How long can I let my LX 570 sit without having a dead battery? (1 Viewer)

[LC neophyte]

I plan on leaving this vehicle at a 2nd home. In the past, in my home garage, it seems like I have a dead battery after two weeks. If I disconnect the positive(?), I would expect to lose memory in all the pre-sets (radio stations, seats, maintenance reminders, etc.), but I'm not sure.

What are your recommendations for leaving a vehicle sit for an extended period of time (few months)? I do not think that I have access to electricity for a battery tender. If I did use one, what would your recommend?

 

[TLC2013]

Plan on losing all those presets with a dead battery/removing the cables. If you don't have access to run a battery tender off a wall outlet I would look into a solar powered battery tender. I have not used one but the reviews seem positve and you should be able to position the panel to get enough sun to keep the battery in good shape. Lots of options on Amazon to pick from. Unfortunately I don't have any remmendations but I would go with a well known proven name in the battery charging field to ensure you get a good product.

 

[sdnative]

Solar battery tender?

 

[LC neophyte]

Plan on losing all those presets with a dead battery/removing the cables. If you don't have access to run a battery tender off a wall outlet I would look into a solar powered battery tender. I have not used one but the reviews seem positve and you should be able to position the panel to get enough sun to keep the battery in good shape. Lots of options on Amazon to pick from. Unfortunately I don't have any remmendations but I would go with a well known proven name in the battery charging field to ensure you get a good product.

That is an excellent idea. The vehicle will be in SoCal

 

[sdnative]

You can leave it at my house. I'll drive it enough to make sure the battery stays charged.

 

[vipergrhd]

I have gone on vacations for over a month and come back with no issues, of course all of my vehicles are older than 2010.
Battery tender would be a good idea or just get one of those battery disconnect attached to the termina.

 

[LC neophyte]

You can leave it at my house. I'll drive it enough to make sure the battery stays charged.

atta boy! I appreciate it.

 

[LC neophyte]

I have gone on vacations for over a month and come back with no issues, of course all of my vehicles are older than 2010.
Battery tender would be a good idea or just get one of those battery disconnect attached to the termina.

I wonder what all the parasitic computer systems running in the background are doing?

 

[tacoduck]

Get a battery tender. 20 bucks at Walmart. You can mount it to the battery and have a quick disconnect plug. I have on on my lawnmower for the winter and it works fantastic.

 

[bloc]

Alternately you can mount a Noco Genius 2D in the grille area where only the 110v plug is visible, and not have to open the hood when the vehicle is parked and charging.

If it would help I can dig up some pictures of my setup.

 

[7000ft]

All of my old Porsche cars are on trickle chargers. Most of their batteries are between 5-10 years old.

 

[TeCKis300]

To @7000ft point, for a car that sits, even if the battery may last a month with parasitic draw, it will greatly wear the battery as lead acids don't to sit at anything but full charge. They will sulfate and prematurely wear.

Tenders keep batts happy.

 

[LC neophyte]

Alternately you can mount a Noco Genius 2D in the grille area where only the 110v plug is visible, and not have to open the hood when the vehicle is parked and charging.

If it would help I can dig up some pictures of my setup.

Is this what you had in mind? Amazon product ASIN B07W6B987F
Seems like a great idea. I take it that you just leave this in place attached under the hood? Other than the 110v, do you disconnect the other cables from the battery when you drive?

 

[LC neophyte]

Get a battery tender. 20 bucks at Walmart. You can mount it to the battery and have a quick disconnect plug. I have on on my lawnmower for the winter and it works fantastic.

Do you leave it attached under the hood and only disconnect the power to the unit?

 

[bloc]

Is this what you had in mind? Amazon product ASIN B07W6B987F
Seems like a great idea. I take it that you just leave this in place attached under the hood? Other than the 110v, do you disconnect the other cables from the battery when you drive?

Close but not quite. The -2D version has ring terminals as opposed to alligator clips and is easier to leave mounted up.

