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We live in a suburb of NYC so it doesn't get as cold as in, say, Michigan, but we often leave the car (no garage) without driving it for as long as 3 days. Is this a good idea, this battery charger?
People leave cars parked in winter at airports in the NYC area for weeks at a time with no problem. (Unless of course the battery is past its useful life.)
People leave cars parked in winter at airports in the NYC area for weeks at a time with no problem. (Unless of course the battery is past its useful life.)
We live in a suburb of NYC so it doesn't get as cold as in, say, Michigan, but we often leave the car (no garage) without driving it for as long as 3 days. Is this a good idea, this battery charger?
Thanks!
I'm gonna disagree with the others on this one, Martha Anne . . .
Modern Day Vehicles have more of a "drain" on batteries than back in the Good Old Days. A "maintained" battery will last two or three times longer and, above all, not leave you stranded when you least expect it.
I would definitely recommend investing fifty bucks for a Battery Tender Plus (NOT a Battery Charger) for peace of mind.
I'm gonna disagree with the others on this one, Martha Anne . . .
Modern Day Vehicles have more of a "drain" on batteries than back in the Good Old Days. A "maintained" battery will last two or three times longer and, above all, not leave you stranded when you least expect it.
I would definitely recommend investing fifty bucks for a Battery Tender Plus (NOT a Battery Charger) for peace of mind.
I think Bummer's right here. What he says agrees with all I have read about newer cars having a bigger drain. I use Battery Tenders on all my cars, and typically get more than 8 years out of a battery.
That said, depending on where you are parking your car running an extension cord out to it may be impractical, in that case if you drive the car once a week or so you should be OK, although you probably won't get above average battery life like I do.
If it gives you peace of mind to have a fully charged battery, get an automatic trickle charger. I use a Schumacher with a 1.5 amp output. I've had it on my garage queen for years. The only thing is if the car is parked outside, it should close to the house in an area where someone won't trip over the extension cord.
Ohh pppplease... 3 days? C'mon, boys. Buy 1 dollar worth battery cleaning tool, clean terminals, lubricate and spray over with battery sealant and don't worry.
Ohh pppplease... 3 days? C'mon, boys. Buy 1 dollar worth battery cleaning tool, clean terminals, lubricate and spray over with battery sealant and don't worry.
I agree, certainly not for just three days.
Modern cars may have more elements drawing power, but they draw extremely small amounts of power.
Presuming a properly working charging system, the battery should have been fully charged when the engine was last shut off. A fully charged lead-acid battery should not have any trouble whatsoever maintaining a charge through cold temperatures for three days--even three weeks--unless it's really on its last legs.
When they say "long term" they're talking about months of unuse.
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