I'm new to battery charging/maintaining and have a few questions.  I bought whats seems to be a good battery charger/maintainer today.  Can I just leave the charger connected all winter? In the manual it warns about battery fumes released during charging, is there a problem charging my battery (behind the rear seat) in the garage with the windows rolled up for long periods of time?

Today I tried to start the Vette for my weekly drive around the neighborhood and almost drained the battery down before it ever started. I went to wallymart and bought the charger.

Guess I shouldn't have waited so long

I leave my Batt. Tender on 24-7, year 'round. My '74 lives in the garage, and so far, I haven't had a prob. with it. My batt. has the vent hoses that go down, and out of the cockpit, under the car. It does, however, tend to percolate a small amount of 'lectrolyte out on top of the batt. after a while. I just take a paper towel and wipe that off. The maintanence voltage on the charger I have is 12v, but only .50 amps.
You do not want to use a regular "trickle charger" for this purpose. They normally put out 3-5-8 amps, and that will eventually harm the batt., if using it for maintanence.


btw......did you ever get your trans problem fixed? Adams' Apple38673.8288657407

Thanks for the info Joel   My battery is a maintenance free battery so it shouldn't leak anything.  Also the charger is designed for maintaing batteries, charges up to 14.4v and then shuts off until the voltage drops below a certain point.

Ahhhh the tranny   No, due to my work schedule (12-14 hr days) and the rainy weather I havn't had a chance   I just keep it in 2nd as I cruise round the hood.  The Vette runs great otherwise.

I have a quick disconnect on my battery and put on the trickle charger whenever I'm not driving.  I usually only drive on the weekends and it just is a habit to hook up when I'm done for the weekend.  Haven't had any battery problems.  Got the trickle charger (they call it a "Float" charger) at the local Harbor Freight store on sale for @$8 if I remember right.

Larry

Dejablu38673.8494791667

Ya Larry mines called a float charger also.  I bought it at Walmart for like $17.  It also came with a quick disconnect but I havn't had a chance to install it yet.

It took almost 24 hours to get the Green light (Full Charge) to come on, I was getting alittle worried

 

Wow, I had not started this car since I tired to start it last time on the 16th and drained the battery.  Today I finally got it started and the battery was like bran new after being on that float charger. 

Took her for a nice slow ride for about 30 mins in 2nd gear

cilrah38678.8650115741

Man you must have some kinda drainage problem. You live in the sunny south an 2 wks brings your battery down. That doesn't sound right.
I leave mine in the car in the garage with no charger and during the winter and she starts up. Usually from November til April she's dormat. Ive never worried if it won't start in the garage I can put it on the charger anytime.

Stephane, I would suggest a slow-charge on your batt. for a few hours, to bring it back to life. If you put a regular charger(10-25 amp>) on it with it dead, you might not get it to hold a charge. Get a .75 amp, "Battery Tender", and let it charge overnight. If it's gonna hold a charge, this will do it. More amps are NOT the way to bring a dead batt. back. All you're doing then is boiling the eletrolyte, which is not a good thing.

A lot of our cars have problems with drainage if not driven enough. I have a disconnect, AND a "Batt. Tender" on the '74, after losing the first $280 repro batt I bought, due to sulfation.

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