NOCO - 2A Direct-Mount Battery Charger and Maintainer - GENIUS2D

The GENIUS2D is a 2-amp direct-mount battery charger and battery maintainer for all types of 12-volt lead-acid batteries.

no.co

Mine is securely zip tied into the driver’s side of the grille area with the battery wires running under the core support cover and the 110v lead bundled with enough sitting in the grille slats that it can be folded back to stay in place while driving but easily accessed for charging. This required drilling two small holes into the air guide plastic and trimming a small section of the plastic in the core support cover.

I’ll be away from the vehicle until tomorrow but will get some detailed pics then. It is a great product for exactly what you initially posted about. And IMO Noco is advancing the control circuitry more than battery tender.

 

[JohnVee]

I don't know how long your particular vehicle can sit and still maintain enough charge to start, but I'll echo the statement above about batteries wanting to sit at full charge or else they're just dying faster with each cycle of drain/charge.

The Noco 2 the @bloc mentioned is good. I have one. It's small enough to mount in the engine bay. I also have a couple 1.75amp Battery Tenders and all of my vehicles have a set of ring terminal leads mounted on the battery. This BT model is far larger in size than the Noco and is removed from the quick disconnect leads before driving away. It also comes with alligator clips that plug into the disconnect on the main lead. The larger Noco's (I have a 5amp) have alligator clips but there's something very different about them that I can't remember...might be good or bad! I'll have to check when I get back to the house where that one lives.

 

[LC neophyte]

Close but not quite. The -2D version has ring terminals as opposed to alligator clips and is easier to leave mounted up.

NOCO - 2A Direct-Mount Battery Charger and Maintainer - GENIUS2D

The GENIUS2D is a 2-amp direct-mount battery charger and battery maintainer for all types of 12-volt lead-acid batteries.

no.co

Mine is securely zip tied into the driver’s side of the grille area with the battery wires running under the core support cover and the 110v lead bundled with enough sitting in the grille slats that it can be folded back to stay in place while driving but easily accessed for charging. This required drilling two small holes into the air guide plastic and trimming a small section of the plastic in the core support cover.

I’ll be away from the vehicle until tomorrow but will get some detailed pics then. It is a great product for exactly what you initially posted about. And IMO Noco is advancing the control circuitry more than battery tender.

The fantastic benefit of I8HMUD forums is the amount of pooled knowledge available. To your point about control circuitry, I never knew that there were so many factors in the charge/re-charge/maintenance circuitry. I'm still living in 1970 when hi-tech may have been a trickle charger. Thanks for your contribution!

 

[bloc]

Snapped some pics. I have a little more wiring to the ARB compressor but the small wires along the battery tie down are for the noco. Two small holes drilled into the plastic beside the radiator for a zip tie to pass through, the unit is quite light. Then bundled the 110v cord and left enough to weave through the grille. When not in use it just tucks down where it won't come out. When plugged in the green outdoor extension cord fits perfectly into the grille slat to keep the connection dry if it rains.

Status light is visible through the upper grille even in daylight.

It's not uncommon for my truck to sit for three weeks between drives. This ensures the battery stays perfectly healthy, and didn't cost much in the first place.

This is the one small mod to the plastic core support cover. The vertical part needed snipped to allow the cord to run through.

 

[LC neophyte]

Snapped some pics. I have a little more wiring to the ARB compressor but the small wires along the battery tie down are for the noco. Two small holes drilled into the plastic beside the radiator for a zip tie to pass through, the unit is quite light. Then bundled the 110v cord and left enough to weave through the grille. When not in use it just tucks down where it won't come out. When plugged in the green outdoor extension cord fits perfectly into the grille slat to keep the connection dry if it rains.

Status light is visible through the upper grille even in daylight.

It's not uncommon for my truck to sit for three weeks between drives. This ensures the battery stays perfectly healthy, and didn't cost much in the first place.

View attachment 3346945

View attachment 3346946

This is the one small mod to the plastic core support cover. The vertical part needed snipped to allow the cord to run through.

View attachment 3346947

View attachment 3346948

That is tremendous! Thank you for taking the photos and sharing.