Charging an SLA with a car charger?

joecool85 said:

I'm sure that it is, I just don't think my battery is over charging.

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Then you must heat your rear window too much when the engine is idling. Try cleaning it instead.
If your battery is charging at 14.4V like most, then it is overcharging.

Although I have heard that the sealed batteries charge at a higher voltage than 13.8V like old ones did.

Its not from that, its from lack of time running compared to starting. I average about 20 trips per week, each consisting of 8 minutes average or so. It takes more power to start the car each time than it can restore in the 8 minutes. I'm sure I could take it out for a few 2 hour drives here and there, but I don't have time for that, it'd be easier for me to just charge the battery every so often.

Actually, I just did some math, and with the size of my starter, and the amount of cranking time, it would only take 1-2 minutes to recharge the battery from the start assuming there was no other drain, and of course there is. So a 3-5 minute drive should do it, which I do. Maybe my battery is only at 75% charge because of the fact it is 5 years old

Your battery is an old geezer and it is getting ready to die.

audioguru said:

Your battery is an old geezer and it is getting ready to die.

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Bah, it starts the car great. I just changed my gf's battery, it was 7 years old. I checked the voltage and it was 12.81v and I hadn't driven the car in 7 hours. I ran the headlights for 1 minute, then let it set for another minute and checked again, it tested 12.65v, so I would say its good. I also installed a voltmeter inside my car and when you are cranking the motor, it is around 10.5 volts, so thats also good. I think I was worrying for nothing. I just had read that if you charge your battery every so often its good for it, and my dad does it and it seems to work for him real well. I dunno. I may go get one anyway, its only $30 for an ok charger anyway.