winter storage... battery tender?

https://midwestscc.com/topics/winter-storage-battery-tender

Midwest Sports Car Club > Cars, Motorcycles, and Boats

#1 Dec 11, 2013, 6:50 pm Hide

andrew

Last year I was able to drive my car throughout the winter because it was in a heated garage that had a car wash inside. So I drove it 3 or 4 times a month and washed it immediately after.

This year I'm not sure what to do. First I have to check if my garage even has an outlet. If it does, any recommendations on a good battery tender? If not, what can I do? Take the battery out of the car and plug it in inside?
#2 Dec 11, 2013, 10:44 pm Hide

Dirkpitt007

I use a battery tender on all my cars and have never had a problem. You'll want to get a trickle charger that has an automatic shut-off that doesn't overcharge the battery. Most of the auto parts stores sell them and I am not sure that any one is really all that much better than the others. I bought my most recent at O'Reilly's. Battery Tender is probably the most recognizable (and most expensive) brand. I purchased the Schumacher for about 1/2 the price of a Battery Tender.

If your garage doesn't have an outlet but does have an overhead light fixture you can purchase one of those socket outlet adapters that screw into the bulb socket, has 1-2 outlets and still allows you to screw in the bulb.
#3 Dec 12, 2013, 12:45 am Hide

Burch1

I use the following Battery Tender:
http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0128-Plus-Charger/d...
It is more than the "Junior" model but worth the extra $ as the Junior only lasted a year for me in the past.
Cheers,
Greg

andrew wrote
Last year I was able to drive my car throughout the winter because it was in a heated garage that had a car wash inside. So I drove it 3 or 4 times a month and washed it immediately after.

This year I'm not sure what to do. First I have to check if my garage even has an outlet. If it does, any recommendations on a good battery tender? If not, what can I do? Take the battery out of the car and plug it in inside?

#4 Dec 12, 2013, 1:09 am Hide

ZUL8TR

I am using the Battery Tender Plus too.

The outlet adapter for the light socket was already mentioned above.
#5 Dec 12, 2013, 2:40 am Hide

meckman

I have two Battery Tender Juniors. One for the Mustang and one for the Harley Vrod. On the third yr using the one for the car and this is the 6-7 year of using the one on the bike. The one on the bike stays hooked up year round since I don't ride as much as I use to.
#6 Dec 12, 2013, 7:30 am Hide

fiorano94

NSX has a battery tender Jr. on it. Very easy hook up and works great.
#7 Dec 12, 2013, 9:05 am Hide

andrew

Thanks guys! Good news is there's an outlet. I'll stop by O'Reilly later this week
#8 Dec 12, 2013, 11:30 am Hide

DC33

You dont even know if your garage had an outlet.....
*facepalm*
Give me your man card
#9 Dec 12, 2013, 10:00 pm Hide

andrew

I just got the garage spot like 2 weeks ago! And I've only parked my car in there once
#10 Dec 15, 2013, 9:18 am Hide

andrew

I got the Battery Tender Junior today and hooked it up. If I left the hood open a crack the alarm didn't seem to activate on the car so I snaked the cord through the hood vents. I'm curious what I would have to do if I didn't have those vents though, anybody else have that problem?
#11 Dec 15, 2013, 10:52 am Hide

abryner

We just cracked the side passenger window open, put a towel where the space is and run the cord through...
#12 Dec 15, 2013, 5:43 pm Hide

DC33

Front grill, wheels well, under neath etc all work
#13 Dec 16, 2013, 1:25 am Hide

Burch1

Yes, through the hood vents for me as well...

andrew wrote
I got the Battery Tender Junior today and hooked it up. If I left the hood open a crack the alarm didn't seem to activate on the car so I snaked the cord through the hood vents. I'm curious what I would have to do if I didn't have those vents though, anybody else have that problem?

#14 Dec 16, 2013, 4:19 am Hide

fiorano94

Ran it through wheel well on the NSX. Just don't forget to unplug it before you drive off.
#15 Dec 16, 2013, 2:38 pm Hide

Burch1

Done that a few times!

fiorano94 wrote
Ran it through wheel well on the NSX. Just don't forget to unplug it before you drive off.

#16 Dec 16, 2013, 2:44 pm Hide

fiorano94

It has yet to happen, but I imagine it will at some point.
#17 Dec 16, 2013, 3:40 pm Hide

andrew

I'm more worried about forgetting to put collision insurance back on
#18 Dec 16, 2013, 4:17 pm Hide

fiorano94

Sticky note on the steering wheel. Would be hard to forget with a reminder staring you in the face when you get in the car.
#19 Dec 17, 2013, 4:15 am Hide

Dirkpitt007

fiorano94 wrote
Sticky note on the steering wheel. Would be hard to forget with a reminder staring you in the face when you get in the car.

I do exactly the same thing.
#20 Dec 17, 2013, 4:43 am Hide

SMS

Just to the right of the muffler is my permanently mounted tender's cord tail. I just put an extension cord to that.
#21 Dec 17, 2013, 4:57 am Hide

Burch1

Love the vanity plate!
Cheers,
Greg

SMS wrote
Just to the right of the muffler is my permanently mounted tender's cord tail. I just put an extension cord to that.

#22 Dec 17, 2013, 8:32 am Hide

SMS

Burch1 wrote
Love the vanity plate!
Cheers,
Greg



That was right at the peak of Obama's cash for clunkers debacle.

Not a real plate, I went to a sign shop and had it made, but I drove on it anyway for a few outings! Got lots of comments.

#23 Dec 17, 2013, 8:25 pm Hide

DC33

Dirkpitt007 wrote
I do exactly the same thing.

Me too!!
#24 Dec 18, 2013, 12:43 am Hide

ZUL8TR

I just leave the hood cracked with the cord from the overhead reel hanging down in front of the windshield.
#25 Dec 22, 2013, 10:25 am Hide

RJPKRP

I just go out and crank the NSX about once a month and let it run. Come Spring I just fill'er up with some fresh gas and go. Has worked fine for me over the years. My garage that I keep the NSX in in the winter is not powered.

The Porsche, Vette and Mustang are all at the shop, so they are getting cranked and moved regularly.