Best place to locate a battery isolator

[ajmuir]

Hi everyone, I'm interested in getting your opinion on the best place to mount a battery isolator in the engine bay.

My MR2 gets used sporadically and if I let it sit unused for >4 weeks, the alarm tends to run the battery dry.

To avoid this (and keep the battery in good condition) I'd like to fit an isolator so that when I expect the car won't be used for a while I can unhook the battery without having to get my tools out.



Are there any mounting locations I should avoid? Any recommended "strong" points near the battery tray?

Really appreciate your help.

[turbo 500]

hi the only problem with switching off the battery supply is it can tend to screw up the alarm system my own battery went flat to lack of use.fitted new battery and had alarm faults  went to Toyota and they told me the alarm would to learn again. gerry

[dj2k21]

You could always swap the terminals for those from something like a peugeot 307 like I have. I noticed my peugeot ones were quick release so very easy indeed to remove the battery. I got some spares from a scrapyard for £5 and put them on the mr2. There perfect and the battery is so so easy to take in and out now

[theredone]

or you could consider getting a small solar panel to trickle charge the battery when the car is not in use.

[dj2k21]

or you could consider getting a small solar panel to trickle charge the battery when the car is not in use.

No good if the cars in a garage though?

I do have a very good charger I got from Demon Tweeks made by Ctek.
It's brilliant because it has a full charge and winter charge and top up functions etc. It comes with some special terminals with a kind of usb affair attached which you can mount somewhere easily accessible or something and simply plug it in and walk away

[DannyN]

Mount solar panel on roof of garage, wire through to car

[ajmuir]

I just wanted to liven up this post again to say that I've found a much easier solution to my battery-draining woes.

I found a product on eBay that requires no attachment to the body of the car, just the negative terminal of the battery. Simply unbolt the right-angled terminal from the negative lead coming from the battery and put this on instead.

Then it's just a case of turning the knob clockwise to engage the connection, or loosen anti-clockwise to disconnect the battery completely.

It works great and at only £5.50 it's money well spent if your MR2 spends a lot of time sadly tucked away in your garage.

[mr2matt]

another vote for the trickle charger, I have used one on a couple of my cars and they work very well, especially on a small battery like the ones in MR2's and as I did an MX5.

I had this one,

 m http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered ... rger-l58bf m