Keeping the juice flowing

[John_Cassels]

Hi all,

I have a gen 2 RT/10 that's getting ready for winter storage and I wanted to appeal to the experts on the forum over a common issue with the Gen II. I love the car but I know if I don't keep it plugged in, the battery is going to die (given it won't be driven much over the winter). I've just moved and noticed my new building doesn't have any open electrical outlets available to plug my battery tender into. I wanted to know if there is a product out there that is essentially is portable power source that you can plug a battery tender into or will function directly as battery tender. I know that there are jump starter packs but I want something will gradually feed current to the battery in lieu of inundating with current. Thanks for looking.

Johnny

 

[dtvtech]

Hey worst case it gives you an excuse to go out and start it up every two weeks or so

 

[daveg]

Do you have the luxury to start it every 2 weeks and let it run a while? There could be up to 3 weeks (during the summer) that I don't even start my car and I have no problems...

 

[Casper]

Can you disconnect negative battery's polo?

 

[Able1]

John, Harbor freight sales solar powered battery chargers, I have solar panels on my service trucks to charge the batteries while the vehicle is not in use, never had a problem with them. I am sure other places sell solar powered battery chargers also.

 

[DrumrBoy]

Stabil wouldn't hurt either!

 

[John_Cassels]

Thanks for the responses - much appreciated. I can definitely find time to start it up every two weeks without a doubt but I didn't think that merely turning the car on and letting it idle would charge the battery. I thought the movement of the wheels was involved in keeping the battery charged (though it sounds like I'm wrong). I know the alternator is involved in keeping the battery charged - can I just turn the car on and drive it around the garage for 10 minutes to keep the battery fresh?

In terms of the solar panels - that's a brilliant idea but my car is actually being kept underground, so unfortunately that is not an option.

 

[Grisoman]

Best bet would be to go through the trouble of removing the battery (I know, a PITA itself) and bringing it inside on the battery maintainer of choice.

 

[daveg]

Thanks for the responses - much appreciated. I can definitely find time to start it up every two weeks without a doubt but I didn't think that merely turning the car on and letting it idle would charge the battery. I thought the movement of the wheels was involved in keeping the battery charged (though it sounds like I'm wrong). I know the alternator is involved in keeping the battery charged - can I just turn the car on and drive it around the garage for 10 minutes to keep the battery fresh?

In terms of the solar panels - that's a brilliant idea but my car is actually being kept underground, so unfortunately that is not an option.

Its not a Prius, you don't have to drive / brake it to charge battery... Let it idle so it gets to operating temp and then idles for another 10 minutes... This will keep the battery charged and the seal supple...

 

[Dirk Pitt]

You may have already thought of this but if there is a standard light socket (not fluorescent) you can purchase an extension for your light socket that will have one or two outlets you can use. I used this approach one before and it worked fine. Even if it does have fluorescent lights you can tap into the circuit the light is connected to and add an outlet.

I would definitely try to find a way to keep it on a trickle charger. If you decide to not put it on a trickle charger, daveg is right, you don't need to do anything more than start it and let it idle for 10-15 minutes. I am not sure on the exact time, maybe someone who knows more about the charging system could comment on just how long you need to let it run.

 

[Steve-Indy]

Dirk makes some good points. I have used a 1.5 amp solar panel on one car where I had no electrical outlet.

Finally, I must say that I am not sure that a Viper idling at 500-700 rpm will charge the battery at all. Remember the posts here from 10-12 yrs. back that claimed a Viper needed to run above 1300 rpm to charge battery enough to offset the start and the baseline electrical consumption. Hopefully, others can add real data.

There are several downsides with letting Viper sit still and idle for extended periods of time.

 

[CajunMojo]

I need to see pics of a garage that would allow you to drive your viper around for 10 minutes?

 

[daveg]

Dirk makes some good points. I have used a 1.5 amp solar panel on one car where I had no electrical outlet.

Finally, I must say that I am not sure that a Viper idling at 500-700 rpm will charge the battery at all. Remember the posts here from 10-12 yrs. back that claimed a Viper needed to run above 1300 rpm to charge battery enough to offset the start and the baseline electrical consumption. Hopefully, others can add real data..

Simple way to get the answer. Put a meter on the jump posts and fire the car up.. At idle, measure the voltage to see if its mid 13's

 

[plumcrazy]

take the battery out and put it in your house or garage on a trickle charger. its not that hard to do

 

[Steve-Indy]

Thanks, daveq...aware of same. But I am more interested in amps going to(or leaving) battery at idle. Can't measure on our Gen II'S due to current weather.

 

[Camfab]

Real life experience on my car says, disconnect the battery. Starting the car every few weeks and idling it will eventually kill the battery. I went through two batteries not believing that was the problem.

 

[John_Cassels]

Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions guys - given the recent 10 inches of snow, the RT looks like she'll be underground for a while. Perhaps disconnecting the battery and plugging that to a tender in my place is the move. As I understand it, the battery is located behind the driver's side wheel correct? I'm guessing is need to jack the car up and take the wheel off to make it happen. Does anyone have a floor jack they'd recommend for a Viper? Also, will the computer (ECU I'd guess) reset once I reconnect the battery in the spring? And is there anything I have to be worried about in terms of other problems reconnecting the battery? Thanks again for all of your help guys - it's much appreciated

 

[Endeka]

Just drive it when it's clean and clear out. The car rolls in 20 degree weather pretty well. I took mine to dinner last weekend, just gotta be light on the throttle. Much more fun than a battery tender and fuel stabilizer too.

 

[bdoyle]

Some of those solar panel battery tenders will work with indoor lighting. So if the garage lights are on most of the time you should be good.

 

[Dirk Pitt]

Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions guys - given the recent 10 inches of snow, the RT looks like she'll be underground for a while. Perhaps disconnecting the battery and plugging that to a tender in my place is the move. As I understand it, the battery is located behind the driver's side wheel correct? I'm guessing is need to jack the car up and take the wheel off to make it happen. Does anyone have a floor jack they'd recommend for a Viper? Also, will the computer (ECU I'd guess) reset once I reconnect the battery in the spring? And is there anything I have to be worried about in terms of other problems reconnecting the battery? Thanks again for all of your help guys - it's much appreciated

Everything should be fine when you reconnect the battery other than losing your favorite radio stations. Regarding a floor jack, the Viper sits so low that you'll likely need a low-profile floor jack (or just use the supplied jack).

There are a few threads on this already (here is one that references some other links): http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/660712-Low-Profile-Car-Jack

One last comment. I am not sure how much space you have between your car and the wall (or another car). Those rear tires are very wide. Be sure you have enough room to slide the tire beyond the fender once you get it off.