VE Battery

[BLACK 346]

I have heard that the battery in VE Commodores cannot be charged without a special charger? Is this true? I have just spent a month away with work and now it appears that the battery is dead. It was driven once by my wife whilst away, and I took it out this morning with no issues, but this afternoon whilst I was in the shed doing some stuff and had the radio going it just died (whole car went black). Is the battery stuffed? I have CTEK on it at the moment, and have got it started again, but thinking I might need new battery?

[bush_basha]

Can charge them with any charger as far as I'm aware. I leave a ctek on mine when not in use. Tho once the battery goes fully flat they normally wont last much longer

[Micks]

That's right if you charge with an conventional one don't charge it for too long. No more than 8 hrs.

[BLACK 346]

That's right if you charge with an conventional one don't charge it for too long. No more than 8 hrs.

Thanks mate. I have a CTEK on it at the moment, will see how it goes.

[team illucid]

Go for an Optima battery, reasonably cheap replacement and good for times in storage.

[Drizt]

Varta E44 also an option, works well in mine.

[markone2]

I charge the VE Senators Battery with an 8 year old super cheap $29.00 charger due to the fact it can sit parked for 3 months at a time.works for me.

.

[Xjas]

Go for an Optima battery, reasonably cheap replacement and good for times in storage.

I've had an optima in mine for the last 3 years, it still going strong even though its been run completely flat a few times when the missus has left the GPS plugged in.

[BLACK 346]

Left it on CTEK all night and it is now fully charged. Will see how it goes over the next few days. Thanks for all the input

[wms]

Left it on CTEK all night and it is now fully charged. Will see how it goes over the next few days. Thanks for all the input

Interested to hear how your battery goes if you don't mind posting an update after a week or so.

My VE SS will be left sitting for just over 2 months later on this year and I had been thinking about the battery. Someone told me that if your battery goes fully flat and is left to sit fully flat for any length of time, it will likely die shortly thereafter charging it back up. Someone else told me that when I return, if its flat, and it probably will be, to use jumper leads to start it instead of a charger and then take it for a drive for at least a couple of hours. I don't know whether either piece of advice is accurate or reliable though...

[whitels1ss]

I have an SS that I hardly ever drive these days. (I have not driven it for 5 1/2 months at the moment.)

I just lift the earth cable off the battery each time I leave it parked & the battery never goes flat

because I became sick of having to charge it (with my el-cheapo battery charger I bought from Target 28 years ago) whenever I felt like starting it up.

[XUV]

I have heard that the battery in VE Commodores cannot be charged without a special charger? Is this true? I have just spent a month away with work and now it appears that the battery is dead. It was driven once by my wife whilst away, and I took it out this morning with no issues, but this afternoon whilst I was in the shed doing some stuff and had the radio going it just died (whole car went black). Is the battery stuffed? I have CTEK on it at the moment, and have got it started again, but thinking I might need new battery?

How old's the battery ?

It might pay to put it on recondition mode over night.

Once you've done that , check the voltage after a couple of hours and the next day,

if it holds above 12.1 it should be good, below that it's dropped a cell and will cause pain.

And when you go away next hook up the ctek and leave it on and it'll keep it nice, just put it on winter (snow flake) or AGM mode.

[BLACK 346]

Interested to hear how your battery goes if you don't mind posting an update after a week or so.

My VE SS will be left sitting for just over 2 months later on this year and I had been thinking about the battery. Someone told me that if your battery goes fully flat and is left to sit fully flat for any length of time, it will likely die shortly thereafter charging it back up. Someone else told me that when I return, if its flat, and it probably will be, to use jumper leads to start it instead of a charger and then take it for a drive for at least a couple of hours. I don't know whether either piece of advice is accurate or reliable though...

Sure can mate, will post update on how it is going at the end of the week

[BLACK 346]

How old's the battery ?

It might pay to put it on recondition mode over night.

Once you've done that , check the voltage after a couple of hours and the next day,

if it holds above 12.1 it should be good, below that it's dropped a cell and will cause pain.

And when you go away next hook up the ctek and leave it on and it'll keep it nice, just put it on winter (snow flake) or AGM mode.

That is exactly what I did with my old SS when it was laid up. The issue I have with the Calais is that with the battery being in the boot, I have to leave the boot open to run the charger to it. Is it possible to trickle charge the battery from under the bonnet? I see a positive charge point, but where do I put the earth?

[XUV]

That is exactly what I did with my old SS when it was laid up. The issue I have with the Calais is that with the battery being in the boot, I have to leave the boot open to run the charger to it. Is it possible to trickle charge the battery from under the bonnet? I see a positive charge point, but where do I put the earth?

any car metal , look in your owners manual on how to jump start and connect on same points or
you would of gotten one of these , [below pic], extend it to come out ya boot connected to battery or bonnet via jump start points.