Parked battery drain?

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Jul 11, 2003 | 11:41 AM

Zpeedstr

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Dec 2000

Posts: 279

Likes: 7

From: L.A., CA.

Parked battery drain?

What is the battery drain when the car is parked and off? For storage over 2 months should the battery be disconnected?

Jul 12, 2003 | 11:42 AM

91C4

Instructor

Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 230

Likes: 0

From: Semmes Al

Re: Parked battery drain? (Zpeedstr)

I drive my 91 about 1500 miles a year. So mine is setting up alot. I have a small battery charger that keeps the battery up. It shuts off when fully charged. The $40 or so for one like the Battery Tender is well worth the money. You don't have to reset your clock and radio and computer . A battery can go bad just setting. When you drive your car and it has been setting up the alternator really has to work to charge the battery up. Buy the Battery Tender!

Jul 12, 2003 | 06:09 PM

Bob86ZZ4

Drifting

Joined: Nov 1999

Posts: 1,801

Likes: 2

From: St. Paul MN

Re: Parked battery drain? (91C4)

I agree. I use a Battery Tender also. I wired mine up with a small plug so that I ran up from the battery and leave lay under the left wiper arm. When I pull into the garage I just hop out and plug in the tender. I don't have to open the hood or anything. I loop the cord over my driver's door rear view mirror so I don't forget that it's plugged in and pull out without unplugging it. I think it is a good idea to keep everything fully charged (not overcharged which is what a trickle charger will do) so like 91C4 says your alternator doesn't have to work hard when you first start it after a period of sitting.

Jul 19, 2003 | 10:04 PM

K87ZZ4

Pro

Joined: Jun 2001

Posts: 511

Likes: 6

From: Edmonds WA

Re: Parked battery drain? (Zpeedstr)

I don't know what causes the drain, but like you, I'd like to find out. Other than keeping the clock going, I didn't think there was supposed to be anything drawing on the battery. But, I had mine up on jacks for not quite 2 months this past winter and when I went to start it up, the battery was deader than a doornail! :eek:

It took quite a bit of charging before I could even get the engine to turn over. I suspected something was wrong, but I haven't had any starting trouble in the past few months of a few-times-a-week driving.

Jul 20, 2003 | 01:56 PM

Bob86ZZ4

Drifting

Joined: Nov 1999

Posts: 1,801

Likes: 2

From: St. Paul MN

Re: Parked battery drain? (K87ZZ4)

I think the radio uses power to store the stations, and the alarm uses some power doesn't it? You can check what the draw is by disconnecting the battery ground cable and hook a amp meter in line between the cable and the battery.

Jul 22, 2003 | 03:46 PM

krivera

Drifting

Joined: Feb 2002

Posts: 1,937

Likes: 2

From: Arvada CO

Re: Parked battery drain? (Bob86ZZ4)

i know this might sound odd but i heard the computer pulls power...for example we worked on my friends 88 tpi and for like 3 months the cpu was unplugged and it would start everytime then he stored it for a month or to with the cpu and it drained the battery?? mmmm weird!

Jul 23, 2003 | 06:10 PM

don hall

Safety Car

Joined: Aug 2002

Posts: 3,842

Likes: 230

From: SANTA CRUZ CA

Re: Parked battery drain? (Zpeedstr)

The computer and clock draw about 25 mili-amps. As previously suggested, attach an "automatic" (senses full charge and shuts down) battery charger. A charger to review is a 2-10-50 amp style (about $50). Using the 2 amp setting is sufficient to maintain a full charge over time. The 10 amp setting will provide a faster charge, when required, and the 50 amp can be used for "start". A battery kept at full charge will last longer than one that is periodically charged.

Here is a link to a 6/12 volt charger ($25) with auto shut-off, and 2 & 6 amp settings. If you need more selections, just browse this site: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45005

[Modified by Oldman, 3:18 PM 7/23/2003]

Aug 1, 2003 | 06:29 PM

oldace84

Race Director

Joined: Aug 2002

Posts: 13,356

Likes: 0

From: tucson AZ

St. Jude Donor '04 & '05

Re: Parked battery drain? (Zpeedstr)

A battery disconnect switch. Just a simple twist, and battery is diconnected, if you get the bypass with the switch, you won't have to set the clock, or radio.
I got mine at Mid America.
Good Luck
tony
:cool: