"Veggie" wrote in message
. ..
I have a car with a battery that is completely discharged (accessory
left on for over 24 hours). Read 0 volts.

What is the best way to remedy this?

a) jump start - it seems to not be a good option as it dumps high
current into the dead battery. If you're on the road somewhere, sure,
you need to get going but jump starting seems to be undesirable.

b) put it on a battery charger, one of those 5/10/25 amp ones. If so,
which rate is the best for a completely flat battery?

There seems to be a lot said about sulfate build up on batteries. It
seems to be an unsettled subject on the Net, as many say one thing but
an equal number refute it. One claim in interesting to me- that leaving
a lead acid battery in flat condition for a long time caused sulfate
build up. Is this true, and what is a "long time"? Are we talking
days, weeks, or months?

Do either, the battery will never be the same again, but if you just stick
it on the charger on the normal setting or jump start the car and drive it
for a half hour or so then it might work for a bit.

Sulfate will build up very quickly, hours to days, after months it'll be
very heavily sulfated.