pop. I have had the same jet ski battery now for 3 years plus. It comes with a pig tail you can by extra pig tails and tie it into your battery and just switch it around from battery to battery.

 

Not only does it charge, but it puts a load on the battery and desulphater.

 

John

[veritech-z]

Hey Grumpy, how is the wiring situation in the vettes? Pretty decent? I worked at an advance autto parts for 5 years, so I saw a LOT of different makes of battery come and go. It seems like Florida is especially hard on batteries with our bizarre temperature and humidity changes, but in general I've found that even though they cost more, AC Delco probably has the best normal type batteries out there. Wal Mart batteries are at the bottom of the pile (Neverstart),and the various parts store brands were OK but not great. 2-3 years is about average for an aftermarket battery in Florida, although the original battery can last as long as 5 or 6. The myth about leaving a battery on the ground and having it discharge faster than normal is exactly that: a myth. Old timers will swear by it, but it just isn't true. As for why your vettes are killing the batteries: I don't have a very good answer except that my Z was doing the same thing until I redid all the battery cable wiring. I'm using an Optima red-top, and even if it gets discharged, it has been very reliable when it comes time to recharge. They are costly, but they have the same 36month free, 72 month prorate warranty as the high end advance auto parts battery. If you could find a deep cycle that had a decent amount of cranking amps, that might help with overall battery life, but the fact that the battery will die after a few weeks of being connected implies there is a drain on it somewhere. Hope that's at least a bit helpful!

[SpeedRacer]

Hi Grumpy,

 

It is not unusual for a battery to slowly discharge. A normal battery will discharge just sitting on the shelf plus it's fairly common for the clock and/or ECM to slowly drain it. I would highly recommend you consider using an Optima battery - probably the red top version http://www.optimabatteries.com/publish/optima/americas0/en/config/product_info/technology.html

 

I use it in my car because it rarely gets driven in the winter (when I lived in Michigan). I usually hit it with a slow charge once in January sometime and the car would always start right up in April or May.

[skillet]

ive had a tiny odessey battery in my 240sx for about 15 months now. its been drained all the way down and recharged numerous times and it just keeps on working. you can get them on ebay for around 90 shipped. great battery in my opinion, and less than half the size of an optima.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ODYSSEY-PC680-DRY-BATTERY-PC-680-wiith-AUTO-TERMINALS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33574QQihZ004QQitemZ140034909835QQrdZ1

[deja]

I know several people that use the Battery Minder on their little used cars. bikes and boats and they all swear by them.

[grumpyvette]

heres the battery minder for those reading the thread

 

http://www.vdcelectronics.com/batteryminder_12248.htm

[Thumper]

If you are really worried about the discharing hurting the battery then get the yellow top optima. It is a deep cycle and designed to be discharged and recharged. It can also be used in normal car operations. I also will recommend optima and a battery minder, i've never had a problem with slowly discharging batteries since.

[Sumo]

I used to work for Batteries Plus and sold the Optima Yellow top for cars that sat for a while like Thumper recommended. Optimas are pretty pricey though and i only recommend Wal Mart batteries if you are selling the car.

[MONGO510]

we used a battery minder in our fire and police vehicles when I worked for the local city government. It works great!

[Pop N Wood]

I think the solution here is for some of us Hybridz members to stop by on a regular basis and drive your vettes for you. It is the least we can do for a bud.

 

Nuclear powered submarines have huge batteries they use for emergency power when underwater. They told me it was just an oversided Die Hard.

 

They had very strict maintenance procedures that had to be followed to maintain the battery life. Trickle charges alone will not do it. I don't remember all the details but the written procedures called for regular cycles of slow and fast charging and discharging.

 

Makes me think a computerized battery minder would be just the ticket.

 

BTW, the batteries I put in my Z when in storage all completely died and could never be recharged with a year of no use. They were completely disconnected at the time.

 

Let me know what unit you buy and I will get one of the same.

[veritech-z]

The problem with the yellow top over the red top is that the warranty sucks since they know it will end up in a car with a modified electrical system. The red top will give you excellent performance for $50-$80 less depending on where you buy it, AND it will have a longer warranty. You can probably tell I give the nod to the red top, right?

