battery charging problem
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Fairbanks, AK
battery charging problem
I went to start my '53 pickup tonight but it would barely turn over (no surprise--it's been sitting in the garage for awhile now). I bought a 6V charger at NAPA. I put the red clamp on the positive lead and the black clamp on the body of the truck to ground it. The guage on the charger showed it as being fully charged from the onset. However I still ran the charger for about 15-minutes. I removed the charger and tried to start it. Now it is completely dead. It won't even turn over. I got the horn to honk very weakly once but now it is totally dead. Any ideas? I thought someone might know a "trick" to charging the battery. Or maybe I should just pick up a new one? Or maybe I have done something wrong and blown a fuse somewhere?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
James is right, clean the terminals and cables, check the fluid, use distilled water.
In my experience; depending on the amp rating of the charger, charging will take a bit longer than that, like several hours. Also, how old is the battery? They only last so long, and if it sits a long time it needs to be charged about every 30 days or so just to keep it from dying altogether.
In my experience; depending on the amp rating of the charger, charging will take a bit longer than that, like several hours. Also, how old is the battery? They only last so long, and if it sits a long time it needs to be charged about every 30 days or so just to keep it from dying altogether.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2000
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From: Waynesville, OH
Originally Posted by AK Fifty-Three
... I put the red clamp on the positive lead and the black clamp on the body of the truck to ground it. ...
When you make or break connections, make sure the charger is off. That will help avoid sparks around the battery which could ignite any hydrogen given off during the charging process.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Fairbanks, AK
Thanks, fellas. She's charging away in the garage as I type this. Looks like the positive ground cable and clamp have seen better days, so I'd best find replacements. Any recommendations for original-type cables and clamps?
BTW George, I sure enjoyed reading about your progress with "Earl". When can we expect an update?
BTW George, I sure enjoyed reading about your progress with "Earl". When can we expect an update?
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Fairbanks, AK
I correctly hooked up the charger today thanks to everyone's good advice and let it charge for a couple of hours. She started right up! I backed her out of the garage and let her run for about 20 minutes. Drove her around a little in the driveway to get things operating. She didn't care much for -15.
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Fleet Owner
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From: Central PA
Originally Posted by AK Fifty-Three
Thanks, fellas. She's charging away in the garage as I type this. Looks like the positive ground cable and clamp have seen better days, so I'd best find replacements. Any recommendations for original-type cables and clamps?
BTW George, I sure enjoyed reading about your progress with "Earl". When can we expect an update?
BTW George, I sure enjoyed reading about your progress with "Earl". When can we expect an update?
Go to a generator/alternator rebuild place and buy a 1 gauge or 0 gauge cable. They can probably cut yours to length and put an end on it. You might try NAPA and ask if they can get in 1 gauge. You will be surprised what they have for our old trucks. Might as well get all the cables you need: Pos, Neg, starter, Gen, etc.
abe
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From: Michigan
[QUOTE=AK Fifty-Three]Thanks, fellas. She's charging away in the garage as I type this. Looks like the positive ground cable and clamp have seen better days, so I'd best find replacements. Any recommendations for original-type cables and clamps?
QUOTE]
I took my old ones to NAPA and they made a negative cable to match and had the ground on the store rack. Was ery reasonable.
Fred
QUOTE]
I took my old ones to NAPA and they made a negative cable to match and had the ground on the store rack. Was ery reasonable.
Fred