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Charge battery in or out of the car?
- Thread starter Wana
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JamesWilson
Yoda
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Velox
Jedi Hopeful
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/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/savewave.gif Hi WANA /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Yup you can. I have always charged my batteries with trickle or smart chargers while still in the car over winter months or intervals of storage - I converted my BJ8 to alternator and neg ground but this is not a problem for charging in the car in my opinion. I always disconnect the battery from the car's electrical system when stored on trickle charge, an old habit - in the Healey I just turn off the boot switch
Yup you can. I have always charged my batteries with trickle or smart chargers while still in the car over winter months or intervals of storage - I converted my BJ8 to alternator and neg ground but this is not a problem for charging in the car in my opinion. I always disconnect the battery from the car's electrical system when stored on trickle charge, an old habit - in the Healey I just turn off the boot switch
ronzet
Jedi Knight
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Wanna, Nice looking Healey, by the way.
Just by way of suggestion, I usually charge the battery out of the car, usually because I don't want to string an extension cord out to the car.
However, if you do charge while the battery is in the car, make sure to remove one, or both, battery cable(s) from the battery and then connect the charger to the polls... this will prevent any chance of a surge finding its way into your electrical system.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Just by way of suggestion, I usually charge the battery out of the car, usually because I don't want to string an extension cord out to the car.
However, if you do charge while the battery is in the car, make sure to remove one, or both, battery cable(s) from the battery and then connect the charger to the polls... this will prevent any chance of a surge finding its way into your electrical system.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Randy Harris
Jedi Warrior
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I use a small, iexpensive battery monitoring device, usually for the 3 or 4 months of winter non-use. Just plug it into the wall. It monitors the charge and keeps the battery at a perfect ready state, never overcharges. As a safety precuation, I turn the battery switch in the boot to the off position. I use these in both the Healey and the Jag and have never had an issue with a discharged battery since I started using them. Oh, I run with an alternator in both cars. YMMV
Randy '66 BJ8, '68 E-Type OTS
Randy '66 BJ8, '68 E-Type OTS