I want to store a car with battery connected for perhaps a month or two during winter. What is a good trickle charger to keep hooked up on it to keep the battery from dying ? Will it matter if the battery is not at full charge when I put it on? Since I never had one, do they use alligator clips like a regular charger? Recommendations for a "good" one regardless of price? Thanks all.
I have used the Battery Tender Plus for about 10 years. Two leds tell the state of charge. Has both alligator clamps and round terminal ends with a connector in the charging cable. With the round terminal ends, you can wire your car and have a hidden connector that is easy to access when the car is parked in the garage.
Second that, even the Junior will do the job on a good battery. Works even after you run over it. ;-))
Thanks "Uncle Vito and Dad".... I didn't hesitate to take your advice and just ordered the Battery Tender Plus. Should have it by late Friday. Thanks again to both of you !!
One more neat trick that I do with these on my Harleys is to install the quick disconnect lead for the charger and throw the clamp-on leads in my saddle bag...makes for a quick hookup jumper cable set that fits in a pocket.
No reason that wouldn't work for a car, unless the wire gauge isn't sufficient.
I have both the Schauer (sp?) battery tender and a Black & Decker. Both work quite well and the wire gauge will not be a problem. Both have the LED's and circuitry that keep the battery topped off (no more, no less)by cycling it on and off as needed. I don't think either one cost more than $25 - $27.
The Black & Decker comes with both the clips and the round terminals AND a polarized quick disconnect plug with a little rubber seal. As a result, the Black & Decker was "assigned" to the Corvette and if the roads are clear and dry in December and I want to take a spin it's quite easy to hit the road and reconnect upon my return.
UPDATE: Started to use it on Sunday and by Monday I could see the storage light now on solidly. It appears to work great. I guess I should hold back and give it more time but at this point, it appears to work just as it's supposed to.
Thanks again to both of you.
One little detail that I noticed with my battery on the trickle charger and it could be a characteristic of all trickle chargers (Battery Tender Plus) . After being attached for about 3 years, showing full charge the entire time (green light), I found my battery did not start my car. Found the cells had gone dry. Took it back to the auto store where I bought it to get credit on a new one. I refilled the cells with distilled water so that it looked like I had taken good care of the battery (was a no maintenance battery, anyway). They tested the battery at full load and it tested good. Took it back home for another 3 years of use, also using the trickle charger. Finally car would not start, cells were dry, and filling with water would not recover the batter. New battery then after 6 years.
Just periodically check the water level. After a long period of time, it can drop.
Vito
Thanks for the tip. I probably should do this now because I haven't checked it in a long time. Now I don't have any excuse to forget.
Thanks again Vito....
Just checked this vehicle and my other. Both needed some water in the battery. I thought it was a coincidence that both battery's end caps needed the most water.
Batteries are complex animals. Note the problem Boeing is having. Also issues with batteries for electric cars. The instantaneous torque in traction motors can be immense. However, a battery is like a small bomb when you consider the energy stored. Very difficult to contol all the reaction modes in a battery.
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