trickle charger
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 562
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From: Otto, NC
trickle charger
My truck will be parked for 2 months. To leave a trickle charger on a pair of batteries in a 7.3. am I connecting a negative lead from the charger to a negative post on one battery and a positive lead from the charger on a positive post on the other battery?
The truck won't fit in the garage it's too long. I'm worried about mice
. Any long term ideas for parking outside? I'm planning to leave a ton of moth ***** under it.
The truck won't fit in the garage it's too long. I'm worried about mice
. Any long term ideas for parking outside? I'm planning to leave a ton of moth ***** under it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
Likes: 38
From: Bonita Springs FL
Two months? You'll be fine, just don't park it over grass or dirt. Concrete is much better. Your plan with the charger will work fine. I used to have a couple of solar powered trickle chargers. Those worked really for leaving a vehicle outside that wasn't near an outlet.
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 40
From: EXTREME southwest CT
The batteries are connected in parallel, you can connect to one set of terminals.
I've used fels naptha soap to keep mice and other vermin out of things in storage but have never had to deal with them in my truck.
(I guess this is similar to the napthalene found in mothballs?)
I've used fels naptha soap to keep mice and other vermin out of things in storage but have never had to deal with them in my truck.
(I guess this is similar to the napthalene found in mothballs?)
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Fels-Naptha hasn't had naptha in it for 50 years probably. It was actually lighter fluid (white gas) basically, and was good for stain removal. Good stuff, but.
Anyway you could disconnect or take the batteries out altogether.
Then charge them up thoroughly for a couple days before reinstallation with an appropriately sized charger.
The only caveat is whether your particular rig will schit the bed after losing battery power and require a satellite linkup download and the crack mobile Dearborn maintenance team to fly out and reconfigure.
Anyway you could disconnect or take the batteries out altogether.
Then charge them up thoroughly for a couple days before reinstallation with an appropriately sized charger.
The only caveat is whether your particular rig will schit the bed after losing battery power and require a satellite linkup download and the crack mobile Dearborn maintenance team to fly out and reconfigure.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
Likes: 38
From: Bonita Springs FL
What on earth are you talking about? People remove batteries from vehicles all the time and they run fine after they're reconnected.
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 40
From: EXTREME southwest CT
This isn't a new Mercedes/Porsche/VAG.
Those damn things are so dealercentric in that they need a reflash every time the battery is removed.
As for the soap, I don't know what is (or isn't) in it.
ETA; Terpene & terpene processing byproducts. Hydrocarbons etc.. according to the msds.
It is a name.
All I know is that it keeps the critters and bugs out of my stuff.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Right, I was being sarcastic. Sorry about that.
The newer vehicles, it's definitely something to be aware of, and make sure before disconnecting.
http://www.aa1car.com/library/batter...t_problems.htm
I don't think soap or dryer sheets or any of that stuff is going to keep critters away. They'll just be good smellin' vermin is all.
The newer vehicles, it's definitely something to be aware of, and make sure before disconnecting.
http://www.aa1car.com/library/batter...t_problems.htm
I don't think soap or dryer sheets or any of that stuff is going to keep critters away. They'll just be good smellin' vermin is all.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2015
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From: Otto, NC
Thanks! It's a situation for sure about the mice! Too bad I bought the long bed!!
I wonder if those electronic thing work. I suppose keeping it dry would be an issue. Hope Walmart has a lot of moth *****!
I wonder if those electronic thing work. I suppose keeping it dry would be an issue. Hope Walmart has a lot of moth *****!
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,006
Likes: 72
From: Roseville, MN
I park my Bronco for about 5 months every winter. I never put a trickle charger on it and it usually has enough juice to start the engine the following spring (although most years I think ahead and put a charger on it the day before I plan to start it).
Your plan with a trickle charger is better (although as ArdWrknTrk said, you can just hook up to one battery and it'll do the same thing). But decent batteries don't go dead very fast when they're just sitting.
Your plan with a trickle charger is better (although as ArdWrknTrk said, you can just hook up to one battery and it'll do the same thing). But decent batteries don't go dead very fast when they're just sitting.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2015
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From: Otto, NC
I'll probably do the one battery hook up. The truck does have two new batteries. It will probably start right up any way with the new batteries. It's more the mice I'm concerned about.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 8
place some cat droppings under the hood and under the truck ?
don't know if it will work, just thinking out loud.
about 10 years ago i had a bad problem with mice in the house. not wanting a cat of my own, i borrowed a friends cat for about a week.
no mice ever since ... wonder if word is passed along from one generation to the next ?
don't know if it will work, just thinking out loud.
about 10 years ago i had a bad problem with mice in the house. not wanting a cat of my own, i borrowed a friends cat for about a week.
no mice ever since ... wonder if word is passed along from one generation to the next ?
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2015
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From: Otto, NC
Interesting theory. Believe it or not I know no one with a cat. Looks like moth ***** and land mines for me. I'm not real happy having to leave the truck parked outside for that long. But I have no choice. Going to Boston for shoulder surgery. Won't be able to drive it back to NC.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,437
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
I wouldnt leave a regular trickle charger hooked up that long. A battery tender, sure. I had one that worked well. Goes into storage charge mode when battery is fully charged. Overcharging a battery is probably harder on it than running it low.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
Likes: 38
From: Bonita Springs FL
You're right - a battery tender is a much better idea. I didn't even know what the difference was between the two. I had to google it. Learned something new today.