SGTJOE
Utah
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Has anyone used the 6 dollar Harbor Freight trickle charger for any vehicles left at home during the Snowbird season?? Did it work or not???
2001 Trade Winds 7390
Toad 03 Grand Am
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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hope so, I have one hooked to one of my boat batteries.
bumpy
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P3TC
Glendale Springs, NC
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Had the $9 one on my pickemup truck for 3 months, worked fine.
Bill
 1998 Monaco Diplomat
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frogkisser
TEXAS
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Had it in my Van for three months and worked well.
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SGTJOE
Utah
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Well 3 for 3 is looking good.
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John&Joey
Some Location
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Take the negative clamp off the battery, six months later put it back on and start the motor. So far two cars, and two boats, have been done this way with no problems and they all started right up.
If you can't already tell, I don't like to leave something plugged in while I'm away. It's just one more thing to fail and cause an issue.
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Tom N
Sarver, PA/Crystal River, FL/Shelocta, PA
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I have had 4 of these ~$6 trickle chargers. I'd leave them on my cars and mower for 5-6 months during the winter. NONE of the 4 have kept my batteries up. I've given up on Harbor Freights $6 trickle chargers.
-Tom
Sarver, PA/Crystal River, FL/Shelocta, PA · W3TLN · FMCA 335149 · Mystic Knights of the Sea
2005 Suncruiser 38R · W24 chassis, no chassis mods needed · 2012 Honda Accord EX-L · 2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L
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almcc
Ontario, Canada
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John&Joey wrote:Take the negative clamp off the battery, six months later put it back on and start the motor. So far two cars, and two boats, have been done this way with no problems and they all started right up.
If you can't already tell, I don't like to leave something plugged in while I'm away. It's just one more thing to fail and cause an issue.
I do the same on a car that sits in the driveway all winter in below freezing temps, the battery is 8 years old and has been disconnected each winter for 5 winters. The car starts up first time in the spring. Be sure that the battery is fully charged before you disconnect though!
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SGTJOE
Utah
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OK, so I'm learning something new here, remove the negative cable and the battery should hold a charge for 5-6 months while we snowbird. Nothing to lose, since the battery will still be under warranty.
The problem I had last Winter was when the battery went dead so did the computer system and when I went to get the State Emission test done the computer needed to have the car run a few hundred miles before an Emission test could be read. So I was thinking if I kept the battery charged the Computer would not lose the info for Emission testing.
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John&Joey
Some Location
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SGTJOE wrote:OK, so I'm learning something new here, remove the negative cable and the battery should hold a charge for 5-6 months while we snowbird. Nothing to lose, since the battery will still be under warranty.
The problem I had last Winter was when the battery went dead so did the computer system and when I went to get the State Emission test done the computer needed to have the car run a few hundred miles before an Emission test could be read. So I was thinking if I kept the battery charged the Computer would not lose the info for Emission testing.
In that case, that's a horse of a different color. Once you disconnect the negative cable all systems will go offline. If it takes a few hundred miles for your emissions history to build up, then yes, you will have an issue right at the beginning. Only choice you have is either the trickle charger, or get home and drive around and see the kids/grand kids that first week
On edit:
BTW, put a can of "SeaFoam" into the gas tank and drive a short distance before putting the car to sleep. The new gas (maybe not in Canada) has only a 2-3 month shelf life before it starts to gum up. Seafoam will keep it good for at least a year, plus it's good for the engine also.
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