shoozlover

We're moving abroad and our cars will be left in the garage. DH went on ahead and left me with the task of installing trickle chargers. So after an hour on the internet, I'm a little confused. Do I need a trickle or float charger? Do I just install them, close the hood and cover the car? Do they need to be disconnected at any time? Any help would be hugely appreciated.

blittle

I have never used a float charger for my GL BUT I have used a float charger for my Vette that would stay gararged for weeks at a time. The key here is YES you should use a FLOAT charger rather than a trickle charger....a trickle charger can actually overcharge over a period of time but a float or battery maintainer is ideal.........the best out there is one called "battery tender" do a google on that and you wil find it!

ima55r2

There is a Mercedes branded CTEK battery tender that has all the safeguards needed. Buy it from Mercedes for around $140 or get the 3300 CTEK from an automotive or motorcycle parts retailer for less than $70.

shoozlover

Thank you! I'm assuming it's pretty easy to install. I really don't know much about cars under the hood.

ima55r2

You have a choice of attaching the CTEK unit to the battery or using the optional plug for the cigarette lighter. Check first if the lighter is hot all the time.

Since you have a couple of cars, Battery Tender makes a similar unit for multiple vehicles up to 6. Here is the one for two cars: http://www.pacificbattery.com/batterytender0165.html

Danno4x4

Just a few thoughts.

How long are you going to be gone from when you leave until when you come back to start your vehicles?

If it is less than 6 months I would say that you are probably okay, but any more than that, there are some things that you will want to do in addition to keep cars in long term storage... Things like fuel, oils and fluids can break down and cause corrosion or problems when they are not used regularly...

If you are going to be gone more than 6 months you might want to consider taking your vehicles to a person who can set them up for long term storage.... OR Consider having a friend come over and exercise the vehicles maybe once a month... Drive them around for a weekend etc. ... OR you may consider selling the ones that are not in some kind of collector status.

As far as the fuel goes, you will want to store them with a full tank of fuel and you will definitely want to add a fuel stabilizer to the tank of gas powered vehicles... Sta-bil is a good choice and can extend the life of fuel before it gums up for up to a year... Trust me, this is a little cheap insurance as fuel varnish in your fuel injection system can be costly.

I don't know if you have a diesel vehicle or not, but if you do, I would suggest using CRC diesel fuel stabilizer as well as PRI-D Fuel Treatment to preventing algae growth which is common to diesel fuel... Algae can really cause serious problems when allowed to grow uninhibited in a tank... When you come back you will find that your fuel filters will quickly clog over and over... Once you have the algae in your tank its tough to get rid of it without doing a full fuel system purge and cleaning.

StevethePilot

On my 07 320, the lighter under the passenger side dash is hot all the time.

shoozlover

We'll be back for Christmas, then gone again for 6 months. For the most part, we'll be back every 6 months.

How long would they need to be driven? A 20-min drive or more? We have a long list of volunteers.

I did pick some up today. Thanks for the tip.

Our dealer wanted $200 each so I'm going to order them from Amazon. I can't find it at Napa or Sears. One of the small drawbacks of living on an island.


To what pressure should I inflate the tires? And would it be the same for both the SL and the GL?

Danno4x4

My rule of thumb for my non-daily driven toys and collector cars has always been once a month and at the very least long enough to bring all of the fluids up to normal operating temperature. A 20 minute drive would be fine.

My pleasure.

Look on the placard just inside the fuel filler door... That should be your guideline for tire pressures... The GL and SL will likely be different. It is based on tire size and the weight of the vehicle.

Barry Hanna

The CTEK is the way to go and I would suggest permanently mounting the two leads supplied with the charger to the battery posts. It's a simple installation and you can then just attach the charger with the connector and avoid the alligator clip attachment. This charger maintains the battery at an optimum state and will not damage either it or any of your electronics. As far as using the cigarette lighter as an attachment, it sounds convenient, but I would be concerned about unforseen "gremlins" with anything that doesn't just attach to the battery. Simpler and more direct is better with cars ... not with women.

mbpc320

Thank you for this great bit of info. I've been wondering what to do as my car will sit in the garage for the next 3 months minimum. Purchased one online for $59.99 shipped (amazon.com).

ksalno

I'd suggest over inflating the tires to prevent flat spots. My 911 generally sits for 3-4 months during the winter and I inflate the tires up to 50 psi. I'd probably go higher for the GL, given its weight. If you are going to have someone come and drive the vehicles once a month, this won't be necessary. But if they sit for 6 months, you may flat spot the tires if they just sit at standard pressures. This may be less of a problem with run flats, I don't have any experience with them.

Depending on where the cars are stored, you may also want to close off the exhaust pipes (stuff them with steel wool or balled up aluminum foil) and put a box of moth ***** in the engine compartment to keep critters from taking up residence.