I was thinking about getting a trickle charger while I store my stang for the next 3-4 months. I'm reading that you can't leave certain ones on the battery for long periods of time. I figured most were set on the battery and forget about it but it doesn't sound that way.

1) What do I need to match up correctly to store and charge my stang's battery for months?

2) Could I let the battery drain dead for 4 months and then use a simple generic trickle charger to charge the batter for a few days in the spring?

3) Or should I just disconnect the battery and hope it doesn't train too much from the cold (Iowa weather, temps in the negatives some months)?

 

Just get a Battery Tender, hook it up, and forget about it.

 

As TacoBill said BATTERY TENDER is probably one of the best brands out there but they are a bit pricey. Here is a generic brand I use: http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/P...014382/c-10111
I have about 6 of these and I leave then on the ATVs, motorcycles, and lawn mower almost all the time. The most important feature to look for is that it shuts off when the battery is fully charged and then back on when the battery dips back down a little, if it stayed on all the time it would fry the battery. Also for your second question, no you couldn't recharge a dead battery in a few days with a maintainer/trickle charger. Hope this helps.

 

DO not let your battery go dead. An automotive battery has only so my cycles built in. A cycle is a complete discharge and recharge. Every time your battery goes completely dead you have to recharge it, which generates a tremendous amount of heat. The active material (lead) that is bonded to the plates also changes volume as a result of the sulfation during discharge. Both of these issues can causes the lead to shed from the plates, and end up in the bottom of the case and short out a cell. If the battery sits dead for too long, the sulfation will clog the pores in the lead and prevent the battery from accepting a charge.

If the battery goes dead, you will have a lot of work reproggaming windows, radio preferences and in general, teaching the car how to drive again.

 

Harbor Freight has been selling a float charger for $4.99. It's pretty chintzy looking and the clamps suck. I haven't had time to swap out the clamps for smaller alligator clips. It tries to keep the battery at 12.85VDC and the AC adapter is only rated for 15VDC/600mA output or roughly 9W-10W. This allows for a maximum charge current of about 700-800mA (0.7-0.8A) to the battery which should be enough to prevent a battery from discharging.

I've never tried keeping it on the GT because the clamps sucked and I was afraid of them coming off and shorting a circuit.

 

http://www.mawonline.com/batteryt.ht...ery%20chargers

$37.95 plus s&h

I have 2 of them. This is the cheapest place that I have EVER found these. I have been using Battery Tender since 1998. AWESOME!!

If you scroll down farther on that page you will find some extra Quick Disconnects. I have them on my Streetrods, and motorcycle.

 

Will starting the car once a week over the winter months maintain the battery?

 

Battery Tender!!!

 

Little British Car Co. has a small Battery Tender on sale Now.

Automatic Trickle Charger/Maintainer will keep your Battery Fresh and Ready to go when you are Ready for that Ride.

Priced at $40
visit www.LBCarCo.com

 

I bought four of these two months ago .They work great and only charge when needed. http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/P...010590/c-10114

 

I used the Harbor Freight .75A float charger and it got very very hot trying to maintain my Crown Vic's Group 65 battery.

 

Battery Tender Looks like a replacement Heart ?

 

I bought a Black and Decker from Wal-Mart that looks just like aremann2 charger he bought from JCW. I need to check but I want to say I bought it on sale for about $18 and it works great. Better than jumping the car every time I leave her sit for more than a few days. I sure hope Ford gets this one fixed... Hmm, buy the upgraded AAT system; leave it at the airport, stolen without a beep because the battery was dead from the alarm.


http://www.blackanddecker.com/Produc...roductID=15572