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battery tender or lack of effect on stored shelby 2007 gt

Discussion in '2nd Generation Shelby Mustangs' started by 2007ShelbyGT, Jul 12, 2013.

  1. Jul 12, 2013 #1
    2007ShelbyGT

    2007ShelbyGT Member

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    Hi - I have a 2007 shelby gt - it is stored in florida for the summer and i had a walmart schumacher battery maintainer hooked on it until i heard about possible fire problems where the unit does not shut off. I had my house sitter unhook it. Now - i won't be down until maybe january. Wondering if the battery will drain and affect the car programming / tuning in any way?? I think the only thing going is the red flashing light on dash. Also - anyone have issues with the walmart unit?
     
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 12, 2013
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 12, 2013
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  2. Jul 12, 2013 #2
    Bob Gaines

    Bob Gaines Well-Known Member

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    Yes your battery will definitely drain in about a month or so because of all of the electronics in your car working behind the scene. If it is the original to the car you are living on borrowed time . It has gone well beyond it's life expectancy and will die shortly. mine did in my 2007 GT500 last month and my 2006 Ford GT last year. I use the Battery Tender brand of unit. There are other look alike units but I know this brand works.
     
    Bob Gaines, Jul 12, 2013
    Bob Gaines, Jul 12, 2013
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  3. Jul 14, 2013 #3
    2007ShelbyGT

    2007ShelbyGT Member

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    Hi - what about the car's computer/chip programming for the engine tuning? Will a dead battery affect that? Some say no? The car is set to only run on 91 octane due to cold air intake and whatever else they did at shelby.
     
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 14, 2013
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 14, 2013
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  4. Jul 14, 2013 #4
    mrmustang

    mrmustang Well-Known Member

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    No, the program is on the chip (burned in if you like), a dead battery will not affect it at all.


    Bill S.
     
    mrmustang, Jul 14, 2013
    mrmustang, Jul 14, 2013
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  5. Jul 14, 2013 #5
    2007ShelbyGT

    2007ShelbyGT Member

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    THANKS - i'll likely let it go and when i get down there in January i'll charge it up or i may need a new battery. Then i'll buy a battery tender to put on it in the future.
     
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 14, 2013
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 14, 2013
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  6. Jul 15, 2013 #6
    2007ShelbyGT

    2007ShelbyGT Member

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    From what i read no battery tender can be trusted and i am not there to keep an eye on it. Do you think i will be able to recharge it in january successfully or will it be killed and unsafe to use? So i will likely have to buy a new battery???
     
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 15, 2013
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 15, 2013
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  7. Jul 15, 2013 #7
    Bob Gaines

    Bob Gaines Well-Known Member

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    With a number of collector cars that i keep in long term storage I will share with you what i have learned. It has been my experience and that unlike many others that the Battery Tender BRAND can be trusted during long term unsupervised storage. The off brands that are knock offs sold at a variety of discount stores are the ones to worry about. Letting your batter go dead is the worst thing you can do to shorten the life of your battery. Once you let your battery go dead and it stays dead for any length of time it cuts the life in half . Couple that with a older battery and you will be luckey if it will #1 take a charge and #2 hold one for any length of time. In your discribed situation I would plan on buying a new battery and then put it on a Battery Tender Brand for storage after that. That is what I have done for many years and have multiple units going as we speak. FYI the Battery Tender is not strong enough to charge up a almost dead battery. If partially discharged it may take a couple days to bring it back to full change in which case it will have a red light. If a battery is too far discharged for what ever reason i use a conventional charger and charge it then switch over to the battery tender. A bad battery will typicall not charge with the Battery Tender and show a green light even though it is dead . Those batteries are dead dead. The Battery Tender brand will not be damaged if you acidently connect to the wrong polarity unlike other brands.I hope this helps.
     
    Bob Gaines, Jul 15, 2013
    Bob Gaines, Jul 15, 2013
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    rshelby likes this.
  8. Jul 15, 2013 #8
    2007ShelbyGT

    2007ShelbyGT Member

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    thanks FOR REPLY - I could order a battery tender and have my house sitter put it on. The lead with plug/jack looks like the same one that is on the battery that the walmart unit was plugged into. Could just plug that in. The battery in the 07 shelby is the original and although the car has only 12,000 miles on it i suppose it is going bad. I could buy a new battery and a tender in january. ? Battery has never seen cold but lots of hot florida weather.
     
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 15, 2013
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 15, 2013
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  9. Jul 17, 2013 #9
    rshelby

    rshelby ShelbyForums Admin Staff Member

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    I have seen the same and agree with Bob. I use a product called Save a Battery and they have worked well for me. Have not heard of any fire risk.

    Randall
     
    rshelby, Jul 17, 2013
    rshelby, Jul 17, 2013
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  10. Jul 17, 2013 #10
    2007ShelbyGT

    2007ShelbyGT Member

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    Ya, looks like i'll be buying a new battery - what model/brand should i get? Battery is original and even though few miles it is 6 yr old. It has been a good battery and never had a problem with it. I'll get a battery tender for the new one or unhook it when i go north for the summer next April?? I am suspicious of trusting ANY battery maintainer at all.
     
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 17, 2013
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 17, 2013
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  11. Jul 30, 2013 #11
    fcettner

    fcettner Member

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    Can you provide more info/source on the schumacher battery maintainer not shutting off.
    TIA.
     
    fcettner, Jul 30, 2013
    fcettner, Jul 30, 2013
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  12. Jul 30, 2013 #12
    2007ShelbyGT

    2007ShelbyGT Member

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    just good sdearch it causing fire
     
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 30, 2013
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 30, 2013
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  13. Jul 30, 2013 #13
    2007ShelbyGT

    2007ShelbyGT Member

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    i mean google
     
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 30, 2013
    2007ShelbyGT, Jul 30, 2013
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  14. Jul 30, 2013 #14
    Rex B

    Rex B Member

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    I have used and sold Schumacher products for decades. I have one of the old maintainers on my PWC for 10 years, and the original battery lasted 10+ years. I have not seen anything on a recall and we get very few defects - from 200 retail stores.

    Today the newest maintainer is the Schumacher SP3. It's 1.5A microprocessor-controlled, tests the battery and modifies the charging curve to match the type of battery. Pretty slick. It has brought marginal batteries back to 100%.
     
    Rex B, Jul 30, 2013
    Rex B, Jul 30, 2013
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