Schumacher 1.5 amp charger

[CokerRat]

Well, I put my baby to bed for the winter this past weekend. Good timing too since we had 14 cm of snow overnight and it turns out everyone has forgotten how to drive on ice! What a shock. So now all I can do is read this board and watch NSX-Files Volume 4 'til spring.

I read a few threads from days gone by about the Schumacher 1.5 Amp charger... sounds like a great unit. I do have a question for those that use them, do you leave the battery hooked-up in your cars? I'm almost sure that's the case b/c it is referred to as a means of combatting the small current drain from the clock, memory settings, security system, etc. I'd like to actually go a step further and turn on the air conditioning compressor for 5 or 10 minutes every month or so to lubricate its seals, but not actually start the engine. Can anyone vouch for this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[MiamieNeSeX]

I still dont know how you guys up north do it. I go crazy after only a week of walking past the car and nt driving it. If you get cabin fever....... fly to Miami and I'll toss you the keys to mine.

Armando

 

[nsxtasy]

I do have a question for those that use them, do you leave the battery hooked-up in your cars?

Yes.

I'd like to actually go a step further and turn on the air conditioning compressor for 5 or 10 minutes every month or so to lubricate its seals, but not actually start the engine. Can anyone vouch for this?

Well, I'm not sure whether the A/C compressor can run if you don't start the engine. But I can tell you that I have never bothered running the A/C (or even starting the engine) for 13 winters now, and I have never had any A/C problems. So I don't think it's necessary. I think it's a good idea to use the A/C once in a while when you're running the car anyway, to lubricate the seals, but not when the car is just sitting.

BTW, the lowest price I've seen for the Schumacher charger is here...

 

[NCC-1701D]

CokerRat i put my car away yesterday as well... i have not driven it for the past week..i was looking forward to driving it this weekend too...oh well......I don't who got the worst winter storm us or you guys down there....all i know is there is snow on the ground, ice on the roads, and a terrible wind.....

I'm hoping that we get a few nice days so all the snow and ice melt so i can drive the X one more time this year....

 

[CokerRat]

Thanks for the confirmation and the link. I'll do a little more digging as they don't ship beyond the States - which is not uncommon. Battery USA sells it for $29, best price I found searching on the weekend that would ship to Canada. There's a place in Vancouver called Polar Battery; I'll give them a call in the morning as they don't list their prices on their website. Either way I'll get one on order tomorrow.

Armando you don't know how tempting that's going to be around January... I have realized that I wouldn't want to do all this winter prepping if I had a lesser car!

NCC-1701D: Everything ran behind this morning, l left the house at 6:45 and got to work just before 9... doh... I was really hoping we might get a nice dry fall like we did last year, virtually no snow 'til Christmas and a person definitely could have gotten a good couple of months out of the car. I dropped the liability & collision coverage this morning... the agent tried to sell me liability coverage for the winter for 10% of what the refund would otherwise be. I declined but later thought I should've asked her to give me an example where a parked car that wouldn't be able to get around the block (with these tires anyway) would need liability insurance...

 

[TigerNSX]

Is this installation of the charger straightforward?

 

[CokerRat]

I picked one up from Parts Source here in town (Cdn$32 + tax). I went to install it and discovered the NSX battery isn't exactly readily accessible. Tough to get wrenches down there to take the terminal on/off the post. So instead I just hooked the Schumacher's terminal hoops onto the bolts that hold the existing terminals onto the battery posts. It's not as secure as I'd like but it's easy to get off again in the spring and there's nothing that should bump them off. Seems to be charging, will check later to ensure it makes it up to 14V.

Nsxtasy, did you mount yours permanently or do you just hook it up when you put the car away for the winter?

Thanks
Darren

 

[nsxtasy]

Nsxtasy, did you mount yours permanently or do you just hook it up when you put the car away for the winter?

Mine is mounted permanently - I'm sure it's somehow strapped or bolted down, but I forget how it was done. It hasn't shaken loose in 11 years of track events. (I actually use mine year round, because my car often sits for weeks, sometimes months, at a time between track events, even in summer.

 

[coolnsx]

Bought similar unit at Harbor Frieght, I think $12, tye wrapped unit to car for perminate installation. Has worked great for 2 years with no battery issues.

 

[nsx1164]

how to mount with Odyssey 925 ?

Is this installation of the charger straightforward?

I have the Odyssey 925 battery with the DALI bracket/holder.

Is there a suggested way to mount the Schumacher SE112S with this setup ? Was hoping to NOT need to drill holes.

 

[NCC-1701D]

i was at Wal Mart yesterday and i sawquite a few different Schumacher battery chargers there..the prices ranged from 33.95 CND to 49.95 CND..


oh forgot to mention for people in Edmonton or Calgary ..

Canadian Tire has Mobil 1 on sale ..$25 CND for the 4.4 litre jug...


just to note...look outside today and another 6 cm of snow is on the ground...aghhhh i just shoveled the drive way last night before i went to bed...

 

[D'Ecosse]

...I'd like to actually go a step further and turn on the air conditioning compressor for 5 or 10 minutes every month or so to lubricate its seals, but not actually start the engine....

The AC compressor is mechanically driven by the engine, not electrical therfor the only way to cycle it is to have the engine turning - additionally, the compressor clutch needs to be engaged.
Don't think it's possible to do what you are trying to do.
Why not just start the engine periodically?

 

[nsxtasy]

Why not just start the engine periodically?

Or, just let it sit, without starting either the engine or the A/C.

 

[Rubber Chicken]

Schumacher charger hmm... be careful of team orders, its teammate charger may spontaneously break down in order for the Shumacher charger to take the lead.

 

[CokerRat]

Schumacher charger hmm... be careful of team orders, its teammate charger may spontaneously break down in order for the Shumacher charger to take the lead.

LOL!

D'Ecosse, thanks for the info on the drive for the AC compressor. Guess it will just sit then for the winter. It's just the age-old debate between additional wear, condensation in the exhaust system, etc from starting periodically versus letting it just sit for 5 months and just fire it up at the end. Clearly neither way causes catastrophic damage or it wouldn't be under debate. I took my final cue from SJJ28 who is responsible for storing a number of exotics every winter-- figured that's the way I'd go. Just thought I might get the best of both worlds by running the AC compressor periodically if it was electrically driven. I'm 95% sure my '99 Accord's AC can be operated independently of the engine running and thought the NSX might be the same.

 

[LrdVader]

Mine is also permanently mounted. The install went like this:

1) remove the spare tire and the spare tire bracket.

2) Remove the battery - be very careful not to let the bar holding in the battery touch the terminals.

3) The charger comes with an L shaped bracket designed to go under the battery. Set the charger in the plastic box that the battery came out of (mine is on the passenger side of the box) then put the battery in next to the charger. That plastic box is exactly wide enough for the battery and the charger - Those honda engineers thought of everything!

4) When I put the battery holder bar back on, I added a little electrical tape to avoid any chance of shorts - That bar really is too close to the terminals for my comfort.

5) Replace the spare tire bracket. I usually leave the tire itself out of the car for the winter - It makes it easier to get to the extension cord on the garage floor to plug it in. When I unplug it to drive it, I just tuck in the charger's cord to the front of the battery box.

I've had it for 2 years now and I love it.


As for winter storage, I like to drive it. In Colorado there is always at least one day a month when the weather is good and the sand is just on the shoulders. I drive it for 45 minutes on back roads where there isn't much trafic to kick up anything.


I really should move to LA or Phoenix or something...