Smaller Battery/Disconnect

[Forty61]

Looking for opinions and experiences because I know you guys have done it..

Battery in the Mustang is dead again, it sits for long periods and obviously has a slow drain so I am looking at my replacement options. I’m considering buying a smaller lightweight battery and a disconnect switch which brings me to the questions..

1) Has anyone mounted a smaller battery in their car? Modification necessary for the hold down?

2) Underhood disconnect, anybody mounted one? Consensus on splicing it into the positive or negative? I’ve heard both.

Basically I’m looking for ideas or things people have already done that would allow me to use a smaller, lighter, cheaper battery and some kind of disconnect to protect it when the car sits.

 

[Robert Larimer]

Looking for opinions and experiences because I know you guys have done it..

Battery in the Mustang is dead again, it sits for long periods and obviously has a slow drain so I am looking at my replacement options. I’m considering buying a smaller lightweight battery and a disconnect switch which brings me to the questions..

1) Has anyone mounted a smaller battery in their car? Modification necessary for the hold down?

2) Underhood disconnect, anybody mounted one? Consensus on splicing it into the positive or negative? I’ve heard both.

Basically I’m looking for ideas or things people have already done that would allow me to use a smaller, lighter, cheaper battery and some kind of disconnect to protect it when the car sits.

Lead acid batteries leak current even when disconnected and a smaller one will go dead quicker. Why not just use a battery tender that keeps your battery charged while idle?

 

[Forty61]

Lead acid batteries leak current even when disconnected and a smaller one will go dead quicker. Why not just use a battery tender that keeps your battery charged while idle?

I entertained the tender idea.. car is parked outside so I’d have to make sure to run the extension cord safely.

 

[Robert Larimer]

I entertained the tender idea.. car is parked outside so I’d have to make sure to run the extension cord safely.

Or you could use a solar charger. They seem to get good reviews on Amazon. This one is 10 watts and $20.

 

[Dadasaurus_Rex]

Or you could use a solar charger. They seem to get good reviews on Amazon. This one is 10 watts and $20.

Is that a charger or a tender? If it's a charger it's going to put out way too many amps to keep on there non-stop. As small as it is, I'm doubting it would work very well either way.


Best thing is to get a long outdoor extension cord and run it out of the garage. If you have external plugs on your house and that's the way you are wanting to go then I suggest a plastic cover box that seals the entire plug and the cord runs out of the bottom of it. Then run that cord out to the car. Run the extension cord up from underneath into the engine bay and plug the tender in under there too. Just make sure it isn't touching the hood when you close it and you should be all set. I left my Corvette on a tender all winter long and it never hurt a thing. I always had my 6.0 Powerstroke parked outside on a tender as well as the block heater all through the winter months when I was stationed in cold weather places.

 

[Robert Larimer]

Is that a charger or a tender? If it's a charger it's going to put out way too many amps to keep on there non-stop. As small as it is, I'm doubting it would work very well either way.


Best thing is to get a long outdoor extension cord and run it out of the garage. If you have external plugs on your house and that's the way you are wanting to go then I suggest a plastic cover box that seals the entire plug and the cord runs out of the bottom of it. Then run that cord out to the car. Run the extension cord up from underneath into the engine bay and plug the tender in under there too. Just make sure it isn't touching the hood when you close it and you should be all set. I left my Corvette on a tender all winter long and it never hurt a thing. I always had my 6.0 Powerstroke parked outside on a tender as well as the block heater all through the winter months when I was stationed in cold weather places.

10 watts would not make much of a charger. It is a solar tender with circuitry that will keep a battery charged without overcharging it. You just plug it into your "port" inside the car and stick to the windshield with the suction cups. I really don't see the need to use a cord for just a battery. Block heaters are another story.

 

[Dadasaurus_Rex]

Ahhh I see. Yeah that would do just fine then. I didn't follow the link to look over the device.

 

[86GT351]

How about looking into fixing the draw if you think you have one?

 

[Shotokan1509]

The Shaker stereo's in at least the early S197 was a known draw issue, some have better luck if they turn the stereo off before turning off the car. Worth a try for free.