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Old 11-04-2015, 07:07 PM
 
Location: Back and Beyond
2,993 posts, read 4,302,629 times
Reputation: 7219

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Say a hypothetical person (definitely not me, so don't try to rob my house) is going down south for a month long vacation and is leaving their car at the airport or a hotel with airport shuttle for the duration of the time their gone. This will be in the dead of winter.

Should I:
A) leave the car plugged In the entire time?
B) try and tip the hotel guy and talk him/her into plugging it in the day before I arrive?
C) try to kill some time when I return and just plug it in for a few hours when I get back ?

Wondering what other people do in this scenario? Leaving it plugged in for a month seems excessive, but I wasn't sure what would happen if it just sat there for a month in -40 temps.

Thanks and sorry for the newbie question!
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Old 11-04-2015, 07:55 PM
 
Location: Massachusetts
9,524 posts, read 16,507,823 times
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I know when I was stationed at Elmendorf AFB many years ago (1980). I was going to be out of town for close to a month. It was wintertime (Feb). I was worried as you are, as to what I should do about my car. I wasn't sure the airport had plugins, and if they did would they have enough. So rather than worry I ended up leaving it, with friends that lived not far from the airport. They would start it up every day while I was gone. When I got back it started right up. I doubt it would have had my friends, not started it and let it run for awhile every day.

In your case. I would just ask around as to what people do. I would also call the airport parking lot or the hotels where you might park, what do people do about their cars.

I can't see how a car will start up, after sitting for a month in that extreme cold. I would think it would have to be plugged in to start.
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Old 11-04-2015, 08:11 PM
 
Location: Anchorage
1,004 posts, read 1,188,511 times
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What part of the state? What time of year? If mid winter:
SE =just leave it
SC =plug in when you get back
Fairbanks = at -50 forget it or store inside
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Old 11-04-2015, 08:14 PM
 
Location: interior Alaska
6,895 posts, read 5,858,131 times
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If you're storing it at Pike's while you're gone, I believe it's routine to just tell them the date you'll be back, and they'll plug it in the day before. I've done this a few times. Last time I left it, the guy brushed off and shoveled out my truck for me before I got there, too, which was really nice.
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Old 11-04-2015, 09:00 PM
 
Location: Back and Beyond
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Thanks, this is in fairbanks. I'll look into staying at pikes the night before. Hopefully the hotel will accommodate me and plug it in the day before I come back.
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Old 11-04-2015, 09:20 PM
 
Location: Not far from Fairbanks, AK
20,292 posts, read 37,167,593 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 6.7traveler View Post
Thanks, this is in fairbanks. I'll look into staying at pikes the night before. Hopefully the hotel will accommodate me and plug it in the day before I come back.
The only problem I can see is that the battery can be discharged by the time you come back, unless you have a trickle-charger and maintainer such as a BatteryTender or similar. However, the car has to be plugged-in for the charger to do it's work.
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Old 11-04-2015, 09:29 PM
 
Location: Back and Beyond
2,993 posts, read 4,302,629 times
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I do have a battery trickle charger installed. Hopefully being plugged in for a day or two before hand will do the trick with the trickle charger? It's a relatively new battery so hopefully a jump will get her started if not. ...
I guess a dead battery would be a small price to pay for the warmth of the sun!
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Old 11-04-2015, 10:51 PM
 
Location: Interior Alaska
2,383 posts, read 3,102,239 times
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Why don't you just buy a timer?
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Old 11-04-2015, 10:56 PM
 
Location: Back and Beyond
2,993 posts, read 4,302,629 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by riceme View Post
Why don't you just buy a timer?
Just like a regular plug in timer from a hardware store and set it to come on for a few hours a day and stay plugged in the whole time? Didn't think of that....
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Old 11-04-2015, 11:28 PM
 
Location: Interior Alaska
2,383 posts, read 3,102,239 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 6.7traveler View Post
Just like a regular plug in timer from a hardware store and set it to come on for a few hours a day and stay plugged in the whole time? Didn't think of that....
Well yes, but you buy it from auto parts store.

I thought everybody owned a timer... ??
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