Winter racecar storage starts with battery maintenance

As most racing series wind down in the coming weeks, it’s time in many parts of the country to start putting competition vehicles away for the winter and making sure they are ready to go when racing resumes in the spring. Even if upgrades or swapping out worn parts for new aren’t on this year’s menu, there is still some preparation to be done to make sure the car is ready to go next time it rolls off the trailer at the racetrack.

Many cars will benefit from removing as much as fuel as possible from the tank -- if that fuel is going to be stored for a while, a fuel stabilizer is a good idea. Tires should be protected from extreme cold or big temperature swings, stored in a cool, dry dark environment if at all possible. And batteries must be maintained.

That latter item isn’t as simple as it sounds. Sure, a trickle charger might keep the battery from going dead, but that’s a different thing than proper maintenance. Today’s racing batteries, often using Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM), gel or Lithium Ion technology are expensive and they’re not run-down-to-the-store-and-replace items, either. So, to make sure it’s ready when you need it and to extend its life -- whether the car is stored for the winter, a few weeks, or you just need to make sure the battery is topped off between races – hook it up to a proper smart battery maintainer such as one of the many Battery Tender® by Deltran products.

The difference between a Battery Tender® and a trickle charger is simply one of smart vs. dumb. A trickle charger just delivers a steady flow of low voltage. That can be as bad for the battery over the long term as discharge. A Battery Tender® charger has a microprocessor that controls the voltage based on feedback from the battery. Sensors in the product report the state of the battery to the microprocessor. After fully charging the battery, the voltage drops to a maintenance level. That’s a good idea for racers, not just during the winter, but also in between races in the summer as well (especially in the hotter parts of the world where racing is often suspended between June and September).

Battery Tender® offers a variety of chargers to suit every need and battery type. For ultimate versatility, the 6V/12V, 4 Amp Lead Acid & Lithium Selectable Battery Charger will charge lead-acid, AGM or Li-Ion batteries at either 6 or 12 volts. Have a bunch of batteries to keep in top condition? Battery Tender has 5- and 10-bank chargers, with each channel equivalent to a 4-Amp charger.

Most of the Battery Tender® Chargers will tell you if it is in charging or maintenance mode, and cost a fraction of the expensive batteries they’re maintaining. It’s a simple way to make sure your racecar is ready to start when you need it and to extend the life of expensive racing batteries.

Visit batterytender.com to learn more about their world-class power products.