I am leaving on a 6 week trip and will have to leave my '08 HHR outside and covered. Should I try to disconnect the battery or just leave well enough alone? Since some computerized components will be 'sleeping' I don't know if the car will start when I get back. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

For 6 weeks I would think it would be fine...but I'm not an expert. When I stored my HHR for the winter my Grandpa would hook a trickle charger to the front terminal, but that only works if there is someone that can hook and unhook it for you while you are gone.

 

Thanks for the reply. I don't have a trickle charger anymore but I do have a 10/30/50 amp power booster. I think I'll just leave it alone and if it doesn't start I can put a slow 8 hour charge on it.

 

Yeah, I think that would be perfect.

 

Oh, and make sure to put Sta-bil in the gas tank! You wouldn't believe how quickly the gas will go bad!

 

Thanks for the reminder. I put stuff in my lawn mower in the fall before I put it away for the winter so the gas doesn't go bad.

 

Yeah, and I put my Lumina away for just a little over a month and when I got it back out the gas had already gone bad...

 

Best way to protect the battery, is to put it either on a battery minder, or a smart charger that will float it when it reaches full charge.

 

I've been using these things (or something similar) for years. Many of my batteries in my vehicles are 6 to 8 years old. I always have one hooked up to my '64 Bel Air and my '87 Silverado. Obviously, they're not daily drivers (not even monthly drivers). Good investment for cheap.

http://www.harborfreight.com/automat...ger-42292.html

 

Yep, battery tenders are the ticket.. Hook it up & forget it..