charging car battery... or connecting my radio to a 12V. how?

Question

hi there.. ok my car radio is a becker model 1432 and has one of those annoying features where if the battery died or somehow got disconnected and reconnect, it will ask you to enter a code. However, you have to "Wait..." before you can re-enter codes as a security feature. Unforunately I have to wait up to 24 hours before I can re-enter my code.
Thus the ignition (not the enginre though) has to be on for up to 24 hours, and I am very worried my battery will die if I do this. Thus I want to take out my radio and wire it up to a 12V battery to simulate the same thing. What is this called/ where do I get it, its like a 12V battery that you can plug into an AC outlet.

Either that or is there something I can hook up to my car battery and plug it in to an AC outlet to ensure my battery doesnt die (this way I wont have to take the radio out of the car).

Im willing to spend a reasonable amount to get a good quality 12V - i dont want anything thats bad quality.

Thanks)).

yep.. trickle charger is exactly what im looking for.. but is this something that needs to be plugged into an AC outlet or can it be charged to full before its used and then simply hooked up to the car battery. If its done like this, how long would it last before needing a recharge.

Im just wondering this because i'm not sure if I have an extension cable long enough to reach the nearest outlet to where the car would be parked.

thanks

Where can I pick up a trickle charger (I don't want to wait by ordering online), and what are good brands to look for?

Answer 1

easiest thing to due that wont cost a good deal of money would be getting a good trickle charger to hook to the battery. that way while the ignition is on the charger keeps the battery up to a charged level. it doesn't put out a large charge but enough to keep the battery up to full charge while your waiting to be able to input your code again.

Answer 2

heres a little help. if the radio says wait, it should return to "code" after the ignition is left on for no more than 90 minutes, usually 45 minutes or so. if it takes 24 hours the radio has a problem. these radios are very old and have problems with leaky capacitors. this can lead to the radio failing to code up as well as radio failing to hold a code. when you push the on button, if the radio turns off by itself very quickly, this is another sign of cap problems. leaving the ignition on for 24 hours is bad for any car with or without a trickle charger. also note that if you remove the radio to connect it to a power supply (not a battery charger)! when you disconnect it to reinstall it it will again lose the code. also, the reason these radios go to "wait" is because the wrong code has been entered 3 times or as i mentioned earlier it may have a problem. if you still want a power supply try mcm electronics on the web or radio shack may still have them. 8 amps minimum. don't even think of using a battery charger to power the radio outside the car, it will most likely damage your very expensive radio. i really don'r recomend tampering with the radio outside the car. good luck.

Answer 3

Oh boy. You ever think of turning the switch to the accessory position. Your battery will handle this for 24 hours with no problem. If you insist, yes put a trickle charger on it but leave the radio in the car as you will only loose the code when you dissconnect it from what ever to put it back in the car. Ever think about that?

Answer 4

What good does taking the radio out do?! It will get disconnected from the power source when you go to re-install it in your vehicle.

I agree with the trickle charger. Also, the next time you have to take/swap the battery from your vehicle, hook the trickle charger onto your vehicle, that way the radio memory is still energized so you don't have to do the 'wait' thing anymore.

Answer 5

go to an auto parts store and ask for a trickle charger - small and inexpensive - hook it up to the battery to keep it charged while doing what you need to do.