Battery Charger
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 984
Likes: 1
From: SAN FRANCISCO CA
Battery Charger
want to get a batt charger b/c i have the nasty habit of leaving my interior light on. since i don't drive the vette every day..... sometimes i'll get to it and it will be TOTALLY drained. any recs? i looked out there are there are so many types. is it a "trickle charger" that i'm looking for? it's a new battery in the car. how many amps? about how long do i have to let it charge b4 i try to start it??????
Pro
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 542
Likes: 1
From: Mize Mississippi
Harbor freight makes a solar charger it comes with a pretty long cord, you can also get extension cords for it also, it charges through your cig lighter, here is a link. http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/...layItemList.do
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,698
Likes: 9
From: Johnson City TN
I've used the Battery Tender Plus for several years with no problems. I have the quick connect harness permanently attached to the battery, so I don't have to fool around with the alligator clamps. And the lights on front tell you when its charging or fully charged. 
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
I've used the Battery Tender Plus for several years with no problems. I have the quick connect harness permanently attached to the battery, so I don't have to fool around with the alligator clamps. And the lights on front tell you when its charging or fully charged.
Fantastic product. It is a lot more than just a float charger. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 793
Likes: 10
From: Grafton MA
Trickle charge can take up to 24 hours if your battery is completely drained. I recently got a Black and Decker "Start It" to get me started in a pinch, and got a Schumarcher trickle charger to charge properly.
Got both at Walmart, think the trickle charger was $18 bucks and the jump starter was about $35. Both work great.
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-V.../dp/B000E1HAIK
http://store.schumachermart.com/sem-1562a.html
Got both at Walmart, think the trickle charger was $18 bucks and the jump starter was about $35. Both work great.
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-V.../dp/B000E1HAIK
http://store.schumachermart.com/sem-1562a.html
Last edited by pwsusi; Jan 12, 2008 at 06:57 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,876
Likes: 1
From: Jersey Shore Exit 98
Did you ever try to not leave the interior lights on....
Kidding. besides the lights a lot of vette's some type of battery drain, bad grounds etc. So even w/a charger you should install a quick battery disconnect. Your battery will keep a charge and your vette will have NO power to prevent fires. I use a small tender sold at auto-zone & pep-boys works great its about the size of a pack of smokes and cost under $50. You can install it right in the battery box and leave it there. Plug it in when you park the car for 3 days or more. & the best is to start w/a new fully charged battery. G/L
Kidding. besides the lights a lot of vette's some type of battery drain, bad grounds etc. So even w/a charger you should install a quick battery disconnect. Your battery will keep a charge and your vette will have NO power to prevent fires. I use a small tender sold at auto-zone & pep-boys works great its about the size of a pack of smokes and cost under $50. You can install it right in the battery box and leave it there. Plug it in when you park the car for 3 days or more. & the best is to start w/a new fully charged battery. G/L
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,669
Likes: 3
From: Kingston Ontario
Did you ever try to not leave the interior lights on.... Kidding. besides the lights a lot of vette's some type of battery drain, bad grounds etc. So even w/a charger you should install a quick battery disconnect. Your battery will keep a charge and your vette will have NO power to prevent fires. I use a small tender sold at auto-zone & pep-boys works great its about the size of a pack of smokes and cost under $50. You can install it right in the battery box and leave it there. Plug it in when you park the car for 3 days or more. & the best is to start w/a new fully charged battery. G/L
Kidding. besides the lights a lot of vette's some type of battery drain, bad grounds etc. So even w/a charger you should install a quick battery disconnect. Your battery will keep a charge and your vette will have NO power to prevent fires. I use a small tender sold at auto-zone & pep-boys works great its about the size of a pack of smokes and cost under $50. You can install it right in the battery box and leave it there. Plug it in when you park the car for 3 days or more. & the best is to start w/a new fully charged battery. G/L The battery tender will maintain your battery, but not if you leave lights on!
A battery charger definitely works, but every time you drain the battery dead it damages the battery! Batteries are intended to be left at a full charge for their life.
You could use a battery disconnect switch, a tender or a battery charger.
The battery charger is really what you need if you continue to leave the interior lights on, but this type of operation puts stress on the battery and shortens it life.
Or you could, turn off the lights.
