Question: How long do you leave your C-5 without a battery tender??

[ARKvette02]

If I leave mine sit for more than two weeks, I'll have a weak Battery.....Is that Normal?? I went and bought a new Red Top and the same thing. Two weeks Max for me.. confused:confused

 

[TooFast]

I'm about three weeks, in the spring/summer/fall but then again my battery is new, replaced the original last Spring. It has gone three weeks and started right up. Oh, yeah, its an OEM AC Delco.

 

[muddywaters]

My 99 lasts about three weeks. When I store it, I disconnect the battery and just charge it in the spring. I don't like tenders on un-attended vehicles for obvious reasons since my car is stored away from my home. Also,If the 6-spd is not in reverse it will kill the battery sooner.(I picked that up on this site)

 

[Hib Halverson]

How long you can go W/O a smart battery charger depends on the battery.

If you have a low-cost battery from Pep Boys you're not going to be able to go as long as you could if you had a high-end battery like an Odyssey.

As for Optima Reds...I tested one a couple of years ago and when it came to long periods of time off a smart charger, it was not a battery that worked well for deep cycles. The one I had in my 71 failed after the second time I let the car sit for two months with no charger.

Since then, I've converted all my cars but two to Odyssey batteries but...my HHR and my C5. The 04 Z06 is the one which still has it's OE Delco...after 7 years. That's pretty amazing in my book and a testament to the usefulness of my Auto Meter Battery Extender smart chargers.

 

[TooFast]

I had a C4 that the OEM Delco went 8 years and my C5 went 6 years.

 

[Remo]

Battery Tenders And Quality Batteries.

During the spring, summer and early fall mine has never had a starting problem even after sitting
a couple of weeks. It's stored for six months during the winter with a battery tender attached to
the OEM AC Delco.:cool

 

[vett boy]

3 wks or more .

 

[Yoda]

Not longer than a week..

Rare has a Walmart battery that I installed in 2005 and Abby has the original factory installed batter (2003) both batteries seem strong and look like new..

oh the wally battery is a 4 year battery.

Bud

 

[Remo]

Omg!!

Geez Bud....it must be real ruff on those batteries down there in Amarillo

 

[timfitz63]

I once let mine sit without a trickle charger for a couple months back in '07; it barely started when I got back... Invested in a Battery MINDer and haven't had an issue since.

... Also,If the 6-spd is not in reverse it will kill the battery sooner.(I picked that up on this site)

Really? Hadn't heard this before! What's the reason...?

 

[Yoda]

Geez Bud....it must be real ruff on those batteries down there in Amarillo

It's not like Modesto, CA hell my neighbor and I played golf Christmas day every year after the gifts were opened and get home in time for Christmas Dinner :dance HELL we get snow here Amarillo :eek and it freezes :eek

Bud

 

[jrose7004]

Mine just sat for 3 weeks and it started just fine.

 

[vett boy]

Mine just sat for 3 weeks and it started just fine.

If everything is in order it should My C5 did and my C6 does .

 

[Chuck A]

3 weeks in fact i need to start my baby up this weekend

 

[FIXXXED]

Also,If the 6-spd is not in reverse it will kill the battery sooner.(I picked that up on this site)

same here... :confused more info on this please

 

[gmjunkie]

same here... :confused more info on this please

I think you are alright,I believe that was on the early 6 sp C6's!~!!(05-07)
I've never put a tender on my c5,it sometime sets in it's auto cocoon 2-4 months depending what else I have to drive around here and it has always started! I did replace the original battery 5 years ago with a "Blem" Exide used car dealer special,It's still kick'n it over quick and has never been dead!

 

[Mark Watkins]

My Red Top is good for three weeks. Anymore than that it might not start.

 

[muddywaters]

1999 C5 Owners manual says to put car in reverse, set parking brake when parking vehicle. I can't find why there would be more of a parasitic drain on the battery if parked in neutral or a forward gear. Let's see if someone else has a clue.

 

[timfitz63]

1999 C5 Owners manual says to put car in reverse, set parking brake when parking vehicle. I can't find why there would be more of a parasitic drain on the battery if parked in neutral or a forward gear...

'04 Manual says the same thing, and also does not elaborate whether there's a reason why reverse is preferred by Chevy. :confused

In the case of a manual transmission, I was always taught to use a gear that would resist the incline on which the vehicle was parked (i.e., nose uphill would use a forward gear; nose downhill would use reverse).

 

[vett boy]

As Junkie stated there was an issue with the early C6's .No problem on 08's and newer and no problem with C5's