battery charging off the car

[dgreaves]

My car is currently in it's winter storage but looks like being longer than normal the storage is nice and dry but no electrics so I will bring the battery home to keep it charged do you see any problems with the car when I eventually put it back on? thanks in advance for your help.

Dave Greaves

[Joesson]

@dgreaves
My 2 has been stored for 6 months of the year, every year that I've owned the car since June  2011.
When I first bought  the car, and before I became a Member of the ROC, I used the services of Mr T and I asked the local service Manager what I should do for winter storage. In the olden day's it was not unusual to pour Redex into the bores and rest the tyres to prevent flat spots.
The Service Manager's response was " It's a Toyota, it will be fine"
It has been!
At one time I had a set of old wheels and tyres that it rested on. Next came axle stands, and this year I simply overinflated, but within maximum stated on tyre wall.
I typically keep the battery on charge, by removing the battery you will also disconnect the ecu, but nothing for you to worry about, when you start driving again it will reset itself.
There is some difference of opinion about starting the engine from time to time. I don't do this as my understanding is that maximum wear occurs at start up. At first I started the engine to warm the oil to drain it for the annual oil change. More recently I don't do that as the oil can be left to drain, for up to 6 months if your so inclined. The new oil then goes in and then the car can be started.
The next two Members will likely have two different opinions as to the " best" way of going about this, there won't  be many saying "Don't store it, Drive it" !

 

[Ardent]

Don't store it. Drive it.
Would be my advice. In normal times. But we are not in normal times.

[Joesson]

Don't store it. Drive it.
Would be my advice. In normal times. But we are not in normal times.

Well, I did have a little bet with myself as to which of our Members would be of the Don't store it, Drive it persuasion.
I wish now that I'd made it a larger wager as I was not wrong😉

[tets]

mine can be in my unit for weeks / months at a time. I just drive it in and leave it. Before taking it out I charge the battery, check tyre pressures, oil and drive off

[Beachbum957]

The best solution is to use a maintenance type charger like THESE.  They are sometimes called storage trickle chargers.

This type of charger can be left connected for extended periods of time.  We have a number of these on the MR2 and other equipment that has batteries with the main charger wiring harness permanently connected at the battery.  If the car or equipment will sit for more than a couple weeks, we just connect the charger to the harness and leave it. It may be connected for months at a time when the car and equipment is in winter storage.  We don't disconnect the battery cables, and batteries maintained this way have lasted for up to 10 years