[Shop-talk] dead battery

[Mike]

I have a 12v car battery that is dead as a doornail because the car hasn't
been run in a long time.  It is also dry, or at least  very low.  So I filled
the cells with distilled water, and hooked up the leads (the ground lead to a
bolt on the engine), checked the charger to be sure it was set to 12v, and
plugged it in.  Ammeter goes to max, and the charger trips out.  Suggestions?
There is no adjustment on the charger, just plugged in or not.

Mike