S3 battery cut off and keep charge/alarm/radio codes

[Sizona]

I have a 1987 Esprit S3 which I want to store in a garage for a few weeks at a time, this usually deadens the battery if I don't trickle charge it connected to mains power.

 

If garage does not have an elec power supply is it possible to either keep charge for car battery from an external battery pack by connecting through a car cigarette socket connected direct to the battery.

 

Or by cutting the output from the battery using a battery cut off switch and keep charging from pack through the existing cigarette lighters in the car?

 

Any advise appreciated

 

Thanks

[Bazza 907]

Simon

I have a battery cut of switch and I can leave the cars at least 6-8 weeks and they will still start first time with a turn of the key.

[mdw]

If you have a window in the garage you could use a pv charger from maplins that plugs into cigarette lighter.

[molemot]

A bit of confusion here, I think. The question isn't whether the car will start...mine gets left most of the winter with the battery disconnected, and it maintains it's charge (as you might expect) and the car starts up perfectly. I think the OPs point is that he will lose the electrical connection to his radio, and thus the programming of radio stations and also need to input the radio code again before he can revive his sound system. If there is something in the car's electrics which is causing the battery to go flat, then this self-same thing will also flatten anything that is being used as a power source to maintain the radio programming...unless this is mains driven, or the radio is isolated from the rest of the electrics...unless, of course, it is the radio that is flattening the battery in the first place! I just bite the bullet and reprogramme the radio every time I take the beastie out of hibernation.

[mdw]

I would go through the electrics and remove anything that's not meant to be there and find out why its draining the battery.  Mine will stand connected for 2 months and start fine.  Not tried longer but might go even further.  However I did rip out loads of added on wiring from immobilizers to amp wiring etc

[johnpwalsh]

Both my Lotus can sit for upto 5 weeks at a time while I am away and I have not had a problem except once on the S4 when I never shut the drivers door properly and the interior light drained the power.

[molemot]

I second Malcolm's suggestion...when I fitted the CD autochanger I ripped out a large boxful of redundant wiring from alarms and immobilisers etc.. I was surprised by how much came out!

[Sizona]

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

I also ripped out the original factory alarm and installed a new Cobra one a few months ago. As I won't have access to power source to trickle charge then will install a cutoff battery switch so no current flows. I'll have to leave alarm off.

 

I presume connect it to the +ve battery post/side? Anyone know where to get a suitable cutoff switch and where from?

 

Ta

[Bibs]

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Product.do?method=view&n=1261&p=20846&c=215&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Base&utm_campaign=Battery%20Isolators%20&%20Master%20Switches&gclid=CjwKEAjw77OhBRCJ7Onfp_HNtwYSJACZqHAWDDm4zPvONOOvNk0N6GtCyUMVA63Dd4HomXiywrkzUxoCfIXw_wcB

[molemot]

Bibs' suggestion will work...but if you fit the fuse across it, then your battery will still go flat. The fuse enables the radio etc. to stay programmed...and will blow if any starting attempt is made, thus making the cut off a good thief proofing idea. But the simplest sort are the ones with removeable red keys....this sort of thing....

 

http://www.carbuildersolutions.com/uk/battery-isolator-cut-off-switch-standard-version

 

I mounted mine on a short copper busbar from the +ve battery terminal. The busbar bolts to a battery connector and the wiring bolts to the other side of the switch. Busbar...you can get flat copper bars 25mm x 5mm x 200mm which would suit...from eBay.

[Sizona]

Okay so got got around to fitting a Dis Car Nect as Bibs recommended. Connected to neg side of battery and works fine.

Obviously as I turn the battery off the radio codes and alarm stop working.

 

Before I turned car battery off I connected a battery pack to the cigar lighter with a suitable lead, but the radio codes and alarm still don't work even when still connected to pack.

 

Shouldn't a battery pack going through the cigar socket keep 12v power flowing through electrics? Or any other way of connecting pack to car to keep 12v on?

 

Ta

[molemot]

Did you fit the fuse across the switch? If so, then turning the switch off shouldn't lose the radio codes...as the fuse supplies enough current to keep them. If an attempt is made to start the car, the fuse will blow and then the codes will be lost. As for the cigar lighter sockets...do they work with the ignition off? If not, then there will be no circuit from them to the radio....not being a smoker, I don't know!

[Sizona]

Thanks John I'll check re cigar lighters.

 

Keeping the fuse connected as you say keeps the electrics on so battery can still deplete. That's why I wanted to connect a battery pack. 

[molemot]

See my post #10! If something is flattening the car battery, it'll flatten a small battery pack still faster....