Battery trickle charge
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 356
Likes: 0
From: Hershey PA
Battery trickle charge
You can see where I'm from....PA....cold, snowy, road salt winters.. I won't be driving except on very nice (dry road) days in the winter... My question is; I understand you Corvette guys (Hey, I'm one too) put a trickle charger on your battery, due to many little draws on the battery while this elec. is talking to that. So, what kind should I buy and where?
By the way, I have a an old detached garage, and I wander if any critters will try to get warm in my baby? Besides mothballs, anything to discourage the little buggers? Thanks in advance.
By the way, I have a an old detached garage, and I wander if any critters will try to get warm in my baby? Besides mothballs, anything to discourage the little buggers? Thanks in advance.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 679
Likes: 279
From: Charlotte NC
Having spent most of my life just down the road from you in York I delt with the issues you mentioned. I used a small charger from Sears that was approx. $30 which worked fine. The key point is to get one that is listed as a "float" charger instead of a "trickle" type. This will prevent damage to your battery through overcharging (the float turns on and off automaticly). As for the critters I have heard people putting moth ***** in the car but I personally wouldn't like the odor so I just would put some rodent "feeding" packs found at the normal home centers around the perimiter of the garage and never had a problem in the cars. Good luck and hopefully it will be a mild winter.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,081
Likes: 1,008
From: Fort Worth TX
St. Jude Donor '15
I use a Battery Tender on my Corvette for periods when I am driving the car and also on my Honda generator. One my Battery Tenders is about 15 years old.
Last edited by Floridasky; Sep 12, 2006 at 03:07 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,346
Likes: 5
From: Mustang OK
As others mentioned above, you need a battery tender that switches the charge automatically to a float level so as not to overcharge the battery. Don't use a trickle charger for this purpose. Battery tenders (float chargers) are inexpensive and work quite well for keeping your car's battery properly charged.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 35,760
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From: Northern NYs Adirondack Mountains,http://www.visitsacandaga.com.
I did get a tender for winter storage. I purchased a Schumacher<S> for $16 at Wally world. (price in October last year) No probelmo.
I also have a bigger CHARGER by the same company for about 12 years now ,works good.
I also have a bigger CHARGER by the same company for about 12 years now ,works good.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 30,572
Likes: 4,610
From: Bonita Springs, Florida
Originally Posted by GrayC5
As others mentioned above, you need a battery tender that switches the charge automatically to a float level so as not to overcharge the battery. Don't use a trickle charger for this purpose. Battery tenders (float chargers) are inexpensive and work quite well for keeping your car's battery properly charged.
I use the Sears battery tender/charger as well. No problems
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,572
Likes: 420
From: Taildragers rule! USA1
Originally Posted by rwilkins
You can see where I'm from....PA....cold, snowy, road salt winters.. I won't be driving except on very nice (dry road) days in the winter... My question is; I understand you Corvette guys (Hey, I'm one too) put a trickle charger on your battery, due to many little draws on the battery while this elec. is talking to that. So, what kind should I buy and where?
By the way, I have a an old detached garage, and I wander if any critters will try to get warm in my baby? Besides mothballs, anything to discourage the little buggers? Thanks in advance.
By the way, I have a an old detached garage, and I wander if any critters will try to get warm in my baby? Besides mothballs, anything to discourage the little buggers? Thanks in advance.
http://thebatteryminder.com/
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: northwest Ct
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
We use downy fabric sheets for mice in the RV. Just spread them all around usually the whole box and in the spring your car will smell nice too.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
Moth *****
Forget em, I have had a mouse use a sock full of moth ***** as a latrine. Use Traps baited with peanut butter (just a little) around the interior of the garage. If you have pets or small childern be very carefull of the poison packs. When a rodent eats that stuff they become poison. Like everyone states above get a float battery tender type.
Remember our young troops!
Remember our young troops!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,045
Likes: 9
From: Montreal ** Enjoy the ride !!
Should get one that turns on and off automaticly . As for the little pests,, you can also put some rags in the tail pipes,, I wouldn't put moth ***** in the car,, and have it smell like granny's linen box.. 
Pro
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 545
Likes: 3
From: Carlisle, Iowa
Your question on chargers has been answered. . . some type of "float" charger. I also have the Schumacher from Wally, works great.
As for the little pests, I always used to put a couple boxes of the poison bait in the front corners of my garage, by Spring, they were empty, never seen the little devils, but assume the bait works. Last winter, I bought one of those high frequency emitting gadgets, sat it right under the Vette, this Spring, the bait boxes were still full. I assume the high frequency kept them completely out of the garage.
As for the little pests, I always used to put a couple boxes of the poison bait in the front corners of my garage, by Spring, they were empty, never seen the little devils, but assume the bait works. Last winter, I bought one of those high frequency emitting gadgets, sat it right under the Vette, this Spring, the bait boxes were still full. I assume the high frequency kept them completely out of the garage.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
www.harborfreight.com
42292-1VGA
Chicago Electric Power Tools AUTOMATIC BATTERY FLOAT CHARGER on sale now
$7.49
These are 21st Century technology trickle chargers. They have a microchip that regulates the supplied amperage to exactly match the bettery drain, ensuring your battery is always at 100% full charge.
I have 2, my brother has 3 as well. We have had 3 Verts and 2 quads on these for the past two winters
42292-1VGA
Chicago Electric Power Tools AUTOMATIC BATTERY FLOAT CHARGER on sale now
$7.49
These are 21st Century technology trickle chargers. They have a microchip that regulates the supplied amperage to exactly match the bettery drain, ensuring your battery is always at 100% full charge.
I have 2, my brother has 3 as well. We have had 3 Verts and 2 quads on these for the past two winters
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I use a Battery Tender Plus for storing my car. Works great and is fully automatic.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
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From: Providence Forge, VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
I had mice build a home deep inside the ventilation system on one of my other cars (Toyota) stored outside. The problem was I had left the HVAC vent system on fresh air instead of "recirculate" thereby leaving the venting system open. I'm no expert on the vette air duct pathways but I'd recommend storing it on recirculate to close off as much as possible.