Best way to charge a GMT900 truck's battery

[07blackz71]

My battery is low on my Tahoe and would like to use a battery charger to get back to it's full charge. I never had to charge a NNBS trucks battery yet and am wondering if I have to be careful so I don't mess up any of the electronics. On other trucks I never unhooked the battery from the truck and I just hooked the charger to the battery cables on the post. Would this be ok to do on my Tahoe also?

I know it is probably a stupid question but I don't want to mess anything up before turkey day. I have alot of running around to do tomorrow.

 

[Zembonez]

Re: best way to charge a GMT900 trucks battery

Hook the positive to the post and the negative to a ground. Make sure the charger is off when connecting. It'll be fine.

 

[drperry]

Re: best way to charge a GMT900 trucks battery

Is your alternator not charging properly, or did you just leave the key on or in accessory running things for awhile?

 

[Texas Jim]

Re: best way to charge a GMT900 trucks battery

I have had to use the charger a few times on my Cadillac...
I hook up the cables from the charger and then turn it on low for a little while...
If that isn't enough, after two or three hours, I turn it up to high.

SO FAR it has never hurt anything...

 

[drperry]

If all you do is a lot of short trips, it's a good idea to throw a trickle charger on it overnight now and then.

 

[07blackz71]

Thanks guys


I was messing with my radio and a wireless back up camera with the Tahoe off so it drained the battery to the point that it had a "service charging system". It had enough charge to just barely start it up. So I drove it around for a while to get some charge back. But I only drive 10 min. to work so it is not fully charging. I checked it and it only shows 10.6 volts after sitting overnight. I also load tested it and it showed it was ok.

 

[drperry]

Thanks guys


I was messing with my radio and a wireless back up camera with the Tahoe off so it drained the battery to the point that it had a "service charging system". It had enough charge to just barely start it up. So I drove it around for a while to get some charge back. But I only drive 10 min. to work so it is not fully charging. I checked it and it only shows 10.6 volts after sitting overnight. I also load tested it and it showed it was ok.

That wouldn't wreck your battery, you're safe there... But a little charging is always nice

Like JIM said... Positive to positive, negative to a good ground... Engine block works.

 

[Zembonez]

I've had to charge mine several times over the last two years due to it sitting in the garage for months at a time. Last Winter, I put a new battery in.

 

[07blackz71]

Well I just hooked it up and I am just doing a 15amp charge to get it to a full charge and then maybe this weekend do a trickle charge to get it a more deep charge. If I have more issues I guess I will have to upgrade to an interstate battery.

 

[drperry]

Well I just hooked it up and I am just doing a 15amp charge to get it to a full charge and then maybe this weekend do a trickle charge to get it a more deep charge. If I have more issues I guess I will have to upgrade to an interstate battery.

I hope you're not leaving that 15 amp charge on there too long

I prefer lower charge levels so I can go do other things and not have to worry about it.

Unless your charger has an auto-cut off