How to beat parasitic battery drain?

[kuhdwi]

My daughter is an over-the-road semi driver, gone for at least 6 to 8 weeks at a time, SUV is sitting long time not driven. Her ride is a 2018 Terrain, but I bet Tahoes may have the same problem. I have been starting and idling it for 15-30 minutes every 3 to 4 weeks, yet a couple of times over the past two years the battery voltage was too low for starting.

This time the battery was dead dead dead. I have charged it up and hope it holds the charge. GMC dealer says we need to drive it at least 25 to 50 miles per week, just idling it won't recharge the battery.

Driving isn't an option, my wife and I are not on her insurance policy. Any suggestions on a battery maintainer that would work leaving it plugged in 24/7 between her home time visits?
Is there an alternative way to keep the battery from draining?

 

[OR VietVet]

Something like this? https://www.batteryminders.com/1510-12-volt-maintenance-charger-desfulator-with-warranty

By now I would also replace the battery because when it sits for long periods of time it can sulphate across the bottom of the plates in the battery. Then it tends to not hold a charge.

 

[George B]

Something like this? https://www.batteryminders.com/1510-12-volt-maintenance-charger-desfulator-with-warranty

By now I would also replace the battery because when it sits for long periods of time it can sulphate across the bottom of the plates in the battery. Then it tends to not hold a charge.

^This^

 

[kuhdwi]

Something like this? https://www.batteryminders.com/1510-12-volt-maintenance-charger-desfulator-with-warranty

By now I would also replace the battery because when it sits for long periods of time it can sulphate across the bottom of the plates in the battery. Then it tends to not hold a charge.

Just realized this battery is a type 48AGM. Do AGM batteries have a sulfating problem like lead acid ones do?
This battery voltage had dropped below 5 volts before I started charging it. If I remember correctly, could this low voltage shorten the overall life of the battery?

 

[OR VietVet]

Yes to all questions. Any battery for a vehicle can get damaged by just sitting too much unless you use a deep cycle battery, for some reason, and that is a whole different animal. That battery is not one you want to try and salvage but it is your money and your call.

 

[Rocket Man]

I use Opti-Mate tenders on my Harleys and my Silverado which sit all winter and have never had a problem. They come with pigtails that you leave on the vehicles so you can just plug the maintainer into the small connector when you need it. The better ones have desulfating tech and several modes for charging, maintaining, checking, etc.

 

[GreyStone]

Does the vehicle sit with the alarm on/armed?

 

[swathdiver]

My daughter is an over-the-road semi driver, gone for at least 6 to 8 weeks at a time, SUV is sitting long time not driven. Her ride is a 2018 Terrain, but I bet Tahoes may have the same problem. I have been starting and idling it for 15-30 minutes every 3 to 4 weeks, yet a couple of times over the past two years the battery voltage was too low for starting.

This time the battery was dead dead dead. I have charged it up and hope it holds the charge. GMC dealer says we need to drive it at least 25 to 50 miles per week, just idling it won't recharge the battery.

Driving isn't an option, my wife and I are not on her insurance policy. Any suggestions on a battery maintainer that would work leaving it plugged in 24/7 between her home time visits?
Is there an alternative way to keep the battery from draining?

Pull the battery, sit it on a block of wood with a maintainer on it or if close to the garage or outlet, do as Rocket Man said. I revived my old battery with the tender in the link, it works great.

These new cars never really shut off, modules come to life all the time, run their tests or whatever and then shut down again. Unless of course, you pull the battery.

 

[Larryjb]

Last year we almost ruined a relatively new battery because the car sat for over 6 weeks. It wouldn't take a charge with a regular charger. I got this:
https://www.pulsetech.net/store/12v...ge-xc-parallel-pulse-maintenance-charger.html
It seems to have saved the battery.

If the vehicle is sitting for long periods of time, it maybe worth using one of these as a mmaintainer. If it works, great. If not, you've got a maintainer for a new battery.

