I just bought a 2002 ML320 with about 94000 miles. I will be leaving the vehicle in Salt Lake for the winter for occasional use. It may go weeks or months without anyone starting the car. What is the best way to preserve the battery life with the least amount of complication. Unfortunately there is no electrical outlet near the underground parking garage where it will be stored. Thanks for your advice and suggestions.
Perserving battery life
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I'm very impressed with the Battery Tender line of trickle chargers. Here's a link to the model I've been using for the last few years on my 75 CJ5 and my 99 ML430
Battery Tender 021-0128 Battery Tender Plus 12V Battery Charger : Amazon.com : Automotive
716 happy customers can't be wrong..........
Battery Tender 021-0128 Battery Tender Plus 12V Battery Charger : Amazon.com : Automotive
716 happy customers can't be wrong..........
didn't he just say there are NO outlets around?
It's going to be a hassle no matter what.
I don't know how long an ML will go before the battery discharges from standing loads. I've never left mine sitting for more than a couple of weeks and it was fine, but eventually the standing loads from everything from the radio presets on will draw the battery down.
My only experience with long term storage with no power readily available was with boats. The standard drill with a boat is to disconnect the battery(ies) in moderate climates or remove them alltogether in more severe climates and store them someplace warm. I suspect that in SLC you'd be OK with making sure the battery was fully charged and then disconnecting it. It should be fine even months later but you'll have to reset everything.
When I had a boat that had electrical power at the dock and I was going to be gone for any length of time, I would unplug it because there is considerable risk with shorepower shorting out or frying plugs and starting a fire. I would just arrange to have somebody drop by every few days and plug it in for awhile to make sure the batteries maintained a good charge. All boats leak and batteries don't stay charged long when they're running bilge pumps, so you have to charge them every few days. If you want to avoid the hassle of disconnecting and reconnecting the battery and resetting everything, you might consider hiring somebody to look in on it every week or two, starting it up, and getting a good charge back on the battery.
And if you're going to let it sit for long periods put StaBil or a similar product in the gas.
I don't know how long an ML will go before the battery discharges from standing loads. I've never left mine sitting for more than a couple of weeks and it was fine, but eventually the standing loads from everything from the radio presets on will draw the battery down.
My only experience with long term storage with no power readily available was with boats. The standard drill with a boat is to disconnect the battery(ies) in moderate climates or remove them alltogether in more severe climates and store them someplace warm. I suspect that in SLC you'd be OK with making sure the battery was fully charged and then disconnecting it. It should be fine even months later but you'll have to reset everything.
When I had a boat that had electrical power at the dock and I was going to be gone for any length of time, I would unplug it because there is considerable risk with shorepower shorting out or frying plugs and starting a fire. I would just arrange to have somebody drop by every few days and plug it in for awhile to make sure the batteries maintained a good charge. All boats leak and batteries don't stay charged long when they're running bilge pumps, so you have to charge them every few days. If you want to avoid the hassle of disconnecting and reconnecting the battery and resetting everything, you might consider hiring somebody to look in on it every week or two, starting it up, and getting a good charge back on the battery.
And if you're going to let it sit for long periods put StaBil or a similar product in the gas.
As 43sqd recommended....REMOVE the battery and put it on a trickle charger.
1998 ML320 stock 318,112 miles 2000 ML320 stock 250,994 miles 2000 ML 320 270,224 miles parts car
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Remove the battery and take it with you and trickle charge it every month. Then return to the truck with a fully charged battery.
CNB
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Remove the battery and take it with you and trickle charge it every month. Then return to the truck with a fully charged battery.
CNB
Take the battery with you is the best solution. You shouldn't charge a battery unattended JIC.
Thanks for all the responses. I think it's possible to remove the battery and take it to a storage closet and apply a trickle charge at the end of the ski season. I have a separate storage room that should be ok for this. Since the radio is after market resets should much simpler.
My battery "died" a last year I think. I put a charger on it for a few days and started the truck right up, no reset required. The radio is aftermarket. (Oh, and I am still using that battery lol)
If the battery is charged and healthy in the first place just remove the negative terminal and leave it in the car. It will be fine that way for 6 months. But as others have said then you have to reset/recalibrate a lot of stuff over and above the radio station presets.
Does the W163 have an auxiliary battery same as the W164? If so, then that too has to disconnect.
Does the W163 have an auxiliary battery same as the W164? If so, then that too has to disconnect.
Auto parts stores carry "memory savers" that utilize a 9-volt battery when you disconnect your battery for one reason or another. Could possibly keep you from having to re-enter radio codes, seat memory settings, etc. Not sure how long it would last on a vehicle that wasn't used much.
Here's one available at PepBoys:
http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/9652149/
Here's one available at PepBoys:
http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/9652149/
Not much good for a 6 month storage.
If you do not periodically charge the battery during this 6 mo. period you will need a new battery.
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