New battery dead after one year and not in use

[Gelf VXR]

As the title, is this normal, back for Christmas, I work away, go to charge battery, charger indicates charged, it's flat, battery condition incator is black (warning escalation). It's a GM 93197905. The one before also died after two years same part number😏

[granada203028]

Yes I'm afraid it is. Modern cars have back ground drain. On my Monaro maybe its the tracker thing.

Original battery lasted 8 years with car in regular use, but did go flat when left for 3 weeks when 6 years old. I'm on my 3rd now, 2nd lasted only 2 years with car in intermittent use.

So regular charging or a trickle charger is a must.

[Gelf VXR]

No problem the battery going flat, but the condition float indicator for the electrolyte is black, green for charged, white for under charged, black the battery has a problem?

It seems to be charging now

[EssexVXR8]

Your battery may be heavily sulphated and in deep discharge, specialist charging may recover it, these days maintenance charger is required for cars parked up for long spells I'm afraid

[Gelf VXR]

What causes sulphating? Out of interest

[Gelf VXR]

What causes sulphating? Out of interest


Just read up online, it maybe recoverable if the crystals are soft, warming the battery to 50 ~ 60 c may help dissolve the crystals

Edited by Gelf VXR on Tuesday 23 December 09:54

[MyM8V8]

Gelf VXR said:

What causes sulphating? Out of interest


Just read up online, it maybe recoverable if the crystals are soft, warming the battery to 50 ~ 60 c may help dissolve the crystals

Edited by Gelf VXR on Tuesday 23 December 09:54

Or buy an Optimate 4 and leave it on while you are away. I have recovered sulphated batteries with it. These cars do not like be left alone for periods.

[Gelf VXR]

MyM8V8 said:

Or buy an Optimate 4 and leave it on while you are away. I have recovered sulphated batteries with it. These cars do not like be left alone for periods.

I been away 4 yrs, another two to go, can't bring myself to part with it, got a new cam and valve train waiting for it too

[MyM8V8]

Gelf VXR said:

MyM8V8 said:

Or buy an Optimate 4 and leave it on while you are away. I have recovered sulphated batteries with it. These cars do not like be left alone for periods.

got a new cam and valve train waiting for it too