Needing a trickle charger is not "normal"
09-19-2010, 10:44 PM
#21
Burning Brakes
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09-20-2010, 04:35 AM
#22
Safety Car
09-20-2010, 05:35 AM
#24
Melting Slicks
I know it may be annoying to some, but I consider a battery maintainer as a required tool. I certainly don't plug it in each and every day. Only when the car is going to sit more than a week. Besides, its good for the battery to occasionally be slow charged (low amperage) to full charge.
I have several batteries for vehicles and/or equipment that are sparingly used. I keep them on a maintainer, that's the only thing that will keep them fresh and ready to go when they are needed. It's really not that big a deal.
I have several batteries for vehicles and/or equipment that are sparingly used. I keep them on a maintainer, that's the only thing that will keep them fresh and ready to go when they are needed. It's really not that big a deal.
09-20-2010, 06:05 AM
#26
Team Owner
Read an interesting case today. Woman bought a 2005 Maserati Quattroporte and was having battery drain problems. After 9 unsuccessful repair attempts, the solution provided by the authorized dealer was to instruct the owner to keep the vehicle tethered to a “trickle charger” that is plugged into an electrical outlet at all times when the vehicle is not being operated.
The dealer’s service manager testified that this was not “normal” for the vehicle to experience battery drain over a short duration of non-use and admitted that trickle chargers were neither manufactured by Maserati, nor provided as original equipment. Further, the owner’s manual stated that the battery need be disconnected only “if the vehicle is not used for long periods.”
Dealer asserted that the Maserati is an exotic sports car and, as such, requires special care and handling; in particular, that it must be plugged into a wall socket via a tickle charger if it is going to be parked for more than two weeks and that this is normal procedure.
Plaintiff contended that using a trickle charger is not normal for any car, let alone a luxury vehicle of such expense. Arbitrator ruled for Plaintiff under Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, Michigan Lemon Law, and UCC.
Made me wonder if GM’s reason for providing a trickle charger is that they could claim that it is OEM equipment. I would take from this that those owner’s with C6 battery drain issues should not accept it as “normal.”
The dealer’s service manager testified that this was not “normal” for the vehicle to experience battery drain over a short duration of non-use and admitted that trickle chargers were neither manufactured by Maserati, nor provided as original equipment. Further, the owner’s manual stated that the battery need be disconnected only “if the vehicle is not used for long periods.”
Dealer asserted that the Maserati is an exotic sports car and, as such, requires special care and handling; in particular, that it must be plugged into a wall socket via a tickle charger if it is going to be parked for more than two weeks and that this is normal procedure.
Plaintiff contended that using a trickle charger is not normal for any car, let alone a luxury vehicle of such expense. Arbitrator ruled for Plaintiff under Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, Michigan Lemon Law, and UCC.
Made me wonder if GM’s reason for providing a trickle charger is that they could claim that it is OEM equipment. I would take from this that those owner’s with C6 battery drain issues should not accept it as “normal.”
09-20-2010, 08:24 AM
#27
Instructor
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Nope never been an issue ... It comes out were the wheel liner meets the fender (no drilling) ... RTV a little Velcro to the connector and the inside lip of the fender for stowage and your good .I would send you a Pic but in Kabul right now
Last edited by jbust3; 09-20-2010 at 08:26 AM.
09-20-2010, 11:47 AM
#28
Burning Brakes
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I don't have a situation of sitting for week or two without use causing the dead battery. My problem is that I drive the car typically 3 days a week, and the battery just does a slow death. If I don't put the charger on it every couple weeks I will end up with dead battery as it slowly goes down. Dealer has supposedly checked everything but it still happens. I don't think the battery it getting back to full during my 3 drives to make up for what is taken out between starting/driving and sitting. If I put the charger on after the first week, it draws minimal amps, more the second and even more the 3rd. That is how I have found that if I give it an overnight hit every couple weeks I'm ok. I too have been told 'welcome to the world of Corvettes' which is a load if you ask me. Most new cars also have tons of electronics, computer brains, etc., and don't have this issue. A typical new Suburban, Avalanche, Caddy, etc., all have the full load of electronic goodies, computer nanny, NAV, iPod connection, etc. The Vette is not the lone island in the ocean regarding this. My son has a new Camaro that sits at his base all week long and only gets driven on weekends, and he does not have this issue.
