Bed rest BS best practices

[SWUKU]

I'll be sitting the bench for a month or so, and by default my BSFE will too.

What are the best practices for maintaining a BS in the interim?

I've been reading about dead batteries in this forum, etc.

Should I remote start periodically?

And leave it running in the (detatched) garage?

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[Tigger]

First, I would strongly recommend not leaving a running car in an enclosed place. Even a detached garage. Second, I would just put a battery trickle charger on it. Good ones are still under $50.

 

[bjbena]

I'll be sitting the bench for a month or so, and by default my BSFE will too.

What are the best practices for maintaining a BS in the interim?

I've been reading about dead batteries in this forum, etc.

Should I remote start periodically?

And leave it running in the (detatched) garage?

Fordpass will not allow you to do more than two remote starts without actually driving between them.

 

[Flash]

First, I would strongly recommend not leaving a running car in an enclosed place. Even a detached garage. Second, I would just put a battery trickle charger on it. Good ones are still under $50.

That's exactly what I would do.

 

[magicbus]

I just left mine in our barn while we head to Florida for six weeks. I disconnected the battery ground and patted it goodbye. This is the second season doing this.

 

[bjbena]

I just left mine in our barn while we head to Florida for six weeks. I disconnected the battery ground and patted it goodbye. This is the second season doing this.

I heard that's not good as batteries don't like to be discharged like that.

 

[magicbus]

I heard that's not good as batteries don't like to be discharged like that.

I don’t think patting my BS goodbye for six weeks causes discharge issues…. Maybe I should have made a grief counselor available to my BS before leaving!

 

[Dude]

I don’t think patting my BS goodbye for six weeks causes discharge issues…. Maybe I should have made a grief counselor available to my BS before leaving!

I disagree. All Bronco Sports have phantom current drain from the onboard electrical systems. If you do the math, you will see it takes about 6 weeks for this to drain down your battery below its reserve capacity. And that amount of time is for a fully charged healthy battery. It’s less time as the battery ages. You can find articles on this topic online and the specific model of battery in your vehicle provides you with its spec’d reserve capacity when new.

 

[Meanderthal]

I disagree. All Bronco Sports have phantom current drain from the onboard electrical systems. If you do the math, you will see it takes about 6 weeks for this to drain down your battery below its reserve capacity. And that amount of time is for a fully charged healthy battery. It’s less time as the battery ages. You can find articles on this topic online and the specific model of battery in your vehicle provides you with its spec’d reserve capacity when new.

It can't drain if it isn't connected.

 

[magicbus]

It can't drain if it isn't connected.

Exactly. Let’s see, a battery has two posts. Disconnect one and there can’t be any discharge. Disconnecting just the POS is simply dangerous to do. Before my BS I kept an older Escape with a NEG disconnect switch that I left for 5 months every year. Upon my return I would flip the switch and it started. Lots of internet discussions on this, mostly theory and no practical experience IMHO.

 

[MAGPLM]

Put an onboard charger on it. I have used these on many vehicles. They are great along with block heaters in the cold winter months. Nothing better that warm coolant and a fully charged battery!

Amazon.com: NOCO GENIUS2D, 2A Direct-Mount Onboard Car Battery Charger, 12V Automotive Charger, Battery Maintainer, Trickle Charger, Float Charger and Desulfator for AGM, Marine, Truck and Deep Cycle Batteries : Automotive

Even added this to my BSBL One plug doing it all.

Amazon.com: NOCO GCP2 15A AC Port Plug, 125V Power Inlet Socket, and Waterproof Electrical Outlet Receptacle Box with Dual 18-Inch Integrated Outdoor Extension Cords : Automotive

My boys have this same setup on there vehicles. 2014 Escape SE AWD & 2011 F150 XLT 4x4. These chargers work like a champ!!!

 

[SWUKU]

Put an onboard charger on it. I have used these on many vehicles. They are great along with block heaters in the cold winter months. Nothing better that warm coolant and a fully charged battery!

Amazon.com: NOCO GENIUS2D, 2A Direct-Mount Onboard Car Battery Charger, 12V Automotive Charger, Battery Maintainer, Trickle Charger, Float Charger and Desulfator for AGM, Marine, Truck and Deep Cycle Batteries : Automotive

Even added this to my BSBL One plug doing it all.

Amazon.com: NOCO GCP2 15A AC Port Plug, 125V Power Inlet Socket, and Waterproof Electrical Outlet Receptacle Box with Dual 18-Inch Integrated Outdoor Extension Cords : Automotive

My boys have this same setup on there vehicles. 2014 Escape SE AWD & 2011 F150 XLT 4x4. These chargers work like a champ!!!

This looks nice, and it's reasonably priced.
So, you just pop the hood and plug it into an outlet in the garage when you're not going to be using the vehicle for a while. Yes?

 

[SWUKU]

The picture shows attaching the negative to the terminal ... is this necessary with the trickle charger? Vs attaching it to the frame mounted charging post?

 

[Meanderthal]

The picture shows attaching the negative to the terminal ... is this necessary with the trickle charger? Vs attaching it to the frame mounted charging post?

It should work either way but it does some sensing of the battery which might be affected by using the frame mount.

 

[Dude]

It can't drain if it isn't connected.

Well it can (from internal resistance) but far more slowly and yep I missed the part about disconnecting the negative terminal.

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