[lgbalfa]

Which is better for the Spider battery if you don't drive the car often?

A battery tender or a battery kill switch that completely disconnects the battery?

Thanks

 

[archeologist]

Either. But probably the tender. I have bought cars with electrical problems i traced back to a kill switch that didn't connect well. Adding another connection in a high current area is probably a bad idea.

 

[divotandtralee]

For cold climes and no drive for a month or so.. A green unscrew kill switch but hood clearance is problem . If no kill switch .. disconnect the ground cable at the battery.. Charge every two weeks with a trickle.charger... I try to drive my cars any time the roads are clean.. 15-20 miles.. This winter not so good. Best then is to start it till warm and pump the brakes and clutch to remind them not to freeze up.

 

[zedsn]

For my spica alfa I have a heavy duty disconnect switch bolted in right before the battery box on the + side of the battery that I installed. For my 87 that has a computer I keep the + hooked up and mounted a green unscrew kill switch for the - keeping + to the computer at all times

 

[kevinl]

I’m in the camp for CTEK battery tender, works good and keeps your battery in top shape. I have them on all my cars.


1993 Spider Veloce
2016 4c Coupe
2018 4c Spider

 

[Alfajay]

Battery tenders and kill switches are completely different approaches to the problem. Both have their pluses and minuses, so I wouldn't say that one is absolutely better than the other.

One thing I will say: those inexpensive, "green knob" kill switches are pretty poorly built. They CAN leave you stranded, or worse yet, lead to intermittent symptoms that will drive you crazy. If you decide a kill switch is the better solution for your needs, don't buy the cheapest one available.

 

[alfettaparts2]

I have fitted literally hundreds of these isolation switches to customer cars (and my own) and have never had a problem, for what its worth.
A good modern battery charger is also a worthy investment if you have cars that are not used much or just for small trips.


EDIT: I should add the brand I use is NARVA.

 

[JeroenD]

I have both one of these quick isolator switches and a CTEK trickle charge. In fact I have all of these on all three of my classic cars. The quick isolator is always handy when working on the car and all three cars are on the trickle charge permanently. Never had a battery go bad on me since I have been using the CTEKs.

Jeroen

 

[spiderserie4]

a battery cut off switch and (once in a while) I use a charger, if the car hasn't been used for months.
I don't like leaving cars that have ECUs on charge w/o disconnecting the battery....I have seen the motronic relay burnt through doing this (OK it might have been the trickle charger wasn't connected correctly)

I agree, some of those green switches are junk these days. The old ones were solid, had them on every car I owned. No doubt some are still well made.

I snapped up for cheap a NOS Maserati cut off switch (PN 383000322) with integrated cable.....better for cars where the battery pole is close to metal (hood or trunk metal), and you can mount the switch part solidly, if you want.
They cost over 200 new, but I think I got mine for 40 euros or something ridiculously cheap.........built like the proverbial "sherman tank"


I have had the car 12 years and when I bought it the battery looked already a few years old............I guess it is 15 years old in all.
But I always switch the battery off overnight, and I have wrapped the battery up to keep it cosy

 

[ECARRILLO]

A battery tender, should maintain your battery and allow you to drive your car any time. The kill switch is not bad, but the battery may still drain.

 

[alfettaparts2]

I snapped up for cheap a NOS Maserati cut off switch (PN 383000322) with integrated cable.....better for cars where the battery pole is close to metal (hood or trunk metal), and you can mount the switch part solidly, if you want.
They cost over 200 new, but I think I got mine for 40 euros or something ridiculously cheap.........built like the proverbial "sherman tank"

Good idea. These are found on many late(ish) model Maserati and Ferrari where the battery terminals are a PITA to get to.


Another suggestion would be a toggle switch, in particular one that also cuts the ignition. This might be an option for someone with a modified car and is indeed a safety requirement for motorsport competition

 

[pantera928]

This is like opening Pandora's box. Many differing opinions. I use a battery tender on all of my older cars. The only issue I have is when I absent mindedly jump in one of my cars and drive off without unplugging it. I then pull in somewhere and some mart a#@ points to the extension cord hanging out the back and says. "I did not know those were electric cars"

 

[alfettaparts2]

This is like opening Pandora's box.

As with many of these things, different ideas and approaches. Its good to get a variety of views.
100% If I had my car plugged into anything I would drive off with the device every time.

 

[r6ymy]

I use a battery isolator and a trickle charger. On my S2 Spider most of the circuits are still live with the ignition off, and I prefer knowing that when I'm working on the car everything is dead, also less chance of accidentally flattening the battery. The trickle charger is great at this time of year to keep the battery in good condition when the car can go several weeks between being driven.

 

[RFWicker3rd]

I put a battery tender on mine about 6 months ago and really like it. I have a red flag (remove before flight idea) to make sure I don't drive off with it plugged in as I am capable of doing almost anything dumb... I disconnect the battery before working on the car.

 

[ossodiseppia]

I use both

 

[DHS]

I use a Battery Minder brand on my car and aircraft, since the plane can sit months, I use a timer one hour a day keeps them topped up. I also use the green cut off switch, makes working on the wiring safer. Have never had a problem with either, and with a timer you won’t boil out the battery.

 

[divotandtralee]

A 10 mm nut undo on the Neg post works well especially if your battery is engine bay mounted. Zip off zip on... The battery will hold it's charge much longer that way but there is nothing better than a tender like the Deltran Plus... I just don't like to leave it it totally unattended for weeks on end.. like a long vacation.. I just don't trust anything that can fail and burn my house down.. I even shut off the water main to the house if gone for a week or so. Just too many oh schitt results in the news..

 

[scagliog]

I put a battery tender on mine about 6 months ago and really like it. I have a red flag (remove before flight idea) to make sure I don't drive off with it plugged in as I am capable of doing almost anything dumb... I disconnect the battery before working on the car.

.. The tender blows up very nicely in 1000 pieces when you drive over it... don't ask me how I know

 

[divotandtralee]

If you insist on the battery tender with BOTH posts connected ..(I think) this will happen. The instructions don't recommend this method.