Don, once we connect the 2 cars I'll be able to start mine right? So, if you're saying that i should leave his car running for an hour to recharge my battery do I also leave mine on?
I don't see why that is a dumb question.
Sounds like a very dead battery that may not come back at all. However
you have stumbled > Here's the best part, its labour day so I can't buy a charger and
-- BuntRVer
it works! got a jump and its going smooth, the battery indicatore has it has over half way charged too. thanks all.
it works! got a jump and its going smooth, the battery indicatore has it has over half way charged too. thanks all.
No what Don said was Hook the other vehicle up and let IT run for an hour or so to charge the battery in YOUR car. If you just hook up the other vehicle and attempt to start your car immediately YOUR car will not start since the booster cables will probably not carry enough power for the starter to work. With the second car running with the booster cables connected it will SLOWLY charge your battery and allow you to start the car. Once your car is running DISCONNECT THE OTHER CAR. If you don't you may damage BOTH vehicles. WHY? Due to the battery in your car being dead it will draw a LOT of current when your vehicle starts. The regulator will also ramp up the voltage some because of the battery being dead. The higher voltage feeding back through the booster cables might do damage to the other vehicle.
Personally I would just buy a NEW battery and install it. If your battery has been sitting there dead and since it still is seeing a continuous drain (computer and clock in the radio are always there)it MAY come back to full charge but hoe long it lasts is suspect since the typical starting battery is NOT designed to be drawn down that far.
Remember to go easy on using your cars alternator to charge a dead battery. You can fry the altermnator real easy. If you must charge a while and the turn car off and let it cool down a while. MT
What indicator says the battery is halfway charged? If it's the hydrometer built into the battery and shows different colors according to state of charge (often black, clear, or green), it's only a rough indicator and valid only for the particular cell in which it's floating, not for the other 5 cells. Testing all 6 cells with an external hydrometer (looks like a turkey baster with a device floating in it), is a much more reliable indicator, but you have to be careful not to drip acid (have water available to rinse it off), and the battery caps can be hard to remove.. A voltage meter will also work, but before measuring the battery you should either wait several hours after turning off the engine or run the headlights for 30 seconds.
12.2V is 50% charge, 12.6V is 75-100% charge. Because small differences in voltage readings mean large differences in state of charge, it's desirable to use a digital voltage meter for accuracy, preferrably one rated for at least 2 1/2 digits (i.e., at least 2000 count so you'll see a reading like 12.63V, not 12.6V). $3-5 Harbor Freight models are fine. The meter can also be used to test the battery under load (turn on key without starting engine, run the high beams, rear window defroster, and ventilation fan on high, verify that the voltage stays above 10V or so for at least 30 seconds) and the charging system (voltage at fast idle should be roughly 13V but less than 16V). Be careful not to let the meter leads get tangled in the fan or belts or touch any hot surfaces.
Check out Section 9 in the Car and Deep Battery FAQ on
Kindest regards,
BiLL......
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