[Guest Mike]

1) Install a digital maintainer/conditioner on each one with a pigtail easily accessible and keep them plugged in.

 

2) Don't use deep cycle batteries in your cars... unless they're electric cars:lol: I know it seems like a logical choice but this won't help your problem. For one thing, the charging system is a bit different. Also, even the very best "deep cycle" batteries die very quickly with complete discharges.

 

3) Keep your eyes open for availablity of a new type of battery called dual-layer capacitors or super capacitors or a number of other names. In fact, they'll likely be called something completely different for the auto market. Actually these are hybrid storage devices that have long-term energy storage features of typical batteries and the low internal resistence and quick discharge/recharge rates similar to capacitors... DON'T SHORT YOUR WRENCH ACROSS ONE!! You'll still need to keep them charged but they're expected to last for many years and can take thousands of complete discharges without failing. Try that with any lead acid battery!! OH... another benefit of this new technology is that these batteries are about 1/4 of the size and weight of current lead acid types.

 

4) The batteries used in nuc subs (that I've heard about) are ordinary lead acid deep cycle batteries. Strict gov't procedures dictate that they are CONSTANTLY maintained by a desulfarization process and they are NEVER discharged below 80 percent capacity. So... they are HUGE even by gov't standards.

[heavy85]

I've got a warmed over L28 (shaved head, mild cam, tripples, etc) that takes a bit of extended cranking to start when cold. This year I've only driven it to autox race which is about once a month. Start it which usually takes a couple attempts with several seconds duration each time, drive ~70 miles, restart it about 12-15 times in which it usually catches quickly, drive home ~70 miles, let sit for a month, do it all again. I keep getting worried that with such little charge time for the amount of cranking that the battery should be getting weak but it's held up fine all year with no charging whatsoever ... well except the stock Datsun alternator while the engine's running. I'm running an Optima red top so my experience may be a good data point for what you're looking for.

 

Cameron

[veritech-z]

I was actually driving mine with NO alternator (i found this out the hard way when it finally gave up on me) for some time, and it would always take a recharge. Red top for the win, in my opinion.

[Paz8]

I just rear mounted a AGM battery in my ZX, AGM is a glass mat battery with lead plates, spill proof can be mounted in any position. The glass mat between the lead plates holds the acid no liquid slossing around. They claim it will go a year without use and still crank a car. The one I have is a group 24 battery (common auto size) and puts out 870 crank amps. Only draw back is that battery weighs 40 pounds, but mounted over the left rear wheel so what.

This battery is made by Deka, they build them about 20 miles from my house, paid $67 at the factory store.

I use maintenance free batteries in all my Harleys and never charge them, bikes sit in an unheated garage in the winter, I start them once a month during the cold weather and never have a problem.

[riverz]

I have both a red top and a gold top both are good batteries. I leave my z with a red top sit all last winter thats form nov to april here and it started right up. Had a friend leave his headlights on from friday night to monday morning and the truck still started. He was runnig two gold tops Had a big system in that truck never had any problems. I would buy the red top cheaper and unless you have a big constant draw you shuold be just fine.

[veritech-z]

Paz8, Grumpy will need a group 75 side post, or a dual terminal battery, does your brand come in side post/dual post? I've never heard of them, but it sounds pretty good, and is about $30 cheaper than your average optima red top (as long as that $67 price tag is available away from the factory store).

[Paz8]

Battery has both top and side posts, I think i got a deal at the factory, don't know what the retail price would be? alot of battery info at their web site

eastpenn-deka.com

. Absored Glass Mat AGM batteries have all the advantages of spill proof, no maintenance, mount in any position, plus high crank amps for our high compression engines. Non acid battery (optima) do have some draw backs, but I don't want to start a pissing contest on this topic.

[veritech-z]

Me niether, your battery sounds like a great deal. I'd have bought that one if I had seen it, Optima was the only thing going around here unless I wanted to mail order something. I don't like to do that because warranty becomes problematic when you can't just walk into a store and get loud to make sure your situation is resolved...