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Moving to Florida. Not enough garage space, so I have to store offsite. I can find a few indoor spots, but none with power. Any feedback on how to keep battery charged between drives? I’ll be taking it out about twice a month. Thank you. Mike.
Well they weigh about 50 lab's and they are a reach in the boot but if it's me, I take the battery home with me if only using a couple time a month and maintain it there. I would put a piece of cardboard in the trunk long enough to reach from the battery to the outside end of the boot then lift and slide it to me. But like I said, it's 50 lbs. so not fun.
You could also just disconnect it or attach some quick disconnects to keep the battery off the system. There are only a few resets to do. Then keep one of these with you in case.
I have an automatic battery disconnect installed on my F150, and it disconnects the battery leads if it senses voltage lower than, I think, 12.2 VDC. It is supposed to reset to the ON position upon application of any direct power drawing device such as Brake Lights, but my truck doesn't so I rigged a Momentary-on switch in the wheel well.
If the battery voltage gets low enough to disconnect, I hit the switch for a second and everything will work. I DO have to reset the clock though.
I'm sure it would work fine in a Jaguar also, but the windows would need a reset.
I have zero complaints, and it's saved me being stranded several times.
"The GB40 is an ultra-portable, lightweight, and compact portable lithium car battery jump starter pack for 12-volt batteries. With it, you can safely jump start a dead battery in seconds - up to 20 times on a single charge. It's a mistake-proof portable car battery jump starter battery booster pack, making it safe for anyone to use and features spark-proof technology, as well as reverse polarity protection. ..."
could also just disconnect it or attach some quick disconnects to keep the battery off the system. There are only a few resets to do. Then keep one of these with you in case.
With modern cars there may be more than a few resets that you DON'T want depending on the time of year. Disconnecting battery also resets the OBDII emissions monitors. If your annual state inspection is due, you wouldn't be able to just reconnect the battery and drive it straight to the inspection station. Likely you'd have to drive it for a couple of weeks before all of the emissions monitors have done their full battery of tests. You can search for "drive cycle" and read all sorts of threads with sob stories about Jaguars not passing emissions because they can't complete the drive cycle. But if only a couple of weeks at a time, you should be OK to just leave it alone as long as each time you drive it long enough at freeway speeds to fully top up the battery charge before you put it away again. Though you will probably get half the battery life that you would otherwise.
Yes there are solar setups. I've never done any research, but typically out in rural areas, gate openers and electric livestock fences are powered by ordinary car batteries and have a solar panel mounted on a fencepost to keep the battery charged. IF there is a place outside to mount the panel, then you could look into that but I'd want something with the same sort of smart circuitry as the CTEK.
The solar panel idea is best, I think. I have a Battery Tender branded solar charger that has a 'charge controller' built in to prevent overcharging - Link to the one I have below. I haven't used it in a couple years, but I used to store my GMC truck in a shed that had no power, but it did have a window, so I kept the solar panel mounted by the window and it kept the truck battery topped up, worked great for years. If any of your parking option have a window, or a way to mount the solar panel outside (you can get extension leads), that's what I'd do.
Even if you have access to sunlight, be aware of the limitations of a solar powered battery maintainer. Compared to a CTEK maintainer, solar powered maintainers charge much slower and are subject to weather changes. Read this: https://www.lifewire.com/do-car-sola...rs-work-534771
What'll you do if your car doesn't start when using a solar powered battery maintainer? You'll need a portable jump starter like the one I described in my Post #6, above. So why buy a solar powered maintainer? Put that money towards a portable jump starter and know that your car will start.
Letting your battery run down and then boosting it with a jump starter monthly will kill a $200+ battery really quick....As soon as a battery's voltage drops off 'full' (say 12.4V-ish) it starts to sulfate....a few months of running down and then jumping it will destroy it. Plus, when you jump a car you put strain on the car's electronics since most of the jumpers power is being directed to the starter motor, any electronics running experience voltage drop, do that frequently and I'd expect electronic failures.
I spent the first 10 years or so of my career in category management in Automotive Battery and Battery chargers/booster/maintainers. I certainly don't know everything, but I am confident in the statement above.
Boost it....but that wouldn't be my first choice as I'd hope the solar charger keeps it topped up as intended. Like I said, it worked great in keeping the battery topped up in my pickup, and I'd leave that truck unused for months at a time, no issues.
I don’t use a maintainer.
Car typically sits for a month (and sometimes 2 or 3) in a environmentally controlled garage.
And she starts every time, except twice in all these years.
When she didn’t start we charged the battery to get her started, drove her to the dealer and picked up a new battery.
Cheers.
With modern cars there may be more than a few resets that you DON'T want depending on the time of year. Disconnecting battery also resets the OBDII emissions monitors. If your annual state inspection is due, you wouldn't be able to just reconnect the battery and drive it straight to the inspection station. Likely you'd have to drive it for a couple of weeks before all of the emissions monitors have done their full battery of tests. You can search for "drive cycle" and read all sorts of threads with sob stories about Jaguars not passing emissions because they can't complete the drive cycle. But if only a couple of weeks at a time, you should be OK to just leave it alone as long as each time you drive it long enough at freeway speeds to fully top up the battery charge before you put it away again. Though you will probably get half the battery life that you would otherwise.
Yes there are solar setups. I've never done any research, but typically out in rural areas, gate openers and electric livestock fences are powered by ordinary car batteries and have a solar panel mounted on a fencepost to keep the battery charged. IF there is a place outside to mount the panel, then you could look into that but I'd want something with the same sort of smart circuitry as the CTEK.
My bad. One of our former Governor's eliminated the smog testing in Minnesota calling it a "Spectacular waste of every taxpayers time and money". So that one falls from my brain. Thx for the reminder.
I'm in the same boat. Our storage facility has no provision for utilities, nor would they allow so much as a solar panel on the roof. During the winter storage months (December to Mar/April) I'm toying with the idea of running up twice a month to charge the battery using another battery since the wife refuses to let me build another garage.
If I had a car in storage for 3 to 4 months with no way to attach a battery maintainer, I'd remove the battery and keep it in my garage on a battery maintainer. I know it's a PIA to R&R the battery, but what better choice do you have?
If I had a car in storage for 3 to 4 months with no way to attach a battery maintainer, I'd remove the battery and keep it in my garage on a battery maintainer. I know it's a PIA to R&R the battery, but what better choice do you have?
Storing without CTek
