Car Battery: When is a Car Battery Complete Toast vs. When Can it be Re-Charged?

Question

Standard car battery (PowerVolt - an Interstate Brand). Not deep cycling or gel or anything other than a run of the mill car battery. It has water in cells.

Headlights were left on - for like weeks. I suppose they weren't putting out any light after some number of hours, but the lights were left in the on position.

It is used for off-road activities, and had been left sitting with the lights 'on' for at least a week.

It can be jump-started, though.

The battery is about a year old - if that makes any difference.


The question:

(I know there are no absolutes, but there are 99% likelihoods).

Is the battery most like completely dead / history / toast / past-tense or might it be re-chargeable ?

What are the odds of each, in your estimation ?

Thanks.

Answer 1

The battery should charge back up. It will take more than a trickle charger to do it though.

Answer 2

Chances are a year old battery will take a charge and be just fine. With it being completely dead, don't hit it with a high amp charger at first, let it build up slowly, and keep an eye on the level in the cells (if it isn't maintenance free type) and keep the level above the plates. I'll give you 80% that it's good.

Answer 3

I'd suggest charging youe battery overnight @ 2 amps with an automatic charger. No need to boil the crap out of such a new battery and run the risk of over heating it. Take a voltage test in th morning with a hand held volt meter. If it's got some good life in it you'll see at a minimum 12.5 volts with the charger dis-connected.

Answer 4

One year old battery might survive a 10 amp load and die then recharge. Jump start the car truck and drive it with out loads on for an hour then take it to auto supply store and have them test it with a hand held tester. A small load like the dome light left on will really kill off a battery much faster. High loads and rapid recharges like starting the battery like that.

Answer 5

why you have a 200 amp charger is a mystery to me but it likely destroyed the battery. generally its not going to hurt the truck it may cook the battery why you choose to hook the charger up and then turn on the truck is exaclty why you either do a lot more reading and find out what you are not supposed to do or plan on paying the mechanic to unscrew the mess you made. About all you can do is put a good battery in the truck. take the one you have back to the store if its under warranty and keep a mouth a shut. let them test it and go from there . Make sure you hook it up right and hope when you turn on the truck things work better. there are a lot of things that could have gone bad from that battery blowing up in your face (DID YOU HAVE SAFETY GOGGLES ON TO PROTECT YOUR EYES?) TO ZAPPING THE CRAP OUT OF YOURSELF WITH 200 WATTS OF POWER. please, there are simple things like flashligts that can really help ok? lets all be glad you were not injured .

Answer 6

if its under a year old you can have it hydrostatically tested at your auto part store. the water lever can be checked there as well. as long as the battery can be jumped the battery is good. anyways they can bench test the battery to see if its got juice left or just a recharge. both should be free. if the battery level reads low or recharge they can do it there for free in about an hour. if the cells are dry then the bench test will tell you to replace battery. the auto parts store can give you a replacement battery or credit for your battery. hope this helps.

Answer 7

What a bunch of nonsense over a simple battery problem. Turn off light switch. Jump start the vehicle, let it idle for maybe 30 minutes, watch engine temp, should be fine if cooling system in good shape. Turn off engine, let sit overnight, If it starts the batt. is fine. Drive it.

Answer 8

Ref to your question the battery is toast if you receive a jump or a charge and it doesn't restart after the charge on its own power. Pretty simple even if its a year old.

Answer 9

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