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Hi guys, just wondering if anyone knows if the start battery would survive a month without any driving? Going overseas and don’t have anyone to drive the lux for me. Would a dash mounted solar panel be enough to keep it alive? Can they be plugged into the cig socket or does it have to go direct to the batt? Am I better off just disconnecting for a month and not having the alarm working? Last thing I want is to come home and have to buy a new battery.... Cheers for any input

Mine sits for a month or so all the time and never had an issue until the battery died of old age after 6 Years

The cig socket is not connected to the battery when the car is off so you would have to connect straight to the battery. Went to New Zealand for 3 weeks and left the hilux at a car park no problems when I returned.

Thanks for that, I suspected the cig socket wouldn’t work but wasn’t sure.

If you're only going for a month I wouldn't worry about it if the battery is in good condition if it's longer than that and the cars park in a safe spot I take the battery out altogether makes it hard to be ripped off when there's no battery to start it the small solar panels you're talking about are not fitted with a regulator and can over charge the battery and through the cigarette lighter ignition needs to be turned on accessories.

Haven't left the Hilux for that long, but we leave the wife's diesel VW Golf in the garage for four or five months each year when travelling. I just disconnect the battery terminals and hook up when we return.....starts first go.

maningrid wrote:Thanks for that, I suspected the cig socket wouldn’t work but wasn’t sure.

Get a solar charger that connects via the obd socket, got mine from Amazon, works perfectly, my hilux stands unused for many weeks at a time.

When I went to North America for 6 weeks in Aug-Sept this year both my Hilux and Mrs’ Lexus started OK. I had a charger on the aux battery in the Hilux but not on the main (car can be started from the aux). Both starting batteries are good quality Supercharge too and less than 3 years old each.

Charge the battery with a good 240vac charger before you go. This will bring battery to full charge which will minimize sulphation from sitting there for a month. Then do same when you get back. That will help eliminate the sulphation that does occur.

outbackjoe wrote:Charge the battery with a good 240vac charger before you go. This will bring battery to full charge which will minimize sulphation from sitting there for a month. Then do same when you get back. That will help eliminate the sulphation that does occur.

Likewise, I charge before and after a long spell (6months) and always works fine, use a smart charger not the old fashioned one and no need to disconnect the battery with the smart charger. Also don't try to start until charged fully, you will fry the starter motor if you have a low battery.

Go to supercheap get a battery maintainer it is a small plugpack charger only outputs may be 1 amp max keeps battery float at about 13,8 volts will never over charge you can leave it on all the time the vehicle is parked in your garage might cost about two dollars a year to run off mains power, there are a few systems that run even when our vehicles are parked.
Cheers

Thanks guys, the cars getting a good couple of hours highway driving just before we go away. Should be well topped up i reckon so I'll leave it and if I need to I can put the Ctek on when I get home. Cheers

If your worried just disconnect a battery terminal. A month is nothing if you battery is in reasonable condition. Dont waste your money,if it doesnt start when you get back use the money towards a new battery. And dont worry you wont "fry" your starter if your battery is a bit low if you dont persivere trying to crank when it wont.

All depends on the condition of your battery and how much current draw you have.

Another big cause for flat batts after 3 weeks or so is the electronic rust prevention snake oil the dealers push.