If feasible, using a battery tender will keep the battery topped off and ready to go when you are.
battery cut off
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Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Erie PA
battery cut off
Hi all, I live in a hard winter part of the usa and am considering a battery disconnect because of parasitic loss. Is there a considered best cut iff, any info appreciated.
Last edited by C5 Diag; Nov 10, 2022 at 12:17 PM.
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From: Cape Coral, Florida
Why not just diagnose your parasitic drain ??...if you have a DVOM it's pretty easy to do...how many milliamps is the drain ??...there is more headaches when you disconnect the battery such as loss of presets on the radio if you use it,...car may need an "idle relearn" which results in a poor idle after the battery is reconnected...didn't you just post a new thread 5 days ago asking about battery recommendations ???...your new battery going dead ??
Last edited by C5 Diag; Nov 10, 2022 at 12:21 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
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From: Havre de Grace Maryland
I purchased one from Eckler's to use should the C5 have to have a long sleep or develops a voltage drain that I do not want to sort out. Ecklers also has a side post switch.
Battery Quick Disconnect Switch, Top Post
Battery Quick Disconnect Switch, Top Post
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: West Virginia
Why not just diagnose your parasitic drain ??...if you have a DVOM it's pretty easy to do...how many milliamps is the drain ??...there is more headaches when you disconnect the battery such as loss of presets on the radio if you use it,...car may need an "idle relearn" which results in a poor idle after the battery is reconnected...didn't you just post a new thread 5 days ago asking about battery recommendations ???...your new battery going dead ??
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Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Cape Coral, Florida
C5's are designed to have a "parasitic drain" which keeps certain functions alive, so long term lack of use, not unusual when the car is parked due to "hard winter" conditions as the OP said, will drain the battery given enough time. Unless you lose the battery in a short time - days or a week or so, there really is nothing to diagnose.
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From: Ashburn, VA
I got cut off NHRA switches in all of my 70's hot rods lol I think it would be pretty unsightly on a corvette (that WASN'T drag raced). I have a nasty parasitic drag on my Merc SL500 which are notorious battery killers (has a battery to start and a battery in the trunk to run all the other electronics). I traced the drag to the teleaid system (Mercedes version of On-Star) which they do not sell the module anymore and a used one has the same probability of going bad. I would normally just "remove" the module BUT...its plum'ed into the sound system so if I do...I lose the radio (unacceptable).
The solution...attempt to diag the drain...and if its and easy fix...fix it. If it's not (as i'm my case) buy a cheap HF *SMART* battery charger that does STD batteries and AGM battery. It will come with quick connect pigtails you can hook up to your batt terminals for easy connection. In the winter months I do drive the car a bit, but in periods where I don't, a good 3-4 hour charge will top the battery up for a month or so until the next need for a charge. ANNOYING AS F#&K? Yes...but just the name in the game for dudes with parasitic drag thats either to expensive or labor prohibitive to fix.
Option B: Just take the battery out in the Winter and let her rest till the warmer month.
The solution...attempt to diag the drain...and if its and easy fix...fix it. If it's not (as i'm my case) buy a cheap HF *SMART* battery charger that does STD batteries and AGM battery. It will come with quick connect pigtails you can hook up to your batt terminals for easy connection. In the winter months I do drive the car a bit, but in periods where I don't, a good 3-4 hour charge will top the battery up for a month or so until the next need for a charge. ANNOYING AS F#&K? Yes...but just the name in the game for dudes with parasitic drag thats either to expensive or labor prohibitive to fix.
Option B: Just take the battery out in the Winter and let her rest till the warmer month.
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Agreed on the battery tender. Any time I’m not driving mine for more than a week I put the tender on it. I even have a fairly pricey Odyssey AGM battery and it starts to drop off significantly after sitting for just two weeks. c5’s are known to have noticeable parasitic drain. A battery shut off switch would be a bad idea on a modern car like this, bound to cause problems completely shutting it off/on all the time, would not recommend it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: West Virginia
Agreed on the battery tender. Any time I’m not driving mine for more than a week I put the tender on it. I even have a fairly pricey Odyssey AGM battery and it starts to drop off significantly after sitting for just two weeks. c5’s are known to have noticeable parasitic drain. A battery shut off switch would be a bad idea on a modern car like this, bound to cause problems completely shutting it off/on all the time, would not recommend it.