 

[Doubeleive]

just take the cables off, I still have my battery that was in the my yukon when I bought it over 3 years ago, it sat for over a year, stuck it in the wifes burb when her new battery died, started right up. I ran it a couple days in her truck and it's been sitting again for over a year I bet it will still start the truck right now, I check it with a meter once in a while, still at 12v. I do keep it in the garage so it's not subject to heat/cold as much it would be under a hood.

 

[Doubeleive]

funny if you google how long a battery will last disconnected there is no definitive answer, plenty of speculation saying 3-9 months, my experience is over a year, either leaves plenty of room for 6-8 weeks, won't hurt anything you may have to just reset the clock on the radio and any preset stations.

 

[1BADI5]

Also of note on this topic.

AGM batteries only have a shelf life of 3-4 years on average. If you buy a battery tender, ensure is has a setting for AGM batteries where they charge differently.

 

[Rocket Man]

Also of note on this topic.

AGM batteries only have a shelf life of 3-4 years on average. If you buy a battery tender, ensure is has a setting for AGM batteries where they charge differently.

The OptiMate ones that I use automatically determine battery type including AGM, lithium, etc and charge accordingly. Most of the newer ones do, plus determine several other criteria automatically including desulfating or reviving. They’re like computers connected to your battery.

 

[RaiderRodney]

You could pick you up a disconnect like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JYYXJH7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use them on a couple of my vehicles I don't drive in the winter months due to all the salt on the roads.

 

[1BADI5]

The OptiMate ones that I use automatically determine battery type including AGM, lithium, etc and charge accordingly. Most of the newer ones do, plus determine several other criteria automatically including desulfating or reviving. They’re like computers connected to your battery.

Vaild points, but I have seen it several times where a customer just went to AutoZone or Walmart and bought the cheapest battery charger.......we know how those stories ended

 

[Rocket Man]

Vaild points, but I have seen it several times where a customer just went to AutoZone or Walmart and bought the cheapest battery charger.......we know how those stories ended

Yeah you need to look at the specs and make sure it’s designed for the type of battery(s) you have, I just wanted to make the point that just because it doesn’t have a setting that says AGM doesn’t mean it’s not designed to charge AGM batteries. You need to do your homework. I remember when I started running Lithium batteries in my bikes when they first came out you had to get a charger meant only for lithium’s and now they make the ones that work on all types.

 

[1BADI5]

Yeah the one we have in the shop from Snap On does every battery type and from 6v to 24v.

Some people fail to do that research thing you speak of LOL.

 

[OR VietVet]

Research was just done in the last 6 responses. Doesn't get any better than that.

 

[OR VietVet]

I use Opti-Mate tenders on my Harleys and my Silverado which sit all winter and have never had a problem. They come with pigtails that you leave on the vehicles so you can just plug the maintainer into the small connector when you need it. The better ones have desulfating tech and several modes for charging, maintaining, checking, etc.

Is it this one?
https://www.amazon.com/OptiMATE-Pro...pti-mate+battery+tender&qid=1588868677&sr=8-6
Or this one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078868XZ...ti-mate+battery+tender&qid=1588868805&sr=8-13

Or this one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UANXC...5&sr=1-1-dd5817a1-1ba7-46c2-8996-f96e7b0f409c

 

[Rocket Man]

Is it this one?
https://www.amazon.com/OptiMATE-Pro...pti-mate+battery+tender&qid=1588868677&sr=8-6
Or this one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078868XZ...ti-mate+battery+tender&qid=1588868805&sr=8-13

Or this one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UANXC...5&sr=1-1-dd5817a1-1ba7-46c2-8996-f96e7b0f409c

The last one, the 6 is what I use for my truck. The first one, the 4 is the one I use on my Harley. I have ridden the Harley once since my crash 2 years ago and it still starts up like it was ridden yesterday.