# Battery disconnect for car at summer home **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** infiniti\ **Created:** [October 16, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920 "2018-10-16T23:30:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vicparkguy\_143369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c0e974/32.png) [@vicparkguy\_143369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vicparkguy_143369)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/1 "2018-10-16T23:30:12Z")
Hey everyone - I have a summer home where I keep my 2006 Infiniti M45. Every year when I leave the house for the winter, I connect my battery to a trickler, but every year when I return the battery doesn’t start. So was wondering - what if I just disconnect my battery for 7 months - would that be an issue? Has anyone ever done this type of disconnect for this long? Any advice would be very much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/2 "2018-10-16T23:37:03Z")
Without keeping the battery charged, the battery will sulfate. [http://www.batteryminders.com/avoid-battery-sulfation/](http://www.batteryminders.com/avoid-battery-sulfation/) What type of charger are you using? Tester ---
**Author:** ![Dean-in-Des-Moines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Dean-in-Des-Moines](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dean-in-Des-Moines)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 11:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/3 "2018-10-16T23:38:23Z")
Lead acid batteries, in good working order, have a self discharge of 40% per year. That’s not an answer, I know. But there are variables to account for. What with the age of the battery, the charge level at time of storage, the temperature delta over time, etc, who can say? The only way to know is to experiment. ---
**Author:** ![vicparkguy\_143369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c0e974/32.png) [@vicparkguy\_143369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vicparkguy_143369)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/4 "2018-10-16T23:42:37Z")
ok thanks. the car will be in a garage but the temps in the winter up here in massachusetts are still cold. the trickler never works so may just try this approach this year. i will probably call the infiniti service folks as well. ---
**Author:** ![vicparkguy\_143369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c0e974/32.png) [@vicparkguy\_143369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vicparkguy_143369)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 11:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/5 "2018-10-16T23:44:34Z")
thanks for the article. i don’t remember the charger - but it is a standard type unit i bought at a auto parts place a couple years ago. but even with car on that unit or 7 months it never starts when i get back. so was going to try something new this year ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 11:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/6 "2018-10-16T23:47:22Z")
Do you disconnect the battery from the car and then install the charger? And I know this is a stupid question. Do you turn the main power off when you shut the summer home down for the winter? Everyone I know who has a lake home does. Tester ---
**Author:** ![vicparkguy\_143369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c0e974/32.png) [@vicparkguy\_143369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vicparkguy_143369)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/7 "2018-10-16T23:53:03Z")
our power to the house is on all year. i have not disconnected the battery in the past as I was worried it would screw up my electonics settings, but the more i read this seems to be a small issue. this year i thought i would just disconnect the batery and hopefully that would allow it to stay fresh. I may need to bring it into my house where it will be 55 degrees versus leaving in the garage where i know it gets much colder ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 11:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/8 "2018-10-16T23:57:17Z")
Disconnect the battery and then put the charger on the battery. Tester ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/9 "2018-10-17T00:12:18Z")
if volt-meter is available, it would also help to confirm that the charger is able to raise battery voltage above the float voltage, which is around 13V > **[Float voltage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Float_voltage)** > > Float voltage is the voltage at which a battery is maintained after being fully charged to maintain that capacity by compensating for self-discharge of the battery. The voltage could be held constant for the entire duration of the cell's operation (such as in an automotive battery) or could be held for a particular phase of charging by the charger. The appropriate float voltage varies significantly with the chemistry and construction of the battery, and ambient temperature. > With the appropriate ... ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 12:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/10 "2018-10-17T00:22:40Z")
My boat battery lasted 13 years, just hooked it up to battery maintainer spring adn fall to give it a full charge. The car may have a parasitic draw, but What happens? no crank? If so time for a new maintainer my guess. ---
**Author:** ![auto-owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@auto-owner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/auto-owner)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 12:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/11 "2018-10-17T00:57:15Z")
> [@vicparkguy\_143369](#): > > I may need to bring it into my house where it will be 55 degrees versus leaving in the garage where i know it gets much colder If the battery holds a decent charge, it would probably be better off in the garage. Heat speeds up a reaction, including sulfation. ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 1:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/12 "2018-10-17T01:15:46Z")
I wonder if it is a good idea to leave a lead acid batter on a trickle charger for 7 months. I would be worried of a potential fire hazard if a short occurs in either one of the pieces or the battery overcharges and starts building up gases. Could be a ticking time bomb. Why not just take the battery with you or fully charge it before you leave and let it sit in the warmest area of the house until you get back. It’s a ~$100 battery why take a chance… ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 1:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/13 "2018-10-17T01:31:17Z")
I’m curious what charger is being used, exactly. There is no ‘standard’ type. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 1:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/14 "2018-10-17T01:48:48Z")
I would just disconnect the battery cables and leave it. My John Deere rider sits foe 6 months and starts right up in the spring. I don’t remove the cables but it has no computers to drain the battery. I would also buy a battery charger to keep at the lake house, they seem to be on sale for $29 at Harbor freight every month. That is what I paid for my 6 amp Sears one about 60 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/15 "2018-10-17T18:19:34Z")
I disconnect the battery of my '87 pickup, drive it a few times a year. I have a battery booster I keep inside to start it after a long time. That’s what I’d do in your case. I used it to start a neighbor recently, so you can be neighborly without the hassle of a jump too. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/16 "2018-10-17T18:38:44Z")
@vicparkguy_143369 - how old is the battery that keeps dying? ---
**Author:** ![vicparkguy\_143369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c0e974/32.png) [@vicparkguy\_143369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vicparkguy_143369)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 6:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/17 "2018-10-17T18:42:11Z")
Just two years. I am going to just disconnect it and bring it Into the house for seven months - that was most people’s recommendation ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2018, 6:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-disconnect-for-car-at-summer-home/126920/18 "2018-10-18T06:13:19Z")
The higher temperature it is stored at the more it will discharge.