Short term storage???

[RACNXTG3]

Originally Posted by bradgarbus

I wanted to get some advice.

I will be going on a cruise out of Baltimore in a few weeks and I will be parking my car for 10 days while I am at sea in the cruise port's parking area.

My concern is I would get back from the cruise to find my battery dead?!

Have any of you left your smart parked outside for 10 days and run into any issues???

Thanks!

That shouldn't really be a problem for a smart to endure. My dad has his car sitting outside for like, ever, and yet it can stilll drive around without having to charge up the battery. I'm assuming that the smarts' battery is about as big as any other car battery, since we had a dodge neon and the battery has never gone flat, even being parked forever, so you shouldn't have a problem parking it for that long...

[Mud Pie]

Originally Posted by Old smart

"1.8-watt solar charger plugs into your vehicle's 12-volt lighter socket"

With the ignition off, the 12VDC receptical isolated - you'd have to rig it directly to the battery.

While this is true about the 12vdc socket being isolated, wouldn't the ignition be on if he was trying to start it, thereby making the circuit ?

[geosynch]

I recently went on a two week business trip, then 4 weeks of vacation. I never thought about leaving my smart unused (until I read this thread...) for that short of a period. When I got home, I drove off with no issues.

Four years ago I quit my job and traveled around the world for a year. I drove my Honda into a storage unit when I left, disconnected the battery and shut the door. Upon returning, I charged the battery and drove off. I still have the Honda, and while I did have to replace that battery a short time after I got it out of storage, there have been no other issues....

For several weeks of non-use on a modern car, don't give it a second thought.

geosynch

[The Rigger]

I regularly leave my Cabrio in storage for weeks and months at a time. Ten days won't hurt the battery at all. Just park it and enjoy your vacation.

[Fuse 11]

I've had mine fail to start (in fact, even fail to open the door locks) after 3 weeks of disuse.
The solar trickle-charger sounds like an excellent idea -- I'll have to get one for the next time that comes up!
-Rusty
'09 Passion Coupe (blue/grey)

[spdickey]

I left for five weeks AFTER getting the 2.0 upgrade and no problem. Before the upgrade I would have to jump the car go get started after even a couple of weeks in the garage.

[donnyonee]

if you have the larger battery it shouldnt be a problem. and i installed a socket in the back that i use for my solar charger and 12 v blender, (margaretas).
no not really. could thou.
i camp with the smart and i have the 34/78 battery (dvd, shower pump, lights, fan etc..) and have not had any issues at all.
if you have a alarm it might be a problem (10 days?)
imho