Do I need to disconnect the battery from the car to charge it?
 

I picked up a CTEK 3300 maintainer for my car to use over winter storage. Question is, do I need to disconnect the battery from the car to use this unit or can I just hook the quick connects up to the terminals, leave the terminals hooked up and plug it in?

I've only ever stored motorcycles and I used to remove the battery from the bike and bring it in to the house.

Thanks!

You don't have to disconnect anything. Hook the maintainer up to the positive terminal on the battery and the neg to ground on the body or engine block away from the battery (just like it says in the instructions ;) ). Same maintainer as mine - works great

battery
 

I use the cigarette lighter adapter. Battery is left fully connected. Works Great

Gotcha! If I want to use the quick connect terminals can I just hook them up to the battery instead of finding a different ground?

Thanks

battery
 

Funny to see all of us Canadians putting our cars away at the same time!

Personally, I'd remove it from the car.

The battery is held in an enclosed space and without air passing under the car to make the vent hose work, the likelyhood of a Hydrogen buildup is higher than another car.

You expect your maintainer to work flawlessly all winter, which in all probability it will.

But, if it doesn't, you could have problems ranging from the battery boiling acid out all over the inside of the battery box, to a bomb.

Low probability to be sure, but since removing the battery is so easy, why take the risk? Just my $0.02 Ca

Cheers!

Jim / LB-

Your suggestion is 100% counter to the expert article in Excellence (Nov 2010 - p133) describing a number of serious problems which might develop b/c of a battery disconnect. Mostly they addressed it from the perspective of a quick change out or maintenance so I imagine the probability of creating problems is exacerbated w/ long term disconnect.

So I, like many others (as long as they have a power supply), say to just get a good maintainer (like C-Tek) and be done. Excellence strictly advises against it too...

Good luck :)

I'm with Burg on this one
 

I've maintained my battery for 5 winters via a maintainer plugged into the "lighter" socket and only disconnected the battery to replace it (it was 5+ years old).

I use the socket rather than direct connect to the battery because the route of the wiring into the cabin is easy because of the cut outs in the weatherstripping under the doors. I don't want critters getting into the front trunk nor do I want the wiring to permanently deform the weatherstripping seal on the front trunk lid.

Tips I've picked up for winter and the Boxster here .

I've stored my cars for years with the battery on board and connected, utilizing a maintainer; never have I had an issue. Be aware, any time you disconnect the battery for a period of time, your engine control unit will clear all of it's settings and go back to factory default, forgetting all your driving habits. It takes nearly two weeks of various driving patterns to re-acclimate the ECU back to a full "ready" status.

For the past 4 Year.. I always simply Disconnected the battery Positive Terminal and left it there, without any charging or maintainer.. In the spring I simply plug back the positive terminal and it always start very easily..

Just don't let the battery freeze and your top shape..

I may this year try that CTEK 3300 every budy is talking.. Just so I won't have to enter the Radio Code in the spring.. :P

I may not be the 'best' example to follow, for whatever reasons.. but this just show you that the battery is more resistant than some may think..

Good luck to all in winterinzing their Pcar :)