Written By Marina Dawson

Whether it is your house, boat, car, or RV, experiencing a power failure is never enjoyable. And what is often even more frustrating is running around resetting all the clocks, radio stations, and other programmed settings on your electronic devices once the power is back on. When the time comes to remove your battery from your stored RV or boat, or when replacing a battery, using a memory saver will save you a lot of time, trouble, and maybe even some cursing.

Some electronic devices come with their own internal battery system that will maintain programming when a battery has been disconnected. This allows time for the battery to be replaced. However, these systems do not last very long and it is not even likely that all of the electronic components on your vehicle have this. Memory savers are an inexpensive tool to keep on hand, and will prevent this drain on internal memories.

Most memory savers sold commercially plug into your cigarette lighter and from here power the electronic devices on your vehicle. If your ignition is not wired directly to your cigarette lighter, as is the case in many late model cars, you may have to turn the key to the auxiliary position in order to run power from the cigarette lighter through the vehicle. Be sure to check the instructions on the memory saver and in your vehicle’s manual, and should you have any questions contact the manufacturer. Removing a battery is very dangerous with the engine turned on so be sure that you are following all of the manufacturer’s safety guidelines.

Memory savers are available in both plug-in and battery operated versions. Plug-in varieties offer a long-term replacement to a battery. They plug directly into a wall socket and can be used indefinitely to power the electronic devices on your vehicle. They are a good option when you are disconnecting a battery, perhaps due to storage, and need power for a lengthy period of time. If you do not have a wall socket to plug into or need power for only a short period of time, perhaps as you are replacing the battery, a battery operated memory saver will work for you. These also work via your cigarette lighter, but use a 9 volt battery to supply power to the vehicle. They will run for about four hours before the battery dies, so using a battery operated memory saver is not for long-term needs. If you do have to turn your ignition to the auxiliary position for the memory saver to work, try to turn off any unnecessary activities in your vehicle such as the radio, heat, or defrost. This will help to extend the period of time that the battery operated memory saver will work.

Other, more complicated memory savers are available, although are less common than the cigarette lighter variety. These memory savers usually use a second large battery that hooks into the cigarette lighter. Some can even be used as a backup safety battery if they have the proper construction. However, for the average user, using a simpler memory saver is all that is needed.

© 2008 BatteryChargerStore.com