Winter Storage - battery removal

[Radar]

I have a question about the battery on a 1989 C4 relating to winter storage. Is there a problem with removing the battery from the car for a six month period?

I searched and read thru all of the older posts and found some information on trickle chargers. I could use that appraoch but other "experts" tell me to pull the battery and bring it indoors.

Any advise would be most appreciated!

Regards,
Radar :confused

 

[Tom Bryant]

Radar,

A fully charged battery won't freeze in Wisconsin temps. Now if you were at the North Pole that would require a heated battery case. The Battery Tenders that you see are designed to be left on all of the time and only give a little charge to the battery when it needs it to keep it at full charge. I assume your car will be inside where an electrical outlet is available.

The only problem with taking the battery out is that you will loose the memory in the ECM and radio. Not a big deal as the ECM will learn again when you restart the car and you will just reset the radio. I would still recommend the battery tender be used on the battery while it is stored out of the car.

Make sure you are getting a tender and not just a trickle charger that is charging all of the time.

Tom

 

[Radar]

Thanks for that information. I was not sure if the ECM would loose its memory. Now I know.

I think what I am going to do is get the Battery Tender so I can work on the car occassionaly over the winter if the weather is warm enough.

I appreciate the feedback..

Radar

 

[Rob]

Radar,

Stay tuned for our Long Term/Winter Storage article that will be posted to the site by the end of this coming week. I'm waiting to receive some information to incorporate into the article before releasing it.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Do not remove your battery for storage. You loose your ECM fuel trim values and other adaptive parameters along with your radio presets.

Buy a "smart" battery charger, connect it to the battery and throw the cover on the car until next spring.

 

[Radar]

Just ordered a "Battery Tender" from Ecklers.

Radar

 

[John-C5]

All this great discussion on what to do with your battery for storage, I just had to jump in and ask my question. My car is being stored in an unheated garage with no AC available. I really don’t want to lose the ECM, radio and alarm settings. Anyone have any ideas for keeping a battery charged when there’s no AC around?

John

 

[Tom Bryant]

John,
In that case your only option would be to start the car about once a month and thoroughly warm it up. Back it outside and maintain a fast idle until the oil temp is up to operating temp. This will be a good way to spend a half hour with your Corvette. Not only will your battery like it but so will the engine and you can cycle the trans through the gears, pump the brakes, cycle the A/C to keep the compressor oil circulated and in general keep it loosened up and ready for spring.

Tom

 

[Rob]

John,

I used to have the same problem when I lived up in New Hampshire last year. Basically, I did what Tom suggested, I started the car, and let it run.

If you do this, make sure you let the car run for at least a good 20 minutes and let the cooling fans cycle on and off a couple times.

I used to store my Vette in a storage facility off Exit 5 of I-93 so if the ground was dry and clean, I'd back it out of the garage and actually drive it around the lot a few times to get the tires, transmission and susp. components moving. Hope this helps.

 

[John-C5]

Tom / Rob

Thanks for the advice. I’m hoping for a mild winter here in Massachusetts so I can take it out for a ride once in a while. Otherwise I also am renting at a storage facility and I might have a better chance of the ground being dry in there than out on the streets. I drive right by the place on my way home from work so it will be easy for my to stop by and check it out.

John

 

[Rob]

John,

You should be fine.; especially if the storage facility is close by and you'll be stopping in from time to time.

Good luck with this year's winter coming. Last year was awful.

 

[cje]

winter storage safety

Are there any reports of fires with the use of the Battery Tender? I would lose my Corvette and house. Just wondering.

 

[vett boy]

Yes but I can't remember the specifics because it was 3-4 years ago .It was posted on this forum and I've read on other forums as well .Keep in mind that the problem of fire is not wide spread and no post attributed directly to a tender.

When storing my in Florida I have to disconnect the battery every month and it's a non issue .

 

[gmjunkie]

I have 3 of these,1 on my lawn tractor and 1 on each battery of my Olga truck!
The battery in my Tractor 8+ YO and still will start will start it anytime,even at 20*!
The battery's in my truck were installed back in Oct 2008!
Walmart has them too,that's where I bought mine.




Schumacher 6/12V Battery Maintainer, 1.5A - For Life Out Here