2amp trickle for 3hrs every night

ForceFed70 · Oct 18, 2005

I'm getting ready to put the stang to bed for the winter and was curious as to what you guys think about battery maintenance.

Currently I have a 2amp trickle charger connected to a timer. It comes on every day for 3 hours.

Do you guys think this is too much or little to keep the battery fresh? My car has alot of added electronics (like an alarm) so it will draw a little more power while parked than most classics. If I let it sit for month with no charging, the battery will be dead or near dead.

I do live in Canada, but in one of the mildest climates in Canada. The stang is parked in an non-heated garage, but it's an attached garage so the heat comming off the house keeps it a few degrees warmer than outside.

Whatcha think?

Capt Dan · Oct 18, 2005

If you are worried about it, they make an automatic trickle charger that monitors the battery and charges when it gets below a certain level. Otherwise I would try a minimal charge and check it once in a while to see if it is keeping up. If not, increase the time.

At Sears $30 - http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=AUTO&pid=02871220000&subcat=Battery+Chargers+%26+Boosters

krash kendall · Oct 18, 2005

A little off topic, but how well does your car Aircare with your mods, especially after sitting all winter?

hotrodnut · Oct 18, 2005

I'm not sure about a 2 amp but I use a "Battery Minder" that keeps a constant .01 amp to keep from sulfating and when it starts getting anything below a full charge it automaticly goes into a trickle charge until it's back to full charge. I can hook up to 6 batteries to this and keep them all charged and ready. There is also a "Battery Tender" on the market but it only works for 1 battery.

Pakrat · Oct 18, 2005

Hmmm, I have a little green knob with trickle wire installed on the negative for when I work on it and when I store it. I simply cut power to the ground and forget about it until next spring, not a single problem for years.

The trickle upgrade is great as it's just enough to maintian radio presets and stuff like that but nothing else works.

FastSVO · Oct 18, 2005

I need a new battery charger, so will this work on charging completely dead batteries as well?

Eric

At Sears $30 - http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=AUTO&pid=02871220000&subcat=Battery+Chargers+%26+Boosters[/LEFT][/QUOTE]

bnickel · Oct 18, 2005

i usually just start my car up once a month or so and let it run for about 10 minutes to let the fluids circulate and come up to operating temperature and i vary the engine speed to help charge the battery and change the load on it

ForceFed70 · Oct 18, 2005

krash kendall said:
A little off topic, but how well does your car Aircare with your mods, especially after sitting all winter?

Well from what I understand my car is old enough that I don't have to get it aircared.

Irregardless, there is no Aircare here in Kelowna. In BC, they only do aircare in the lower mainland.

If they tested me, I'm sure I'd fail. Hopefully the EFI conversion over this winter will make it able for me to pass...

krash kendall · Oct 18, 2005

There is no such thing as too old for aircare. My '65 just failed on a saturday asfternoon, but my insurance ran out on sunday, so after fixing it (bad plug leads) I couldn't get it tested because aircare is closed sundays. Now I'll shell out the extra bucks for a permit, pay for the test again, then get insurance.

Oh, and I thought you lived in Vancouver.

Tim65GT · Oct 18, 2005

I'm getting ready to put the stang to bed for the winter and was curious as to what you guys think about battery maintenance.

What's Winter?

FastSVO · Oct 18, 2005

This brings up a good question. As the car sits for a long periods of time (>1yr), is it a better idea to start it up and let it run in the driveway for 10 minutes or wait to start and actually drive the car every 6 months or so to really bring it up to temperature.

I guess I am concerned about developing leaks and wearing out the motor (piston to wall clearance, the rings, bearings,etc).

2nd Mustang · Oct 18, 2005

The longest my Stang sits is about 2 weeks, but even during that short down time, I do start the engine up and get it to operating temperature and let it run for awhile. It's good for the engine and good for my soul.

Cobain03 · Oct 19, 2005

should the oil be changed before it goes up to a thicker/thinner type?

ForceFed70 · Oct 19, 2005

Cobain03 said:
should the oil be changed before it goes up to a thicker/thinner type?

