Corvette Winter Storage
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Huntington NY
Corvette Winter Storage
My 99 vette will be parked in the garage under a car cover for the next few months until spring, is it better to leave the battery hooked up, or should I disconnect it? Will disconnecting the battery harm the computer. What is the best thing to do.
Thanks
Thanks
Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 669
Likes: 0
From: CA
If you leave the battery hooked up, get a trickle charger and leave it hooked up to the battery. Get a smart one that will turn on and off so as not to over charge the battery. I use one I got from Wallyworld, about $20.00. If you disconnect the battery nothing will happen to the computers except, I believe, you lose the security (anti-theft) connection to the radio. If you use a car cover make sure the car is clean so as not to let dirt under the cover scratch the paint. I do not use a cover. My car is in the garage and I let the air flow around it to keep from trapping moisture under it (Oregon coast). In the spring I take it out and wash the dust off. No big deal.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 30,770
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From: Down the Shore New Jersey, Elev.3 feet
St. Jude Donor '17
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,515
Likes: 14
From: Gig Harbor WA
You've made your decision to store it for the winter, and judging by the weather you've been having lately, that's a good idea! Having lived in your region, recommend a trickle charger to maintain your battery in place without disconnecting. (I bought a dandy at Harbor Freight for about $12.00 on sale).) A car covr is a good idea, not so much for keeping the car clean, but for avoiding "garage rash" -- kids bikes, cats, tools, and so on can ruin your day. (I bought a single-layer cover by "Budge" in their #3 size -- fits my coupe perfectly and retails for only $29.95. For GIs, AAFES sells them for $19.95) When you have the occasional nice day, take a ride to keep the tires from potential flat-spotting. And to keep things fresh -smelling, toss inside one of those sheets you put in the clothes dryer -- works great.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Likes: 1
From: Mendota Heights MN
Disconnecting your battery won't harm anything -- in fact, that's how I store my vette each winter. The only thing you will need to do in the spring (after re-connecting, of course) is re-sync your key fobs. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: The line waiting to see Santa Claus stretched all the way back to Terre Haute, and I was at the end, Indiana
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18
All three of mine + the motorcycles.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 374
Likes: 0
From: Corona CA - "An Armed Society is a Polite Scociety"
If you leave the battery hooked up, get a trickle charger and leave it hooked up to the battery. Get a smart one that will turn on and off so as not to over charge the battery. I use one I got from Wallyworld, about $20.00. If you disconnect the battery nothing will happen to the computers except, I believe, you lose the security (anti-theft) connection to the radio. If you use a car cover make sure the car is clean so as not to let dirt under the cover scratch the paint. I do not use a cover. My car is in the garage and I let the air flow around it to keep from trapping moisture under it (Oregon coast). In the spring I take it out and wash the dust off. No big deal.
http://www.batterytender.com/why_batterytender.php
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Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
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From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
As a battery discharges, lead sulphate starts forming as a coating on the lead plates.
lead sulphate acts as an electrical insulator making it harder to re charge the battery and eventually getting to the point that the battery cannot be recharged and wont hold a charge.
A disconnected battery loses charge overtime ... about 1% per month...
Buy a batter float charger and prolong your battery life...
lead sulphate acts as an electrical insulator making it harder to re charge the battery and eventually getting to the point that the battery cannot be recharged and wont hold a charge.
A disconnected battery loses charge overtime ... about 1% per month...
Buy a batter float charger and prolong your battery life...
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 662
Likes: 0
From: Cedar Falls IA
Winter Storage
Here are a couple of tips for you:
Get a Battery Tender plus and a cigarette lighter adapter. Plug the battery tender with the adapter into your lighter outlet and route the cord out through the window. Put some moth ***** and Irish Spring in the engine compartment, interior and trunk. Put some steel wool in the tail pipes. That will keep critters from doing any damage. It won't hurt to over inflate the tires.Then put a car cover on it. You should be good to go in the spring.
Get a Battery Tender plus and a cigarette lighter adapter. Plug the battery tender with the adapter into your lighter outlet and route the cord out through the window. Put some moth ***** and Irish Spring in the engine compartment, interior and trunk. Put some steel wool in the tail pipes. That will keep critters from doing any damage. It won't hurt to over inflate the tires.Then put a car cover on it. You should be good to go in the spring.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,789
Likes: 894
From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
I put mine into storage on October 24th and it won't be out again until the second or third week in April. All I've done for years is disconnect the negative terminal, and it fires right up in the spring.
