battery question

hello! i have had an optima battery for about 2 1/2 years now. about four months ago, i left my headlights on at work and the battery drained. so later that night i jumped started it for about 2 minutes. since then i have been driving it ( i had forgotten about the situation as i was originally planning on perhaps having it recharged) but it has been fine. should i still have it recharged?

and also whats the best way to keep battery terminals clean? will they always have corrosion even if i cover them? do they need regular cleaning?

thanks

I should say its fine. Most alternators are capable of recharging a dead battery in about 20 minutes of driving.

if the car is running, the battery is recharging. There is nothing different that a charger would do to the battery that the alternator already did.

So in short, no, there is no benefit at all to put the battery on a charger. Since the vehicle starts, its as charged as it going to get.

thank you! so what do you think about keeping the terminals clea?

uh, yah. Keeping them clean is a good idea, as with any electrical connection

If the terminals get cruddy, simply make a paste of water and baking soda. It should be about the consistency of a milkshake. Remove the terminals from the posts and dump the slurry on everything; posts, terminals, battery hold down bracket, battery tray... anything with that corrosion on it. Wait 20 minutes and then come back and rinse it off with water. Super simple.

good looking out! thanks again! man, you guys sure know your stuff! (or at least i hope so! hehe j/k j/k)

Thats what I did too when my battery was all coroded on my '96 Cavalier. But i first got the terminals with a wire brush to make sure to get all the thick stuff was off first then used the water and baking soda.

God, is there anything Baking Soda can't do? My mom swears by it using it for cleaning and getting rid of unwanted smells in the fridge and pantry.

you can also use hot water and pour it on the terminals it works the fastest

As added protection, once you get the terminals nice and clean, coat them in some vaseline. This prevents them from getting dirty again.

yea nice point there