JR-01

50 cents a year.

tcrote5516

I pull my Optima out of the car in the fall and store it in my home where the temp is more consistent. I put it on a charger for 24hrs every couple months to keep it topped off.

The temp is the killer when combined with lower voltages. If I kept it in an unheated garage I would find the lowest amp (less than 1amp) trickle charger and leave it on 24x7.

Green1

When you put your battery does screw your computer up when you put it back in?

Flitzr951

I have a Schumacher SE-1275A and leave it on the 2A maintenance setting whenever I know it will be sitting for a while. I do check on it every once in a while but have never had any issues.

JR-01

I remove my battery and store it in the basement for 6 months over the winter. When I put it back in I don't lose anything, even my radio presets.
The owners manual recommends disconnecting the battery for long term storage.

Meta

I unplug my entire house from the grid when I leave to get groceries. Too much risk leaving that oven connected where it might turn itself on and get hot. Hair dryer? No chance I'm trusting that switch not to click over to on and dry something. Boiler? No way, better to have that explosive has device disarmed while away! Far safer to have it run that gas stuff in it's combustion chamber while we're home, not away! Instead, I seek the safety and security of my car, in my little steel cocoon, strapped to a dozen gallons of gas, cooking along at a safe 75 on the interstate. Now, I know you all think I'm being overly cautious, but I heard of a house burning from a dust buster vacuum burning because it was left charging for 11 years. Be safe out there and don't become a statistic of car battery charger death. Also, don't eat yellow snow and please do not vote commie.

JR-01

Do what you want.
Of course you could just use some common sense instead.

Meta

I forgot to tell you about the pilot light on my water heater. Can't take a chance on the cat I don't have taking off the cover and sticking it's tail in there. Happens more often than anyone knows because cats can't tell you why their tails are burned. It is, after all, just common sense.

JR-01

Whatever makes you happy.
I was just saying, putting a tender on a car for 6 months without checking on it once in a while is not a good idea. It gets to 30 below here and I have had batteries freeze and crack the case. That is why I pull my battery out and store it inside. A cell can go bad at any time and having a charger hooked to a bad battery for 6 months can not be good for the cars electronics.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...home-1.2502038

elbaite

My Z06 is hooked to a CTEK smart charger pretty much whenever I am not driving it consistently. I have had Polaris Rangers and RZR's hooked to Deltran Plus smart chargers for years under the same conditions. No issues. Just tested the OEM battery from my 2009 RZR-S - strong as new (although it's a pretty crappy battery). I'm a firm believer in battery tenders - just make sure you have a good smart one.

RedC5

My $8 Harbour Freight works just perfect on my 6 year old Optima Red Top - been plugged in for 1.5 months straight - fired right up strong the other day. Now hooked up again as we go into deep negative nights again.

tcrote5516

You may want to do some research on AGM batteries charging needs. (not trying to be an arrogant ***** here) but that's a great way to start a new thread titled "How $8 cost me $229"

That charger will shave YEARS off that batteries life. Yes it will fire right up but the damage is being done over time.

jfb

Battery tenders and trickle chargers won't harm lead acid batteries including AGM batteries. What takes life off a battery is leaving it sit doing nothing , not being charged. Low current chargers prevent sulfating the battery plates which is a death sentence. When I bought my 02 ZO6 three years ago I bought a Harbor Freight trickle charger and the car had an Optima red top battery. I have left the charger on all winter (it is on now) with no problems.

RedC5

I'm at 6 years+ so the HF charger must be doing something right!