[mikefocke]

1) Does the red light on this model always stay on or does it go off when the the charge is at an optimal level? Is that what they mean by the statement "It will automatically cutoff to avoid overcharge."

My ans: I have the same maintainer. I just walked out and checked on my maintainer's single red light and it is OFF. It has been connected for a week and so the battery is charged. The light also goes off when the plug is disconnected from the "lighter" socket (even if the maintainer is plugged into the wall socket and the wall socket has power). So it is vaguely possible that something happened to loosen the plug or cause it to come out of its socket entirely...but doubtful. I'll bet you are just fine.

The red light comes on when the maintainer has power from the wall socket and the maintainer senses the battery voltage initially, and is on when "charging". I use that light to be sure I've got the "lighter" socket plug in straight and making contact when I initially plug it in.

2) Assuming that the charger has not been in operation for 4-8 weeks, at what point should will/would I begin encountering problems.

My ans: You'd already be in trouble at 8 weeks, at 4 weeks you'd have a very small chance only if the battery were new and powerful to begin with and you didn't have any aftermarket accessories drawing power and if it were nice and warm outside (which it probably isn't). My experience is I feel the struggle at 2 weeks off the maintainer if the battery is at all marginal so by 4 I assume you'd be unable to crank the car over but I don't want to draw the battery down to test that theory since doing so hurts the battery.

I like the blinking when charging and on when charged that my camera battery charger uses to signal the state of things with one light. The Ctec more expensive maintainer has multiple lights (but does the same job).

So relax, enjoy being away. All will be OK when you go to start it if it ever warms again.