C6 Battery isolator

[Pvapour]

I appear to be real lazy here, but the car is currently tucked up, so difficult to get to & check for myself.

Is there a battery isolator on the C6 somewhere, be handy for lay up periods.

Cheers!

[vetteheadracer]

Not aware of one on the Z06.

[G4HKS]

You would be much better using an intelligent charger - that way your battery will not be shagged when you finally start her up at a later date. When I park the C6 I just plug in the CTEK charger into the cigar lighter socket and the battery is kept in optimum condition. Never a dud battery yet and the car always starts. I have 6 of the things!

See: http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/P...

Or a lower cost model in the CTEK range:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/P...

Don't forget to add the optional Cigar Lighter plug assembly otherwise you can't plug the charger through the cigar socket. This is found here:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/P...

Note, not all cars allow the Cigar socket to be connected to the battery when the ignition is turned off. It's quite easy to tell of course, just pop in something into the cigar socket in the car with the keys out of the ignition and see if it's powered. If not you will have to wire across the battery with the supplied cable.

Edited by G4HKS on Monday 23 February 22:11

[Pvapour]

G4HKS said:

You would be much better using an intelligent charger - that way your battery will not be shagged when you finally start her up at a later date. When I park the C6 I just plug in the CTEK charger into the cigar lighter socket and the batter is kept in optimum condition. Never a dud battery yet and the car always starts. I have 6 of the things!

See: http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/P...

Or a lower cost model in the CTEK range:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/P...

Don't forget to add the optional Cigar Lighter plug assembly otherwise you can't plug the charger through the cigar socket. This is found here:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/P...

Note, not all cars allow the Cigar socket to be connected to the battery when the ignition is turned off. It's quite easy to tell of course, just pop in something into the ccigar socket in the car with the keys out of the ignition and see if it's powered. If not you will have to wire across the battery with teh supplied cable.

Edited by G4HKS on Monday 23 February 14:41

Thanks for the info, if no go with the isolator, then as you say, go with a top up charger, might look to see if there is a solar powered one TBO as we get a fair bit of sun down here, there must be one I'd have thought

Thanks again

edited to say: vettehead - does the roof come out on the Z06 like the Coupe?

Edited by Pvapour on Monday 23 February 16:02

[mitch_]

Pvapour said:

G4HKS said:

You would be much better using an intelligent charger - that way your battery will not be shagged when you finally start her up at a later date. When I park the C6 I just plug in the CTEK charger into the cigar lighter socket and the batter is kept in optimum condition. Never a dud battery yet and the car always starts. I have 6 of the things!

See: http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/P...

Or a lower cost model in the CTEK range:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/P...

Don't forget to add the optional Cigar Lighter plug assembly otherwise you can't plug the charger through the cigar socket. This is found here:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/P...

Note, not all cars allow the Cigar socket to be connected to the battery when the ignition is turned off. It's quite easy to tell of course, just pop in something into the ccigar socket in the car with the keys out of the ignition and see if it's powered. If not you will have to wire across the battery with teh supplied cable.

Edited by G4HKS on Monday 23 February 14:41

Thanks for the info, if no go with the isolator, then as you say, go with a top up charger, might look to see if there is a solar powered one TBO as we get a fair bit of sun down here, there must be one I'd have thought

Thanks again

edited to say: vettehead - does the roof come out on the Z06 like the Coupe?

Edited by Pvapour on Monday 23 February 16:02

Z06's are an aluminium chassis not steel therefore the roof is permanently tabbed in to prevent too much flex. Some guys in the U.S. have removed them as it is possible, but pretty stupid IMO. Oh and there's no isolator on any Corvettes that I can think of, regardless of age.

[555ST]

I agree that the use of a trickle charger of some description is a good thing. These cars can experience electronics niggles if the battery has been left to go flat or is disconnected.

[Pvapour]

Thanks for the info Mitch, how much weight did the Ally chassis save out of interest? was the saving offset by other things?

ordered one of these, looks good, will see & report

http://www.batterystuff.com/solar-chargers/2.5Wfra...

[car95]

For a C6 Z06 what's the recommended way of keeping a battery topped-up, in situ?

Connect to battery?

Connect via the jump-start points under the hood?

Connect via cigar-lighter?

Other?

I've just had a new battery and would rather like it not to go the way of the first.

Thanks.

[Tom74]

Theres seems to be lots of people who have battery problems with these cars. I tend to drive mine about two or three times a month and have no issues with starting it up. Initially it was a daily driver for 6 months.

When I bought it it came with a tag on the gear shift saying leave in reverse to islolate the battery when off which I do although lots on the corvette forum say this is not worth doing.

It would be interesting to see what the "right" thing to do is!

[car95]

any advice, anyone? thanks

[G4HKS]

See my post above, buy a C-Tek. I have them on use for 3 of my cars and they all start 100% each time, even when a vehicle is not used for a month or two.

[car95]

Yeah, thanks. I just wondered if there's a "recommended" or best way. I've heard that at Wavendon they charge the batteries out of the cars (which I don't want to do!).

[G4HKS]

That's probably when the battery is very low or needs boosting.

By using the C-Tek that problem usually never occurs. I did have to slightly modify the cigar lighter plug option though, I had to trim the outer ring back about 1/4" because the socket is longer that standard.

It was very easy to do, just hack-sawed around the red ferrell and it then it went all the way home making contact.