1999 Pontiac Sunbird battery issue

1999 PONTIAC SUNBIRD
102,000 MILES • 4 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC
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JMOMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
i ran battery down by leaving lights on now i have to continuallly jump start the car but i am not running it for long after it is started. How long should car run after getting started to recharge battery sufficiently?
Aug 20, 2009 at 8:40 AM
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JDL
  • ✓ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 16,098 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
Hello, If the battery is down, take it off to get it checked and recharged. Some of the national brand autostores will check it for free. You shouldn't use the alternator to charge a down battery. When the vehicle is running, it is the alternator that supplies the electricals, not the battery, as long as the charging system is ok.

Reserve Capacity (RC) is a very important rating. This is the number of minutes a fully charged battery at 80 ° F will discharge 25 amps until the battery drops below 10.5 volts. That number is probably stamped on the battery somewhere.
Aug 20, 2009 at 9:58 AM
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