I want to replace my current battery with a Duralast Gold from autozone…I’m guessing these batteries are stored on the shelf and has lost a lot of charge.
When I replace them, should I drive around until they are fully charged? How long should I drive for?
Car is a 2000 corolla.
they will loss a very small amount of there charge sitting on the shelf. the store is at a constent temp. so that’s not an issue. I would not lose any sleep other it.
I may be wrong, but my recollection is that the battery is not charged at all, other than the electrical potential of the initial chemical reaction when they fill it.
I know that it will start your car several times, so there is not an urgent need to spend the fuel to charge it up if you have no reason to be out driving around. On the other hand, maintenance-free batteries don’t like to be run low on charge. If you decide to charge it, 30 minutes at 2000 RPM or better should get it most of the way to a full charge.
I’ve sold thousands of RV batteries and bought many batteries at the auto parts store. Unless there is a problem with the battery…they are good to go when purchased.
Install it, and don’t lose any sleep over it. The next time you drive it, the car will start. It will recharge the the amount used to start it that first time, and bring it up to a full charge at that time.
My local Autozone keeps batteries on the shelf without charging them. If they are unsold after a year, they sell them as USED batteries. I have bought them that way several times and never had an issue. I do put a full charge on those before installation.
Your new battery is just full of charge at the 12.6 or even 12.7 volts. It will take little additional charge no matter what you do. You can’t make it go defective if your car is working right.
If your car isn’t driven much or only driven on short trips, it’s not a bad idea to make a little highway run after installing the new battery just to be sure. It will also help the engine computer “relearn” how to manage your engine if the battery is disconnected and there has been no provision made to maintain power during the battery swap.
Just fully charge it,but other wise you will be alright,however if you need a jump or a booster battery to get the car started this battery will have a short life.
I Remember a time when Caterpillar batteries came without electrolyte in them,was replacing a bad battery,I told a higher up we needed to put acid in it he insisted
that water was all it needed,needless to say the Battery didnt function -Kevin