well its winter again and I have another new(4months) interstate battery that I have killed.My iroc is driven maybe 50 miles per year and every winter I go threw this.I try to start it every week or so but dont always get to it.So my question is whats the best way to keep this from happening and should I be able to save this battery with a slow trickle charge,Im doing that now?It cranked fine 3 days ago,but was alot warmer.I dont want to store the battery in the house,then Id have to put it in everytime I wanna drive it.Is putting the charger on it in the car hooked up okay?maybe a quick connect for the charger?thanks

 

This is what I would do. Take the battery out of the car for a slow charge and if you can save it charge it a 100% then since you don't want to take the battery in and out all the time, once your done charging put the battery in your car and hook up the positive battery cable but not the negative. I would also recomend that you buy a re top optima battery. It will cost a little more than your interstate but the longivity of the optima is worth it. I have had a optima battery in my chevy since the 1980's and drive it every day in the summer and not once in the winter and when next summer comes around there is still charge in the battery and also there is no corrosion on the battery!! A note of advice when you charge your batteries don't charge them on a concrete floor!! the concrete draws juice from the battery place on a board and then charge. Good Luck!

 

i use the red top from optima (got a awsome deal from auto zone, $20 used!) and left in in my car all winter with the positive cable disconnected and it held its charge, very happy with it.

 

if I remove only the positive,will it still enter that learn mode when I start it?The computer ,I mean.
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hook up positive,is what I meant

 

a word of advice I would disconnect the negative cable.

 

I agree, if you get a surge it can ruin your computer or cause shorts and other nasty stuff. always remove negative first and wrap the end of the neg cable with electrical tape to prevent any contact.

 

disconnecting the negative or positive your computer is going to go into Learn mode once you connect the cables back up any time you disconnect the battery its like resetting the computer. This is not a big deal though.

 

I was raised in Minnesota and know the flat battery feeling...for years I have been using a small 4 amp battery charger modified to balance charge the battery at 13.8 vdc. You can possible find a charger modification kit at Tandy-Radio Shack to build one or buy a similar product off the shelf...see this link http://www.batterytender.com/
I use one on my 88 Camaro connecting via the cigar lighter socket, works great.

 

concrete floors have no effect on new batteries.Old batteries were made diffrently

 

Yes, placing a good battery on a concrete floor does not draw it's charge.

And, if you (like me) live in a part of the world where temperatures in the winter drop below freezing, I wouldn't advise leaving your battery in your stored vehicle exposed to the extreme temperatures.

I've always removed my battery before storing my vehicle, giving it a good charge, and storing it in a cool dry place (recharging every 4 or 5 months later if required).

Leaving a battery uncharged and exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations will degrade it prematurely, and leave you looking to purchase a new one usually sooner than later.

 

I got one of these.

Schumacher Battery Companion

works great!!

 

If you make certain that the battery is undamaged and really fully charged then it will withstand 40 below w/o problems for a full winter. The self-disharge is so much lower at extreme low temperatures that it pays to keep it cold (put it in the deep freezer and forget about it until spring).
The electrolyte specific gravity is of course impossible to measure on sealed batteries, so use caution and do not store these too cold unless they are brand new. Batteries in cars are rarely charged to more than 1/4 - 1/2 of their capacity, a state which deteriorates them permanently and makes them unfit for extreme low temperatures.

 

This is very good reason to use a floating type battery charger, especially for cars not frequently run...it will reduce plate deterioration by keeping the battery at the ideal level.