09-20-2010, 11:58 AM
#29
Le Mans Master
Some C6s last literally for months and others can't make it a week. This alone is strong evidence that standby power consumption is inconsistent, which in my experience is very typical of embedded systems.
Usually something with a fast, power-hungry clock is left on under some circumstance for no particularly good engineering reason.
It has absolutely nothing to do with "high-performance." It's just a question of engineering talent/priority. If the design spec required the car to last, say, two months with a fresh battery, it would.
Usually something with a fast, power-hungry clock is left on under some circumstance for no particularly good engineering reason.
It has absolutely nothing to do with "high-performance." It's just a question of engineering talent/priority. If the design spec required the car to last, say, two months with a fresh battery, it would.
09-21-2010, 05:33 AM
#30
Safety Car
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Well, there is some parasitic drain on all modern, computer equipped cars as near as I can tell. We can claim its not normal, but I actually believe it is. Most people do not let their cars sit like we do so I suppose. I have looked at Owners Manuals for Ferrari, Vipers, Mustangs, and a bunch of others and they all say thing: If the car is not going to be driven either unhook the neg terminal and/or use a battery tender. Ferrari claims their battery will be good for 20 days, for example.
09-21-2010, 05:46 AM
#31
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
after saying what I did above, I would guess it's variable from car make and model as well as year when the increasing "parasitic" drain of whatever (computers, clocks, door bells, alarms, etc.) became such that our cars couldn't sit for more than say, 30 days without going dead. I have another make '01 and like many other older cars it can go a long time without being started OR being put on a battery maintainer (and this is with a cheapo, OE battery replacement 4 years ago).
for the C6, I learned my lesson. even in summer, I'm not "religious" about it, but if it's going to sit for a few days, on goes the maintainer. in the world of, "it can't hurt", I figure, it can't hurt. So, I guess by my actions, I agree with foremaw, it's more normal than not.
for the C6, I learned my lesson. even in summer, I'm not "religious" about it, but if it's going to sit for a few days, on goes the maintainer. in the world of, "it can't hurt", I figure, it can't hurt. So, I guess by my actions, I agree with foremaw, it's more normal than not.
09-21-2010, 11:45 PM
#32
Burning Brakes
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dad's toy - You also don't have the drain of OnStar, XM radio and launch control or stablity control.. All this little brains need to eat and add up to a considerable drain 24/7. Just not an apples to apples comparison. That big battery in the truck at full charge should go up to three months and still start up.
My 02 Vette has the original battery because it does not have many charge cycles due to being keep at top voltage bye the maintainer.
My 02 Vette has the original battery because it does not have many charge cycles due to being keep at top voltage bye the maintainer.
09-23-2010, 08:39 PM
#33
Instructor
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Road & Track's October issue addresses this topic in the Tech Correspondence section toward the rear of the magazine in a letter from a retired Ford electrical engineer. Here's what he wrote:
"If [someone] is going to let his vehicle sit for more than one month, he will need to have some sort of battery maintenance charger connected or he will probably have to deal with a dead battery. Most people are not aware of the continuous electrical draw in a vehicle when it is turned off. As a retired Ford electrical component design engineer, I always had to consider the 'ignition off' electrical load of my components. At Ford (and I'm sure other manufacturers are similar), we sized the electrical capacity of the battery to allow the vehicle to start after sitting 30 days. This would accommodate the customer who parked their vehicle at an airport while traveling."
"If [someone] is going to let his vehicle sit for more than one month, he will need to have some sort of battery maintenance charger connected or he will probably have to deal with a dead battery. Most people are not aware of the continuous electrical draw in a vehicle when it is turned off. As a retired Ford electrical component design engineer, I always had to consider the 'ignition off' electrical load of my components. At Ford (and I'm sure other manufacturers are similar), we sized the electrical capacity of the battery to allow the vehicle to start after sitting 30 days. This would accommodate the customer who parked their vehicle at an airport while traveling."
09-23-2010, 08:47 PM
#34
Le Mans Master
I agree...they are/were offering a CTEK battery maintainer on the Vette as an option this year.
