Battery dead after off road for 18 months

[BobbyRover]

I took my 2005 LR3 off the road about 18 months ago and decided to put it back on today. When I hooked the battery back up I thought I was good as all the lights came on but nothing when cranking. I jumped it and it started right up. I let it run for about 20 minutes hoping to charge the battery but when attempting to restart it was dead again.

I did have the battery in heated storage for those 18 months. Is it likely that it's dead or should I throw a battery charger on it? I'm in the North East so will need all the cranking power I can get so if new battery is in order I'll get one.

Last question, I can't seem to figure out how to fully hook it up backup with the screws that go next to the post. Anyone have a photo of what that should look like?

Thanks!

 

[nashvegas]

why off the road for 18 mos ?!?

Do tell ! I'd say its a dead battery. 18 mos is a long time, even if heated / air conditioned.

 

[jesus_man]

Probably a bad battery. Rob one from another vehicle just to see if it starts on it's own. If it does, get a new battery for the LR3 and then when you park it next, buy a battery tender.

J.D.

 

[Disco Mike]

Buy your self a new HD battery of at least 800 plus CCA and be done with it cause you killed the original one. Also, just so you know, don't throw a dead battery into a truck, jump start it and let it idle to charge it up unless you want to buy a new alternator also, you have an alternator, not a generator.

 

[nwoods]

Also, letting the battery charge while the truck is idling in the driveway is actually not going to work. You need to be driving the motor at higher RPM's to generate enough current to charge up the battery. Next time, drive around the neighborhood a few times for the same amount of time, and you should be good.

 

[Disco Mike]

Nathan,
I disagree, an old battery that has been sitting for 18 months, one that was probably partially warn out anyway, is near impossible to get back to a full charge.
That is one reason I mentioned that we no longer have generator, something that is able to charge with out damage. An alternator is more designed to replace the voltage drawn from a battery while you are driving, thats why many old time mechanics will tell you it is not a good idea. Now that mean an alternator can't bring a flat battery up over a surface charge, it just takes a few hours on the road.

 

[nwoods]

That's interesting! I always wondered about the terminology of Generator verses Alternator. I thanks Mike

 

[beantmt]

Wait, I'm confused. Are you saying that if I leave my lights on overnight or something and the battery is dead in the morning I chouldn't jump it and let it idle to charge it back up? What would be the solution--charge it with a trickle charger or something? Or are you just saying that I shouldn't do this with an old battery that doesn't hold a charge anymore?

 

[jesus_man]

Charging a dead battery with an alternator puts a lot of strain on the alternator. As Mike said, they are used to top off the charge of a battery. It will do it, but at the cost is strain on the alternator. If you have a dead battery, the best thing to do it charge it with a battery charger. If it's an old battery that has sat dead for a long time, it's likely no good. Even if it holds a charge, it probably won't for long.

J.D.

 

[nwoods]

Don't JUST idle it. You need to drive it around to increase the amount of current generated by the alternator into the battery. Idling by itself is insufficient.