Keeping car battery charged over winter

OP says there's no power in the shelter, so a plug-in charger won't work. If you can get sunlight on the car, and if your cigarette lighter works when the key is off, you can use a http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&N=0&Ntk=All&Ntt=solar+trickle+charger&Nty=1&D=solar+trickle+charger&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&cmnosearch=PPC&utm_source=bing_PPC&utm_medium=AlternativeEnergy&utm_campaign=generic&utm_content=solar%20trickle%20charger&mkwid=eiMiHsivz&pcrid=1435629734&mtype=e&storeId=6970&langId=-1&type=search Or you could remove the battery during the winter and keep it trickle-charged at home.

I cannot explain the chemistry involved, but I know it has something to do with corrosion/disintegration within the battery as it is sitting and losing charge. As you learned - you can charge it up again, but its life is dramatically shortened by letting it sit all winter without running/charging. To answer your question: No, they are not the same action. A trickle charger keeps the battery topped up and keeps it from going bad, whereas the one-time charge after a long time of sitting around is almost like a false positive. It will work for a bit, but the battery has already been irreversibly damaged from not using it. (My knowledge comes from years of owning a motorcycle) What I do, over winter, if I can't store it next to a power source, is I remove the battery and take it home and trickle charge it there.

Thanks GOG. I'll prob opt for the Battery Tender Jr since it will be left unattended in my basement for a few months and I wouldn't trust the cheap HF version.