Sonic Boom NH

I will be storing my car for winter and intend on keeping the battery in good condition. My question is can you connect a battery minder to the battery while in the car and still connected? In other words simple connect the battery minder up to the battery without disconnecting it from the car?

I know I can take it out and if I can’t do the above that is what I will do but was curious if it could be connected while the battery is still in the car and not damage anything that is connected to the battery like the computer etc.

I would also have a car cover on the car but it is the breathable type but wonder if the hood is closed and cover on if anything could happen.

Thanks for any insight…

lmunz22

Why not just disconnect the battery for the winter?

Sonic Boom NH

That was my original intention and then I got to thinking what would it hurt. That and I wouldn’t have to worry about the computer “learning” again etc. It’s not really a big deal but was curious.

If I don’t get an answer or the answer is not to do it then I will go forward with my original plan and pull the battery out and connect the battery tender to it.

Justastockmustang

It won't hurt the car.

It will keep the battery fully charged, unlike disconnecting it.

I have used "Battery Tenders" on my cars for years.

bl1nk

Im not sure what a battery minder is because I live in the south and we dont have to worry about that thing you call "winter" but I would assume its something that plugs into a power outlet and keeps the battery charged correct? If so... Id be very wary of connecting anything like that to my battery while the battery is still connected to the car.. its possible that if you got a power surge then it could fry all the electronics in your car, which would be more of a hassle than just taking the battery out.

(If that battery minder thing doesnt plug into the wall then disregard everything Ive said so far lol.)

About the computer "re-learning", most people actually consider that a good thing and will disconnect their battery frequently to keep the computer from becoming to.. mellow. The computer actually learns your driving style and then mellows out, so by disconnecting youll have a renewed sense of vigor in the car.

I use a car cover on my car, and its breathable yet also waterproof.. (go figure) and theyre safe, and supposedly fire -retardant- which means they could possibly catch fire after a time period.. that would be the only thing I would worry about, especially if that thing is plugged into an outlet.

Sonic Boom NH

The battery minder is about the same thing as a battery tender. It’s a low amp auto floating control in that it will never over/under charge a battery. For battery maintenance it’s actually safer then a normal battery charger.

You can also leave it connected as long as you wish which could be a year and it wouldn’t hurt the battery. The battery minder is actually a brand name and what it does it not only maintains a batteries charge but removes sulphation. Sulphation can build up on battery plates which keep them from accepting a full charge and thus reducing their life.

What this unit does, along with maintaining a batteries charge, is it generates a resonant frequency to break down the lead sulphate crystals on the plates.

It does state it can be connected to the battery while in the vehicle but it does not specify if the battery can still be connected to the vehicle or if it needs to be ventilated. Since it’s such a low charge rate the battery never really gets that warm where. Needless to say I like specifics and forgoing the specifics is what led me to ask the question.

Thanks for the responses as I have tried searching everywhere, here and on the internet for specifics and couldn’t find any. I will just go ahead and remove the battery from the car and connect the battery minder to it. I think I may have stressed some if I left it connected to the vehicle anyway.

lmunz22

Sounds like a good idea. i was just thinking how often you would worry about the car catching on fire and stuff like that. Having the computer re-learn is no biggie compared to having to buy a new car...

Ford_Dude

and you might as well put a surge protector on the wall plug you plug into just in case

fairlane292

I'm using BatteryMinder. I cannot see removing the battery. The system and connections are designed so this is not required. Why remove it? This is not like having a battery charger on for a long time. If car will remain registered I would recommend an occasional drive; cars don't like to sit.