Leaving you car behind

[wp1234]

Last year after our 89 day long trip around France on my return my car battery was as dead as a dodo on the drive.
I replaced the battery but am now thinking what’s the best way to ensure a car battery makes it through a long trip.
Obviously I know the best thing to do is to charge the battery every few weeks but if that’s not possible, is it better to fully charge it then disconnect it from the car entirely ?

Cheers

 

[davidathomas42]

I disconnect. As long as you have your radio code or a car that doesn’t require it then all is fine.

 

[phil1946]

You could but, during the lockdown, when we couldn't use ours, I used a cheap (LIDL) version of a trickle charger.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

You could connect a small solar panel to the battery ( in the front or rear window) to ensure its topped up they don't provide many amps but are usually sufficient to replace any damp drain

 

[Lenny HB]

A small solar panel on the dash, get at least a 10 watt one. A lot of the solar battery maintainers sold are only 2.5watt as useful a a piece of wet string.

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[TDub49]

You could try something like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/23340901...d=link&campid=5338547443&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

 

[busby]

I let my next door neighbour use mine,,,Keeps it running plus it shows activity at my address thus I hope it thwarts burglars.,,BUSBY.

 

[deleted79651]

A small solar panel on the dash, get at least a 10 watt one. A lot of the solar battery maintainers sold are only 2.5watt as useful a a piece of wet string.

If the eyesight is failing and you have a needle to thread, a piece of wet string might be very useful, Lenny ...

Steve

 

[Revolvor]

You could try something like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/23340901...d=link&campid=5338547443&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

You need something with a higher output than that.

 

[robnchris]

Buy a decent trickle charger, definitely wouldn't bother with a cheap one, the last thing you want is for it to fail or go on fire under the bonnet.

I have 6 motorbikes all on their own dedicated trickle charger over winter, never had any problems, our motorhome is stored on our driveway with a fitted all over cover, we have used this Charger for the last few years without any problems.
Amazon product ASIN B00DW6RHN2

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[Baldybazza]

We had 2 car batteries die on us while away on long trips ( one motorhome trip & one cruise). Both had to be replaced at £100 a pop so we decided to get a C-TEC charger and leave it connected while away. Our battery is under the floor ( Smart Fortwo) so I fitted a permanent lead to the battery with a socket available in the passenger footwell - works a treat.
Bazza

 

[gus-lopez]

I have had my neighbours olive picking machine battery connected to a charger using a timer for 2 hrs during the night for the last 10 months .taken off charge & left for a week & showing 12,89v. that is how I do mine if no solar available.

 

[Hiffy166]

Yes - useful to look after batteries when away - we use Milenco 10's (M10's) - have separate connection to leisure battery (LB) on motorhome (MH) (leaving nomal power lead plugged in can kill the LB because MH dc supply gives constant volts) - leave it connected when MH not in use - can connect to your car whilst away. Also use M10's for maintaining spare batteries can connect one to a couple of batteries once charged. Other similar products are available - these have been reliable for us.

 

[wiljoy]

I always plug use an intelligent charger on our cars whilst away. Never had any problems so far. Also use the same method with the trailer mover battery when it's parked up.

 

[VXman]

Disconnecting the battery should be fine. I left 2 cars for 3 years like this whilst I worked abroad.. One started first time on return, the other was a bit flat but OK after a quick charge. (it was an old battery and past it's best before I left it)

I have just got back from 2 months travelling in the MH and again disconnected both cars. Our main car sat on the drive for 2 months and was perfect on return started first time - Again quite an old battery.

I do have a intelligent trickle charger but I don't like to leave a battery plugged to a cheaper for months on end when i'm not around. Things could go wrong and a fire could be a possible result.

Of course making sure it is fully charged before you leave is a sensible idea.

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[VXman]

I always plug use an intelligent charger on our cars whilst away. Never had any problems so far. Also use the same method with the trailer mover battery when it's parked up.

I know someone whose intelligent charger went wrong resulting in burnt out car inside their garage. Personally I wouldn't like to leave them unattended for a extended time.

 

[bobnick]

Agree with above. Trickle charger. All my vehicles have one on over the winter and or when we are away.
All mine are CTEK a tried tested and reliable brand.

 

[Wissel]

Another vote for a CTEK trickle charger.

It's a great piece of kit that has a small (waterproof) Anderson type connecting wire that can be attached to the battery and left. Then, whenever you want to use the charger, just clip it in. Nice and simple plus great quality.

Wouldn't be without mine.

 

[autorouter]

Last year after our 89 day long trip around France on my return my car battery was as dead as a dodo on the drive.
I replaced the battery but am now thinking what’s the best way to ensure a car battery makes it through a long trip.
Obviously I know the best thing to do is to charge the battery every few weeks but if that’s not possible, is it better to fully charge it then disconnect it from the car entirely ?

If you have access to mains then a smart mains charger works fine. I use a CTEK MXS5.0. It can be left connected permanently. When the battery is full, it goes into float mode, which sets the voltage to the exact level to compensate for any battery self-discharge, but not overcharge. It has a 'storage mode', so if nothing changes for a week it switches off until the battery level drops a bit, then comes back on. I left mine for 6 weeks, and it started first time when I got back. I need to move the car to get the MH onto the drive.

If you don't have access to mains then as Lenny HB says a small solar panel on the dash. Many of them have suckers to stick to the windscreen, it gets much more power this time of year.

A car has a much smaller drain on the battery than a motorhome. If a car had a drain of over 50mA you'd be looking for a problem, but many motorhomes have a drain of over 200mA. So a 2.5W panel, if it catches the sun, is fine for a car. But if it doesn't then a 10W panel will be OK

 

[Lenny HB]

Had a 2.5w panel given to me, tried it on the car last week did absolutely nothing.

When I got back a couple of weeks ago the car had not been used for 7 weeks, started fine. Then I checked the battery 11.9v. Gave it a good charge and been using the car, battery now sitting at 12.1v.
Looks like a new battery might be needed it's the original one only 9½ years old.

Anoying if I hadn't checked it I wouldn't be worrying about it.

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[VXman]

Agree with above. Trickle charger. All my vehicles have one on over the winter and or when we are away.
All mine are CTEK a tried tested and reliable brand.

Mines CTEK and the one I mentioned above that burnt a car out was CTEK. Still wouldn't leave it unsupervised for months.

 

[bigtwin]

Not a battery issue as such but a potential problem that you may encounter if you’ve left your car for a long time; it certainly caught me out!

Fiat 500, left for three months while away for the winter. Came back and the car wouldn’t start. After cranking a few times there was no sign of life so I thought that there’s no point keeping cranking it and flattening the battery. Time to take advantage of my breakdown cover’s home start feature thinks I.

Breakdown guy turns up and asks if it’s been standing for a while. Following confirmation that it had stood for three months, he jumps in the car and cranks the bejesus out of it and, after a while, it starts.

Explanation: the tappets are hydraulic and, after a while, the oil can drain down so just needs the engine cranking to get the oil back into the system.

And there I was thinking no point in cranking it to death; you live and learn!

Ian

 

[63720]

You could but, during the lockdown, when we couldn't use ours, I used a cheap (LIDL) version of a trickle charger.

Interesting. I bought 2 of these for our cars and over 3 months they ruined both batteries and had to buy new. Now I've gone back to dumb chargers on a timeswitch to give 20 minutes every week.

 

[SandraL]

We use 20watt solar panel and cheap pwm controller.

 

[martin2603]

Invest in an Optimate about £30.00 ish, it will keep the battery in a charge cycle. I used to use it on my Gold Wing and FJ 1300. Much better than a trickle charger.

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