Battery in or out during winter.

[Bigbeavk]

I also use a battery tender over the winter and the good thing is I just read in another post that we can plug the tender into the power outlet. I just gotta find the right plug type and I'll be good to go. In Maryland we always have days thru the winter that are rideable so thats as far as i go winterizing. :clapping:

 

[MojaveFJR]

Winter? Cold? Hmmm what are these things you speak of.....

Ahhhh SOCAL.... :yahoo:

 

[snikr]

Winter? Cold? Hmmm what are these things you speak of.....
Ahhhh SOCAL.... :yahoo:

Don't even go there!! Us Northeast riders don't want to hear it. <_<

Tom

 

[gr8eyes]

If someone were to use Stabil/Seafoam, how long do you think it would take to cycle through the system?

Glenn

 

[Fred W]

If someone were to use Stabil/Seafoam, how long do you think it would take to cycle through the system?
Glenn

Ummm... I'm just guessing. But, 1 tank?

 

[dsmack]

This thread is pretty well beaten to death, but let me put in my late two cents... :blink:

Batteries: If you use an appropriate "float type charger" like a Battery Tender or Battery Minder, the optimal charge will be maintained automatically, without the danger of overcharging. 2 Amp trickle chargers left on constantly may overcharge and end up shortening the life of the battery.

A charged battery will not freeze in the temps we get in the lower 48 states. No need to remove it from the bike/boat/aircraft to "protect" it. If it makes you feel better though, go for it!

Fuel Stabilizers: I'm not a chemist, nor did I stay in a Holiday Express last night, so take the following just as my personal experiences over the last thirty years of winterizing various internal combustion engines. YMMV!

STABIL - I have had poor success over the years with this product in everything from lawn mowers and weed wackers to snow blowers and motorcycles. The problems have gotten worse since only oxygenated gasoline has become the norm. Ethanol is definitely NOT our friend! I can't count the number of carb rebuilds I've participated in after the use of STABIL. The gummy deposits found in the fuel system after a winter of storage required a complete tear-down, so why bother to use the damn stuff?

SeaFoam - I was turned-on to this additive over on a Kawasaki board I frequent, and since beginning to use it three years ago, have had absolutely NO problems. I use it at a slightly higher concentration than recommended on the container: 1.5oz per Gallon instead of the suggested 1.0 oz/Gal.

Since I switched over to the SeaFoam, all the engines I use start very easily on the first go-round in the Spring. Have not had to do any carb work or adjustments at all... I run a tankful through all my power equipment about mid-season as well, just to help keep things clean, but that may well be overkill, who knows? The stuff is pretty cheap, and I don't know about y'all, but I hate tearing fuel systems/carbs apart to clean!

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

This thread is pretty well beaten to death, but let me put in my late two cents... :blink: A charged battery will not freeze in the temps we get in the lower 48 states. No need to remove it from the bike/boat/aircraft to "protect" it. If it makes you feel better though, go for it!

Actually, the warmer the ambient temp. for storing the more one hastens discharge. Chemical reactions take place slower without heat. Cold storage is best for long life -- the colder the better.

Of course, if bringing it in a nice warm place and wrapping it in a 'blankie' make you feel better -- well.....

Remember, a battery stores electricity -- that's what they're designed to do (you don't have to constantly keep adding to it).

 

[dbx]

Remember, a battery stores electricity -- that's what they're designed to do (you don't have to constantly keep adding to it).

Batteries also self-discharge, so unless you periodically add some electricity you may not have much left in the Spring. Like many who have contributed to this thread, I'm a believer in leaving a Battery Tender connected whenever I'm not riding, including the entire winter. I never remove the battery, and I never use Stabil or its cousins. And no, I've never had a problem with starting back up in the Spring. The FJR would start on the first crank and the lawnmower would start on the first pull.

dbx

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Remember, a battery stores electricity -- that's what they're designed to do (you don't have to constantly keep adding to it).

Batteries also self-discharge, so unless you periodically add some electricity you may not have much left in the Spring.

Depends alot on the ambient temp. of the storage area.

 

[Fred W]

Remember, a battery stores electricity -- that's what they're designed to do (you don't have to constantly keep adding to it).

Batteries also self-discharge, so unless you periodically add some electricity you may not have much left in the Spring.

Depends alot on the ambient temp. of the storage area.

...and how long the storage is, and how many constant drain accessories are on the battery, and... well, you get the picture.

 

[SilverHound]

If someone were to use Stabil/Seafoam, how long do you think it would take to cycle through the system?
Glenn

Ummm... I'm just guessing. But, 1 tank?

:lol2: