My battery recently died while storing the car for the winter. I picked up a CTEK US 3300 charger and charged up the battery. I was checking the voltage on the battery with my multimeter and it was reading 13.1 volts. I though it should be in the 12.0 to 12.6 range or so. Also, more concerning to me, was a bubbling sound I could hear coming from the battery. I have the ctek charger on the 14.7 volt setting for a battery at 41 degrees or less. Is it normal to hear a bubbling/sizzling sound coming from the battery while being charged? When I disconnect the charger the sound stops and the reading on the multimeter is the same. I'm leaving the charger disconnected for now until I find out what that sound is.

 

What you are seeing is normal, was the battery below frezzing while it was dead if so it may be shorted out internaly and give you voltage but no current

see this web site re charging pay attention to the explosive gas production

http://www.battery-chargers.com/char...structions.htm

 

Yeah it was definitely below freezing. Last winter I was lucky enough to store it in a heated garage and had zero problems whatsoever. This winter, not so lucky. Hopefully once it gets warmer it'll start up but I'm most likely going to end up buying a red top or something.