So yet again it won't start...

I had the same problem a few months ago but it turned over....

now it's just making some horrendous rattling-like sound...won't start...but the alarm light is still working and the radio works. The only thing I did recently wa replaced a vacuum line off the egr valve and solenoid? as the old one had cuts in it?

I have a Duralast 75-D which is about a year old maybe two, it's on the charger at 12v 10 amps and the gauge is jumping from charged to charging every second?

retried starting and it's clicking? duhn duhn duhn duhn in perfect rhythm...

seems to go rapid fire noises and changes to a slower beat...

I've disconnected the battery twice now so I am sure the connections are good.

Well it seems as though the flickering from charged to charging on the Sears Charger was a result of connecting the cables before plugging the charger into the wall? I figured this out after reading the charging manual 3 times over....then it went to 9.5 amps and about an hour or two later it read CHARGED. Now I reinstalled the battery after rechecking the connections for corrosion and once I reconnected it, it started right up.... I don't understand how this would happen now...it's been driving fine for 3 months and most of my battery problems are from the winter as a result of not disconnecting the battery, not trickle charging, not driving it... It also seems I have made another stupid mistake, after reading the forums I found that simply letting the car idle during the winter does nothing to help the battery, although it helps keep oil up in the engine and all fluids circulating...

anyway although the changes in the clicking sound speed occured after removing and reinstalling the battery it probably also had to do with draining the battery... first try loud and fast click, 2nd try slower clicking, 3rd try a bit slower....pretty good sign the connections/battery are bad/dead...

anyone know how to test the alternator without pulling it, maybe any suggestions on a better one/more charging amps...I think the fact that most of my driving is 3 miles each way is killing my battery as well as the other problems I mentioned above (but I am done with those now...)

ADD:
WELL YET AGAIN.... 3 hours later tried to go to the store and the car wouldn't start...took the battery for testing and "BAD BATTERY"....should have paid more attention to the voices in my head.... "that's odd no spark on the connectors" almost everytime I disconnect or connect a battery in any vehicle due to the tightness the connection always touches and sparks....only my bad battery did not...

anyway I thought I switched this battery out last year but I was wrong...it was my truck battery in 08 and the z28 battery was purchased in 2004 and switched out after that sometime, regardless I didn't take the $12 prorated warranty... I bought a new battery and used the $12 core exchange with a NEW 2 yr free replacement...

Does any of you car geniuses have a GUIDE to WINTERIZING a Z28? am I best off removing the battery and once a month hook it up to the car and let it run for 30 minutes just to keep the oil in the engine and fluids everything moving...and take it out for a drive on dry/clear winter days? Or should I just run a trickle charger all winter?