I'm about to change my 2.5 year old stock battery out. (Down here in the FL heat, 36 months is about the limit).

I noticed they sell a little $4 'Battery Minder' at the autoparts store. You plug this 9V deal into the accessory outlet in the cabin, and it is supposed to keep your computer and radio settings.

How many have used this when changing the battery on a JK? Do you think it's a good idea, or just a gimic?

I have an 07 Unlimited Sahara 6sp. So I will not lose 'shift points' like an automatic might on a computer reset. I don't know if this radio remembers it's settings after a battery change. This is the first Jeep I've had that is so electronic...

Thanks for any input!

 

As long as you don't take forever the radio will probably hold for a couple minutes. I think it's good to do a battery reset every once in awhile. Clears out the adaptations. Doesn't hurt anything, just possibly the radio settings. When you start it back up let the engine run with no load for a minute. Then load it down for a minute. A/c max, headlights, dome light,brakes, etc, etc.

 

I disco'd the battery a few times while working on the Jeep and never had a problem. I have the MyGig radio.


Any time I have seen a "battery minder" it was to connect to the battery to keep a slow charge so the battery doesn't go dead during long periods of not using it.

I have seen things you plug into the car lighter with a 9 volt battery to prevent you from loosing the clock settings on the radio but I never knew what they were called.

 

I had my battery disconnected for an hour last week. My radio did not lose any presets.