long short-term storage

[Cees Klumper]

Now that my daily commute to work consists of 10 minutes each way through the center of Amsterdam (unless I would take a car, in which case it would be longer, so I take the bicycle), I don't drive the Pagoda as frequently as before. As a result, there have been periods of several weeks between drives -and even those drives are sometimes rather short- and there have been two issues with that: (1) the battery has at times been too low to be able to start on and (2) the tires seem to develop slight flat spots. These flat spots go away after some driving, but the battery issue is more inconvenient.

What I am wondering about is what others, who are in a similar situation to mine, do to keep their battery charged? I have a battery charger that has an automatic shut-off when the battery is full, that I keep connected now when the car is in semi-hybernation. However, I know there are also 'charger-conditioners' on the market that will go through a cycle of charge-discharge-charge, presumably so as to keep the battery in shape. I now have two concerns: (A) do you run the risk, if you use one of these conditioners, that you get to the car, just when it is on its 'discharge' low point, i.e. not enough power to start? and (B) when using the regular charger as I do now, does the battery deteriorate from being charged up fully all the time? Related question: aren't the batteries of modern cars, that are driven all the time over longer commuting distances, not also almost always charged up fully?
I can spring for the $60 or so that the charger-conditioners go for, just would like to know if it's really necessary.
Another side question: are there any other issues with using the car as infrequently as, say, once a month (besides the psychological withdrawal symptoms I am experiencing lately   )?

Thanks!

Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[glennard]

Cees, I see a business opportunity here.  For those 113 owners(Ferrari, Rolls ) who do not regularly drive their vehicles, I will gladly drop by and exercise said machine.  With a world-wide group, I will circle the globe weekly(monthly) and keep the battery charged, oil changed, carbon blown out(never over 5000 rpm), linkage adjusted, idle correct, valves adjusted, air in the tyres, start on the first crank, rust out of the tank, etc, etc, etc.  Who wants to sign up first?

[Naj ✝︎]

Hi, Cees,
I carry a 13mm wrench in the glove box. If I'm not going to get back to the car for 2 weeks or longer, I just disconnect the -ve cable from the battery. (no electricity at remote garages).
Adding 2 to 4 psi to the tyres during such storage also helps avoid the flat spotting. Back to normal pressures for long drives/more regular use....

naj

68 280SL

[Ricardo]

Hey Cees
I can add a little to your queries and commiserate regarding Pagoda withdrawl (5 months of snow will do that to you). I studied batteries a few years back when we lived off grid with a windgenerator. First off you are right most car batteries are kept in a fully charged state with any draw down from starting being replaced as soon the car starts. The alternator is capable of putting out 30 or more amps and this fairly quickly brings the battery back to near full. Car batteries by design are intended for what is referred to as "float" service, meaning fully charged at all times, different than say marine or deep cycle batteries which are designed to handle complete discharge/recharge cycles. Each complete discharge of automotive batteries shortens the life of the battery.
In our cars it seems the clock mechanism is capable of draining the battery enough to make starting difficult after a month or so, depending on battery condition, temperature and battery size, so my habit is to disconnect the battery when I don't anticipate starting the car for that long. Some folks like to use a trickle chargers for storage, but I think it's easier on the battery and cheaper on the wallet to disconnect and there are quick disconnect battery terminals available, so that it isn't a pain. Of course you have to reset the clock, but I need to do that everytime I use the car anyway    You also don't have to worry about electrolysis from voltage leakage, eating away at the head, which apparently can occur if there are certain poor wiring conditions...
Hope that helps

[mdsalemi]

Hi Cees,

Your car should be able to sit for extended periods w/o battery drainage.  If you are having issues there, you have a problem: the problem isn't sitting.

My car sits for nearly 5 months every year--November to March--and the battery has never been a problem.  I don't disconnect it, either, nor do I trickle charge.  I would hesitate to leave a trickle charger plugged in as the car is remote and I'd be more concerned with a fire.  This has been the same with some "vanilla" battery I had, and then with the MB battery which has a reputation of being a really bad battery--still not a problem, but call me in March and I'll let you know if the 3rd winter has been OK!

