changing a car battery - gadget

[lakelover]

I needed a new battery for the car, and while I was looking around online, I came across this: Car Battery | Auto Batteries | Pep Boys

I never thought much about it, but is there any reason you couldn't just hook up a standard 9v battery to your battery leads while you change it to serve the same function?

After changing the battery, the only thing I had to do was reset the clock, so I wouldn't bother anyway. Just got to thinking about it though.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

you can. I hooked up a float charger to the jumpercable terminals on the wifes car when I changed the battery in her car since I didnt want to have to set the clock and stations on the radio again.

 

[colbyt]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

Asking, cause I don't know. Is there any power going to the on board computer when the key is off? There must be since pulling the cables will reset the check engine light.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

I use a simple 1 amp charger. No, disconnecting the battery will not always reset the check engine light, there are several cars now a days that have low voltage batteries in the cpu to keep the codes, I know in my newer Fords, I have both a computer as well as a GEM module, if I disconnect the battery in my Explorer, I have to let it run a couple of minutes to re-sync the computer so it idles correctly and the check engine light does not re-set, I have to do that with a key on-off sequence or use my OBDII reader to re-set it.

I picked my 1 amp charger/maintainer up at Harbor Freight after discounts, sales and coupon, I paid about $5 for it.

 

[generator12]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

I looked through the old powerpacks left over from long discarded electronics until I found a 12 volt, 100ma unit. Used that with clips to the cigarette lighter outlet and that did the trick.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

I looked through the old powerpacks left over from long discarded electronics until I found a 12 volt, 100ma unit. Used that with clips to the cigarette lighter outlet and that did the trick.

I am trying to picture this? Wouldn't this create too high a voltage until you got the main battery unhooked?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

..... if I disconnect the battery in my Explorer, .......

MT, what year 'splorer do you have? I just bought a 2006 V8 Limited the weekend before Christmas. It had 125K on it and everything works except for one dash bulb and the windshield squirters. It is a neat little package. I'll be dumping my 1994 Burb 454 w/ 45k miles on it.

 

[hungupthespikes]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

Same as a battery charger that hooks thru the cigar lighters. It just has it's own power supply with very little amperage, nice job.

 

[lakelover]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

I guess that answers my question!

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

MT, what year 'splorer do you have? I just bought a 2006 V8 Limited the weekend before Christmas. It had 125K on it and everything works except for one dash bulb and the windshield squirters. It is a neat little package. I'll be dumping my 1994 Burb 454 w/ 45k miles on it.

Boom,

My current one is a 2003 XLS, loaded with all the bells and toys, unfortunately is has that darned 4.0 SOHC engine in it, which I have replaced once about 20k miles ago and I again have a timing chain cassette broke in it, so have to tear it down again in the spring, I love the car, but am getting to the point that I hate that engine, I would like to find one with a V-8 in it, this is the 4th one I have had, I had a 1991, 1995, 1997 and then this one the 2003, to check your windshield washers, look down by the washer fluid tank to make sure the tube did not come loose, I have had that happen a couple of times, or check under the hood, where the tube goes up to them, I had that break once as well.

As far as your other question, I am looking into them to see what I can find out.

Dp

 

[Boomyal]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

Boom,

....to check your windshield washers, look down by the washer fluid tank to make sure the tube did not come loose, I have had that happen a couple of times, or check under the hood, where the tube goes up to them, I had that break once as well.......

Those spots were on my list to check. I did just notice yesterday that I can hear the pump run when I depressed the switch. Due to holidays and weather I haven't had any occasion to fuss with the car and I didn't know, during the recent storm, whether the reservoir even had anti-freeze fluid in it. I did finally look down the filler neck and could see that the fluid was liquid so it is probably one of the areas that you mentioned.

The one thing I did fix was the broken parking brake release handle. Ford wanted about $170 for the whole assembly, which was absurd. With a $4 stainless cabinet knob from Lowes and a $16 milling bit from MKC Tools I made a first class repair.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

Having the ECM going through its learning mode is not that big of a deal. If its so that you don't have to reset your radio stations then maybe its worth it.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

I have an aftermarket, DVD player that I installed, that has a back up battery in it to maintain all of the memory functions, so I don't worry about the radio at all, I simply hook my 1amp up to maintain the ECM and GEM modules.

 

[bigdee]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

Having the ECM going through its learning mode is not that big of a deal. If its so that you don't have to reset your radio stations then maybe its worth it.

Thats me. It is less of a hassle for me to just re-enter the presets. I spend alot of time just sitting in the car while picking up the grandkids at school so it eases the boredom anyway!

 

[dennis461]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

Bought a used 2003 Ford, windshield washer very weak. Bought new pump, found algae clogging the filter in bottom of washer fluid reservoir.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

Bought a used 2003 Ford, windshield washer very weak. Bought new pump, found algae clogging the filter in bottom of washer fluid reservoir.

LOL... where did that come from?

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

This 9v battery thing has been around since the 80's does it work? No idea

 

[bruceb58]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

The dealers do not bother doing this. Why would anyone else?

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

The dealers do not bother doing this. Why would anyone else?

Because there would be no market for cheap gadgets Bruce, come on, you would put a whole industry out of business!

:lol:

 

[bruceb58]

Re: changing a car battery - gadget

Putting a battery charger on it could kill the ECM depending on what the open circuit voltage is of the battery charger is. Not all battery chargers are the same.