Should I buy a car battery charger?
Posted by ElvisHuxley@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 17 comments
I’m debating buying a car battery charger. I just bought my first car. I love to sit in it and listen to music. I want this car to last forever because it’s a Beetle and Beetles are awesome.
So, I’m thinking that having the car only half-on (without the engine&alternator running and idling) will allow me to listen to music. It’ll also only drain the battery, correct?
So, if I get a car battery charger, technically I can sit in my car and listen to music for as long as I want!!!!!!! I’ll just make sure to not FULLY charge the battery (since I’ve heard that’s bad for batteries) and I’ll make sure to not let it die.
Is this a good idea? Why or why not?
Scazitar@reddit
Their good to have for emergencies
Overall though as long as you have a good battery your car play music for awhile without problem. It's not something you would like frequently be using to listen to music.
ElvisHuxley@reddit (OP)
Well I’m thinking like if I just sit in it for hours and listen to music with only the battery running, no engine. Surely that would kill it right? I’m really convincing myself that this is a good idea!!
Also nice engie pfp
beaushaw@reddit
Do you really think you will park your car, open the hood, plug in the battery, get back into the car, sit there for hours listening to music often?
I get that you just got your car and you love it but I really think this desire to sit in it for long periods of time will wear off.
Downtown_Reward_6339@reddit
If you want listen for hours; leaving your car on trickle charger is a good idea. Don’t idle the engine all the time.
Forward_Operation_90@reddit
Modern trickle chargers are very good. Using one might be excellent idea if sometimes the car sits several days without being started. Most come with a plug in pigtail that can be permanently installed so that the pigtail socket just is accessible at the grille and you need not open the hood. Having said that, I'd think you could listen to your car system 4-5 hours.and charge the battery with 1-2 minutes run time, as long as you don't have headlights on automatic.
cormack_gv@reddit
You can listen to the radio indefinitely, provided -- as you note -- you use the "acc" position and don't use headlights or other high-power accessories. Even if you plug in a laptop, that should be OK for a few hours.
bcsublime@reddit
You can’t listen to the radio “indefinitely” as it’s a parasitic loss and you don’t even know the vehicle or sound system.
cormack_gv@reddit
OK. You can listen to the radio for more than a day. How's that?
Intelligent_Part101@reddit
Not even close. You will kill the battery.
cormack_gv@reddit
It's a load. Nothing parasitic about it. But it is a tiny load compared to the capacity of the battery.
lord_scuttlebutt@reddit
Why not just buy a Bluetooth speaker?
bigdogdame92@reddit
They're often not as good as the built in car stereo. But OP has a beetle so it probably would be a better alternative
Tony-cums@reddit
Beetles are awesome and will last forever.
mx5plus2cones@reddit
I have trickle charger on all the cars I'm not using
Sea-North7215@reddit
Yeah, that’s a solid idea. A smart or trickle charger’s perfect if you like hanging out in your car with the music on, it’ll keep the battery from dying. Just don’t overdo it and maybe let the engine run once in a while to keep everything healthy.
EffectiveRelief9904@reddit
Start out with a good battery, like an optima yellow top. A deep cycle battery, or even add a second battery with an isolator so you can run it dead and still be a to start the car
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
Just get a power bank. Chefs choice. From huge to only phone. Headphones are a thing. I like my headphones to be comfy and expensive. But there are some troublingly good ear buds.
Save the money for a good phone mount.