I usually leave to oil in it over the winter, but change it shortly before I take her out of hibernation in the spring.

Capt Dan · Oct 19, 2005

FastSVO said:
I need a new battery charger, so will this work on charging completely dead batteries as well?

Eric

At Sears $30 - http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=AUTO&pid=02871220000&subcat=Battery+Chargers+%26+Boosters[/left]

[/quote]

It says it is a charger, so I guess it should work. However it is only 1.5 amps, It would take a long time to charge a dead battery.

Pakrat · Oct 19, 2005

FWIW, every year for over 5 years I went thru the whole rigamaroo of storage tips, I jacked it up to avoid flat spots, started it up once a month or so, you name it. After the accident I did not touch the car once last winter except for disconnecting the ground. I turned the knob in the spring, pumped the throttle a few times and it sprang to life instantly, a little rough for the first 30 seconds then fine.

I have heard that general winter storage and long term should not be thought of the same, any less than a year and most of it is overkill. For basic storage essentially topping off all fluids, disconnecting the battery and using a stabalizer in the gas is more than adequate. That said the only additons I plan to use again from long term storage tricks in my normal winter storage is to keep a pillow case filled with torn newspapers underneath the car to control dampness and some irish spring or moth balls under the seats to control pests. Oh yeah and unless your car has it's own garage a cover to protect the paint from scratches is a good idea too.

ForceFed70 · Oct 19, 2005

I agree PAK... I've always just put her to sleep for 5 months with little more than testing the antifreeze to make sure it's up to snuff for the cold temp and to do something to take care of the battery.

And every spring for 6 years now, the only problem I've had is a need to prime the fuel pump. And some of these Canadian winters have been pretty tough... as cold as -20*F

bnickel · Oct 19, 2005

Pakrat said:
FWIW, every year for over 5 years I went thru the whole rigamaroo of storage tips, I jacked it up to avoid flat spots, started it up once a month or so, you name it. After the accident I did not touch the car once last winter except for disconnecting the ground. I turned the knob in the spring, pumped the throttle a few times and it sprang to life instantly, a little rough for the first 30 seconds then fine.

I have heard that general winter storage and long term should not be thought of the same, any less than a year and most of it is overkill. For basic storage essentially topping off all fluids, disconnecting the battery and using a stabalizer in the gas is more than adequate. That said the only additons I plan to use again from long term storage tricks in my normal winter storage is to keep a pillow case filled with torn newspapers underneath the car to control dampness and some irish spring or moth balls under the seats to control pests. Oh yeah and unless your car has it's own garage a cover to protect the paint from scratches is a good idea too.

i use a car cover for my car but i also have wool blankets on the hood and trunk. the roof is still in primer because i haven't had the money to get the vinyl top put on yet or i would put a wool blanket on the roof as well, if it was painted anyway. the wool dries out really quickly if it gets wet and it keeps the cover from flapping around and scratching the paint, it makes a handy cushion in case of hail storms too.

Cobain03 · Oct 19, 2005

hmm i might try the wool suggestion myself!

Great68 · Oct 19, 2005

70_Nitrous_Eater said:
Well from what I understand my car is old enough that I don't have to get it aircared.

Irregardless, there is no Aircare here in Kelowna. In BC, they only do aircare in the lower mainland.

If they tested me, I'm sure I'd fail. Hopefully the EFI conversion over this winter will make it able for me to pass...

I have to aircare my car.

I aircare it before I put it away for the winter, so I can buy insurance in the spring without having to worry about aircare.

In fact, I just took it through aircare last weekend, and it failed it was putting out 2x the allowed hydrocarbons at idle.
It just means I have to put a sniffer on it and play with the carb a bit.

I hate aircare with a passion, our cars should not have to go through.
It's a money grab, because you have to tune it till it runs like crap to pass, and then when you pass you just tune it back to where it was again.

Oh and to stay on topic, I pull the battery out of the car and bring it inside the basement, and once a month I'll put the charger on it to keep it topped up. I have an optima red top, and they really don't like being discharged.

2amp trickle for 3hrs every night

ForceFed70

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That's why they call it "dope"

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That's why they call it "dope"

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