Need for battery tender if LC hybrid stored 90 days ??

[RodeoRanch]

I will be driving my LC/LC to the Southwest and leaving it in my garage for 90 days in August. Should I put a battery tender (trickle charger) on the 12VDC battery or will it be OK for that time? I will store the smart keys in the house about 100 feet away. It will NOT be cold during this period. Anything else I should do during such storage?
Thanks!

 

[Lineman]

Someone correct me if I’m wrong. The 12V battery in the back is not used to start the vehicle. My understanding is that the traction battery starts the engine. The 12V battery is used to power the 12V accessories. A BT does not charge the traction battery. I guess it couldn’t hurt , but you will be our first test case.

 

[Yousef]

You could just keep the car unlocked and disconnect the negative terminal of the 12v battery.

Although might be unnecessary, you may increase the tire pressure to 50 psi to avoid tire flat spotting, that's what they do with new cars sorted for sale or in transit.

 

[KyLandcruiser]

Someone correct me if I’m wrong. The 12V battery in the back is not used to start the vehicle. My understanding is that the traction battery starts the engine. The 12V battery is used to power the 12V accessories. A BT does not charge the traction battery. I guess it couldn’t hurt , but you will be our first test case.

The vehicle has a 12v starter for back up. It’s used for cold weather starts. The traction motor is the primary starter for the LC.

 

[EOD Guy]

If you have a tender, I'd use it, if not as mentioned above just disconnect the battery

 

[RodeoRanch]

If you have a tender, I'd use it, if not as mentioned above just disconnect the battery

 

[RodeoRanch]

Lead acid batteries do not do well if they discharge below 50% charge, e.g. 12.0V. Not sure how well behaved the electronics would be disconnected and then reconnected. I guess I will use one of my tenders and not be a guinea pig.

 

[exabyte]

Look at page 622 of the manual it tells you where to connect a tender (thanks Captain Trips).

 

[EOD Guy]

Lead acid batteries do not do well if they discharge below 50% charge, e.g. 12.0V. Not sure how well behaved the electronics would be disconnected and then reconnected. I guess I will use one of my tenders and not be a guinea pig.

No harm will come to the electronics being disconnected (other than losing your presets on the radio). Electronics on the shelf waiting to be sold do not have batteries connected.

 

[RodeoRanch]

I will check those connection points for their suitability to connect a tender. However, that section (p622) deals with jumpstarting it if the battery is discharged, not exactly the same as connecting a tender or regulated trickle charger.

 

[exabyte]

I apologize if I was misleading. The way I read that was to charge the 12V battery, and I presumed it would work for a tender as well. That was where I was going to connect my tender when we were on an extended job. I will be very interested to know if it would not work for that.

 

[EOD Guy]

I will check those connection points for their suitability to connect a tender. However, that section (p622) deals with jumpstarting it if the battery is discharged, not exactly the same as connecting a tender or regulated trickle charger.

Looks like you have it figured out.

 

[RodeoRanch]

I apologize if I was misleading. The way I read that was to charge the 12V battery, and I presumed it would work for a tender as well. That was where I was going to connect my tender when we were on an extended job. I will be very interested to know if it would not work for that.

No need to apologize. You are right it should work for the tender. I just checked with my Fluke meter, it read 12.3vdc both at the battery terminals and the post in the fuse box. I will likely use the fuse box since it is just a bit easier to connect to and shows no voltage drop.

 

[EOD Guy]

I apologize if I was misleading. The way I read that was to charge the 12V battery, and I presumed it would work for a tender as well. That was where I was going to connect my tender when we were on an extended job. I will be very interested to know if it would not work for that.

It'll work just fine.

 

[exabyte]

That is great to hear thanks!

 

[EOD Guy]

That is great to hear thanks!

Personally, I'd install a BT pigtail on the 12v battery and just leave it loose behind the battery trim panel. If I ever plugged the tender in, I'd loop the extension cord around the Dvr's side mirror, that way you'll remember the BT is connected and won't drive off with it connected. (don't ask why I know this is a good idea)

 

[Ed1]

Personally, I'd install a BT pigtail on the 12v battery and just leave it loose behind the battery trim panel. If I ever plugged the tender in, I'd loop the extension cord around the Dvr's side mirror, that way you'll remember the BT is connected and won't drive off with it connected. (don't ask why I know this is a good idea)

If the tender is connected to the 12V battery inside the LC, how do you route the tender cable into the LC from the 120V wall plug?

 

[EOD Guy]

If the tender is connected to the 12V battery inside the LC, how do you route the tender cable into the LC from the 120V wall plug?

Pretty much just close the hatch on the cord.