Battery chargers

[chrisjenkins]

Having had to replace my battery again (it also failed last winter), I realise that I'm just not driving the car often enough or for long enough to keep the battery charged. I have been advised to buy a trickle charger - it wouldn't be very convenient to use, as the car is parked in the driveway, but I suppose it would be possible. Does anyone have any experience or handy hints on using trickle chargers?

 

[Cubatoo]

Yes my experience us that the batteries don't like standing about unused!
I haven't used a tricke charger but if I can't take mine out I leave it ticking over for half an hour while in the garden.
Tricke charger is probably more environmentally friendly!

 

[yippeekiay]

I currently use an Oxford Maximiser I've had for ages - it's been on my RX8 since I bought it, which is some 13 years ago. And was on my motorbike(s) before that. My RX8 stands for up to (or even more) 6 months without me starting it if I forget but fires up first time each time.

A small connector block is wired to the battery & you can then plug in the charger when you need to by the simple plug instead of having to connect to the battery each time. The plug on my RX8 sits just under the bonnet next to the catch & is small enough not to obstruct anything. You could even leave it dangling outside the bonnet if you wanted to for quicker plug in but when mine is plugged in I can still close/lock the bonnet with it plugged in & both connectors "safe" inside the engine bay so the only you see is the wire coming from it into the charger. I don't need to do that as mine is in the garage but do anyway

The overall length of wires may be an issue as it's roughly about 2 metres long but could be extended if you can diy that.

Just checked, you can actually buy 3 metre extensions for them.

Mine is similar to this quick search of one I just did, but I obviously paid a lot less as it was so long ago & I didn't buy it from Hal-frauds
https://www.halfords.com/motorcycli...dvanced-battery-management-system-727654.html

 

[yippeekiay]

Actually, just checked, mine is the 360t which is the exact one shown in this dailymotion videolink

Just to give you an idea of what's out there as this is only one of a HUGE amount available (or not in the case of mine

 

[st220kyle]

I use a Ring automotive smart charger,
Been using it for 10+ years.
Have had cars left for 6months at a time and started on the button when needed.

My old mondeo battery lasted 16 years old thanks to this.

I have an attachment so I can plug it straight into the cars cigarette lighter socket. This means I dont even need to lift the bonnet. I just the leave the window down slightly.

 

[chrisjenkins]

Yes my experience us that the batteries don't like standing about unused!
I haven't used a tricke charger but if I can't take mine out I leave it ticking over for half an hour while in the garden.
Tricke charger is probably more environmentally friendly!

Does just ticking over charge the battery though? I'm sure I've been told that the car had to be moving. That may be a misunderstanding on my part!

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

I am using a Lidl smart charger (the big one with starting capability - never managed to start anything on that, but it is good for topping up the battery). I switch it on once every 4-6 weeks (when I remember) and let it do its thing. It conditions the battery and charges it back to 100%. The car always starts on first crank

 

[yippeekiay]

Does just ticking over charge the battery though? I'm sure I've been told that the car had to be moving. That may be a misunderstanding on my part!

Yes, the battery will be charged to full first, then it is trickle charged to keep it optimised. At least that's what mine does.

When I watch it (from memory as it's been a while) it charges normal up to around 14.2v at a decent amperage for only a few seconds or so after, or should I say when I drove the car or even after me simply starting it occasionally, then it keeps a very low trickle amperage to keep it maintained. It adjusts itself to suit if needed to keep it in tiptop condition. Again, at least that's what mine does.

I watched the video I posted above & forgot, or didn't even realise that mine had a Turbo mode

 

[SimonhSmith]

Does just ticking over charge the battery though? I'm sure I've been told that the car had to be moving. That may be a misunderstanding on my part!

As yippeekiay says, idling will charge a battery surprisingly well, obviously the less electrical load you have on (lights etc) the better the current available to be fed to the battery. However a charger is a far more efficient way to charge a battery; If a vehicles not used I’d charge it at least every 2 months; if you don’t have a charger point near the battery you can take it out and charge it (just make sure you know the radio reset code). However it shouldn’t take a lot of usage to keep the battery charged, and the fact you’ve got through 2 batteries in 2 years might mean you have another issue.
I suggest using a battery charger to charge regularly and look at how drained the battery is, if it’s draining quickly just sat around you’ve got a constant load somewhere.
I have one of these, cheap and cheerful but does the job, although leads are short; plug in types are clearly more convenient, you get what you pay for
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07T6GV32V?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

[Pkp]

" a small connector block is wired to the battery "

I have done this on my cars, but I've put a fuse in the +ve directly off the battery to the connector. You don't want your dangly lead out from under the bonnet shorting out the battery.

 

[muz1234]

Ctek are great worth the bit extra

 

[yippeekiay]

" a small connector block is wired to the battery "

I have done this on my cars, but I've put a fuse in the +ve directly off the battery to the connector. You don't want your dangly lead out from under the bonnet shorting out the battery.

It has an inline fuse on the connector wires out of the box

 

[John Woodward]

I use the cigarette lighter socket for charging my Puma's, as the socket is live all the time. I have made a lead with a plug on the end, which I have connected to the clamps, then use a short piece of 15mm plastic pipe for the clamps to fit onto, to stop any risk of short circuit.
This works very well and I don't even have to open the bonnet.

Also I have added a double switched live double socket for the sat nav and dashcam.

 

[ladypenelope7]

My last Puma had a problem with the battery going flat if not used much in the winter months. We never worked out the problem but found that removing the fuse relating to the radio/obd socket cured the problem. Easy to replace if you wanted to take it for a decent run.

 

[Fanwheel]

I’d recommend a CTek charger - mine is model no. MXS 5.0. My Puma sits in the garage all winter and it has kept the battery in good shape for quite a few years. It also has a ‘reconditioning’ function which gave a failing battery on my wife’s car a new lease of life. They are a bit pricey but good quality. I went through a couple of hopeless cheap Halfords ones before I saw a CTek recommendation.