My neighbour is going to use a Halfords "Advanced Fully Automatic Battery Charger" to charge his 2009 focus after the cars been laid up for 6 weeks whilst he was on holiday, the instructions on the battery charger recommend removing the battery for charging, I'm not sure this is a good idea as the car would loose ECU and radio memory, is there any reason why it cannot be charged whilst still connected to the car, providing rain is kept off the charger?

i wouldnt the immobiliser and ecu run off the battery a spike can blow the ecu the radio you can reset and thdm ecu will relearn its values

Best to charge off the car.

Only charger I'd connect to a battery on a car is a maintainer/trickle charger.

the battery should still be capable of starting th car after 6 months in storage.

if he takes it for a 60minute drive with the air con off this should charge the battery enough,

i had my focus in storage for 6 months and started it once a month with no problems, then got it serviced after taking it out of storage so i would recommend the service to your neighbour.

Removing the battery should not affect the ECU (crumbs I have done this hundreds of times). It may need you to input the radio code but the owner will know this code. However recent newish cars I have removed the battery from the radio code wasnt affected (??) it should have been but wasnt.

charging a battery i always being told about spikes, never to charge a battery whilst its still connected to the car, but buy a booster pack and boost start it whilst it on the car these cost about 35 quid..... unsure about radio codes as ive never had a oem stereo, these have always being taken out same day as purchase.....

Thanks for the rapid response, I would expect nothing else from Stoney; taking the car for a drive as recommended by Lenny is not a goer as the guy has broken his arm, it may be some time before its driven again; I'll remove the battery connections providing he has the radio code and put it on trickle charge for 24 hours. Unfortunately I can't recruit him as a new member as he is not into computers; looks like I will be his go-between for advice. <_<

Thanks for the rapid response, I would expect nothing else from Stoney; taking the car for a drive as recommended by Lenny is not a goer as the guy has broken his arm, it may be some time before its driven again; I'll remove the battery connections providing he has the radio code and put it on trickle charge for 24 hours. Unfortunately I can't recruit him as a new member as he is not into computers; looks like I will be his go-between for advice. <_<

when you remove the battery mate,

dont place on on to concrete or the ground because this will zap the life from the battery, their is some science behind it but im not sure on the full details but my mate is a jungheinrich mechanic and told me this about batterys before so just passing it on store it on something elevated from the ground.

when you remove the battery mate,

dont place on on to concrete or the ground because this will zap the life from the battery, their is some science behind it but im not sure on the full details but my mate is a jungheinrich mechanic and told me this about batterys before so just passing it on store it on something elevated from the ground.

I had heard that. I haven't looked at the car yet but I was hoping to disconnect the battery and leave it in the car and then connect his charger.

I had heard that. I haven't looked at the car yet but I was hoping to disconnect the battery and leave it in the car and then connect his charger.

sounds good and unless its a 2ltr engine. their should be some room next to the battery box to sit the charger in their,

some stable in the fuel tank before storage would also help things, and a biscuit tin full of rice in the rear footwell would absorb any moisture, i have a bottle Sta-Bil spare but due to shipping of chemicals and stuff i dont have a UN approved package and DSG labels to be capable of sending it lol

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STA-BIL-Fuel-Stabiliser-uses-Cars-Boats-Lawnmowers-/220876131106?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item336d3e4b22

Charging battery is best always to seperate battery from car, wether you leave the battery in the engine bay or take it out, its never a good idea to do a charge whilst all electrics are connected, but I would certainly remove the positive lead before charging...

i use a booster pack when mine gets low ( i dont do many miles and the immobilizer/alarm runs it down) but i also use an optimate trickle charger in the winter - remove the neg wire first then the pos ..incase the pos accidently touches earth - the headlights will flash when you try to start with a low battery charge - i have a spare battery in the garage perminantly on the optimate that i swop when needed..usually takes me about 15 mins to change over (makes sure theres nothing you need in the boot while the batteries disconnected )

Ford do not recomend using booster packs or jump leads to start their cars, as the smart charge system could zap up to 18 volts into the system and this can fry componants,

yeah thats a good point only booster packs designed to work on smart charge its rare but it can fry electrics

i agree with what your both saying .. i NEVER use the booster if the battery is completly flat only when it struggles to turn the engine over and i ALWAYS connect the earth to the engine NOT the battery terminal -i leave it for a few minutes to add a top upto the original, then disconnet and start the engine the battery never gets too flat as i swop it over with the one on the optimate to maintain both ( same battery in fiesta)