On the subject of batteries...

[Tango]

It was mentioned in a recent thread that keeping the neg ground cable in good condition is important to battery life. Why is that? i found out when getting the car ready in the spring that the neg cable was very frayed. I replaced it. However, the 2-yr old battery doesnt seem to hold a charge. Saturday after a car show I needed a boost to get started. Drove home (20 minutes) and put on the charger and the charger said it was basically full in seconds. So it seems to charge quickly and not hold it. The battery that was in it when I bought it didnt look very old, but last year it became unchargeable. The charging voltage across the terminals when the car is running is fine. Could a bad ground have been damaging my batteries?

[124JOE]

no thats lack of use it not useto a normal use."its just remembering top charge"
and the old one was just done!joe

[htchevyii]

If the battery sat dead all winter, the plated could have become sulfated.
http://www.boatelectric.com/sulfation.htm

[Tango]

Well, I'll be very careful to keep it on a charger this winter. I'm tired of lugging the deep cycle battery into the trunk so that I am confident that if the primary battery is low I am not stranded.