Aside from my other issues--none which were caused by being idle, the flat spots dissipate, and no other problems from intermittant use or weeks of disuse.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Peter van Es]

I've disconnected the clock (since I had a short I needed to find a couple of years ago) and never reconnected it. I'm using one of these trickle chargers in winter only and never have any problems starting.

I'd recommend getting one of those.

Peter

Check out http://bali.esweb.nl for photographs of classic car events and my 1970 280 SL

[Kenneth Gear]

Like Micahel, I have always left my car in hibernation for 4 months at a time during the winter with the battery connected, without a trickle charger and have never had a problem.

Ken G
1971 280 SL
Silver/red

[J. Huber]

Hey Cees. In years past, my car would have to sit for a month or more -- and my results were mixed. Sometimes, the battery would hold up fine. Other times, I think it really started to drain. Often times, the sitting also caused the car to run rough. This meant two things to me: possibly time for a new battery and definitely time to drive the car more. I am therefore a staunch advocate of "exercise these cars often to keep them in shape." But you know this already (and I am sure you would if you could).

I think disconnecting the battery seems like good advice if you are sure its going to be a while, although like others have said its not always a must. Luckily, in the past several years, my times between drives are short enough to keep things going just fine. Even then, I usually have my battery checked/charged in the Spring just to be sure... (was that bragging?)

James
63 230SL

[harleydan]

I use a trickle charger on all of my toys that I do not use on a regular basis:  little Mercedes convertible, Harley motorcycle, and John Deere tractor.  That way they will more than likely start when I want them too.  Having a heated garage also helps.

Danny
1970 280SL silver Euro manual

[vincesy]

I have a quick disconnect on my battery from Griot's just to be sure.  It's great not just for long storage but also for when you have to work on the car so you don't get shorts or surprises.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=77725

QUICK DISCONNECT BATTERY TERMINAL
I don't get to drive one of my cars very often, and I know the battery will drain if I don't disconnect it. With this Battery Terminal Quick Disconnect, all I have to do is just unscrew the green knob until the brass contacts are separated, and the frustrations of a dead battery are over! Installs to your negative terminal in minutes. Great against would-be robbers too! Bypass fuse sold separately.

Download Attachment: 77725_LG.jpg
16.11 KB

[Naj ✝︎]

harleydan,
 

quote:John Deere tractor

What model tractor???

naj

68 280SL

[gwuisman]

Hi Cees,
I use all year round a trickle charger which constantly drains a little bit power (some milliamps) and charges it again. By this the inevitable sulfatation of the battery will proceed at its slowest. In winter I increase the tire pressure to 4 bars. In the instruction booklet of my daily driver which has the same weight as my pagoda this pressure is advised for a stay of 5 month.

Gerard Wuisman
1970 280sl

[DavidBrough]

Hi Cess,

My battery would also go flat enough not to start the car if left for two weeks or more so I now use a battery conditioner all year round (can't remember the make but I orginally bought it for my motorbike) and it works fine. I also move the car bacwards and forwards about two feet every couple of weeks so the tyres don't sit on the same spot. Most of all though I try to use it as much as possible when there is no salt on the roads.

David Brough
1969 280SL

[harleydan]

Naj,

I don't know if you are trying to pull my leg about the John Deere...anyways it is a 345.

Cheers,
Danny

[Naj ✝︎]

Sorry, Guys, bit far off topic..... :oops:

harleydan,
 

quote:Naj,
I don't know if you are trying to pull my leg about the John Deere...anyways it is a 345.

No, Danny,
I used to work for a JD dealer in Kenya. We had some US models like the 4020, 7020, and later 8630s.
Don't know the 345. Got any pictures?

Thanks
naj

68 280SL

[Cees Klumper]

Thanks for all the good advice - I think I will get one of these quick-disconnect terminal and just maybe I need a new battery since the current one has been drawn down to empty several times now ...

Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[tuultyme]

Be real careful with these quick-disconnects as seen in a previous post I lost an alternator when it disconnected by itself while stopped at a light.  Might be good to have during the off season; but not on a regular driver.

Bruce; 268Blaugrun(green) 1970 280SL; IL