Battery Conditioners - Good deal on eBay...

[stimshady]

If anyone is looking for a battery conditioner, I have just bought one of the below. The same product as the official AM one, just without the logo printed on...

Looks like a good deal to me.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Battery-Conditioner-Char...

[stimshady]

BravoV8V said:

This item (from the same seller, no connection) is a much better deal:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141390752389

I think the first one is the replacement model of the CTEK one you have mentioned... is cheap though!

[stimshady]

too late, I've already gone with the first one, at least it's the same as the current AM one, just without the logo..!

And from £240 (from AM) to £95 is good with me

[stimshady]

HappyBoxster said:

This seems like as good a time as any to ask, are these considered complusory items with regard AM ownership?

Depends if you leave your car long enough for the battery to go flat!

[stimshady]

outofstepuk said:

No, I find driving the car does the trick

Living in London, my main mode of transport is the DLR (and taxis)! So the AM is really a weekend toy, it can easily not be used for a few weeks, especially if I've got a couple of busy weekends in London... so for me I do need something to keep it topped up.

After 2.5 weeks you can have problems where it won't start.

[stimshady]

The CTEK does look a bit crap though - not that such things should matter, but hey, we're driving Aston Martin's, so maybe it does!

[stimshady]

well, looks like someone on here, maybe a lurker!?, has bought the last one that the seller had on ebay! (or just a coincidence)...

[stimshady]

IanV12VR said:

Please don't ask how I broke it - toooo embarrassing

ahh, you've gotta spill the beans now?!

[stimshady]

Voguely said:

On the general theme of trickle chargers, has anyone on here ever tried a solar charger?

Where my car is parked most of the time it is nowhere near a plug socket, so a normal charger isn't really possible for me. The solar ones seem surprisingly cheap, but I'm wondering whether they'd really provide enough current to charge a car battery?

I was looking at one of these potentially. Probably the 4 Watt version.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SOLAR-POWER-BATTERY-TRICKL...

No I haven't used the solar charger, but I hear they do work. The reason I have bought this battery conditioner is to plug it into a powerpack and then leave it and the conditioner in the boot - the powerpack has got a 240v invertor which will power it... I also am not near a wall socket. I will have to take the powerpack in and charge it up every so often, but I should give me a chance to keep the battery topped up without a wall plug and without the need to start the car.

I did think about just plugging the powerpack straight into the cigarette lighter point in the boot, without the conditioner, but was advised that if the car was started while it was still connected, it would fry the wire from the boot to the battery, so the conditioner is a safer bet I think!!

this is the powerpack http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ring-Automotive-RPP-210-Co...

[stimshady]

mybrainhurts said:

Oh dear...actually, no.

actually, yes, I think it does!

[stimshady]

mybrainhurts said:

I don't think you've read the reviews...

nope, you're right, I haven't - I just went for the same one my dealer uses... hopefully it's ok!

[stimshady]

cayman-black said:

Can someone confirm that for the v12v you can charge the battery through the cigarette lighter?
i.e it is always live. TIA.

Yes you can. My dealer tested one of them recently via a battery pack of mine and they plugged it into the socket in the boot, which is behind the panel on the right hand side as you look in.