williamr91

So I know tickler chargers are the desired device to keep a battery good in the cold winter months (in Michigan I can have -20 degree F nights, garage isn't heated ) but do any of you take the battery out completely? Is it ok for the ECU, radio, etc to have no power running through for 4.5 months?

I have heard/seen some do this while searching, but no explanation.

Thanks

Paul Waterloo

You would still want to leave the battery on a trickle charger even if removed. No worries if you do want to completely remove it.

kromdom

have you considered a battery tender so you can leave it in place?

Macster

An electrical circuit is most at risk of failing when it first receives power.

In view of this then leaving the battery in the car and thus supplying some residual power to the car's electrical system I think is preferred.

BTW, if you have electricity to the garage you can "heat" it. Check the electric radiant heaters made by Optimus. I have used these -- am using a pair now -- to heat my apartment. Some years ago when I moved I gave two to a friend who had a farm and was going to use them in the stable to provide a bit of heat -- enough to take off the chill -- for the benefit of his horses. He reported that after putting in the heaters he had no trouble getting the horses into the stable on cold winter days. The heaters made a difference.

You could put one in the garage at some setting that warms the garage air to something above what it would be otherwise. How much above is up to you. Based on my limited experience if the garage is reasonably draft free, you might be able to get the temperature something above freezing. This would require you leave the garage closed though as opening the outside door would lose that heat pretty darn quick.

Bear in mind if you do heat the garage you make the garage and the car more attractive to mice. You must take proper precautions to keep the mice out of the garage and out of the car.

laphan

I took the battery out before during winter storage and my car did funky things when I first started it in spring. It did not know how to idle, power windows and locks were screwy.
Where are you in MI? I can help you to mount a battery maintainer next to your battery. Just plug the extension cord to it during winter and leave it there during summer.I think I paid $25 from o reilly and it works.

DTMiller

If the car is indoors there isn't a great reason to remove the battery to put the battery into a tender when you can just put the battery on a tender in the car.

Paul Waterloo

This is all you need to know.....get this charger, take the battery cover off, let is sit in the frunk while you have the tender on, using a 10mm wrench, remove the battery terminal nuts, install the tender on the posts, put the nuts back on, and you are good to go. About $60.

KNS

Paul,

I believe you have your CTEK on the wrong setting - you've selected the AGM setting and it doesn't look like an AGM battery in your car...

Paul Waterloo

It's set on winter mode.