Dashmount charging socket

[Agent Orange]

Has anyone installed the CTEK "Comfort Indicator Panel"?

http://www.ctekchargers.co.uk/ctek-56380.php

Looks like a good option to me for a Caterham given their often light use. Any thoughts positive or negative (you see what I did there...) if you do have it or similar installed?



Cheers

Edited by Agent Orange on Monday 29th April 15:50

[framerateuk]

That's a very nice idea.

I have a CTEK charger like that and do find it a little bit tedious having to undo the bonnet every time I want to plug in/unplug it.

I guess the only negative aspect would be resale? You'd have to leave it attached or have a big hole in the dashboard....

[Dr Slotter]

Just fit a 12v power socket hidden under the dash and plug the C-Tek into that.

[Agent Orange]

True that is an option. Just seems wrong having a 12v socket in a stripped out car.

[Tango7]

Agent Orange said:

True that is an option. Just seems wrong having a 12v socket in a stripped out car.

But very useful for charging mobile phones, sat nav, bullet cam or go pro batteries and even using an air pump for the camping weekends away to save a lot of puff!

[Dr Slotter]

Agent Orange said:

True that is an option. Just seems wrong having a 12v socket in a stripped out car.

A stripped out car may as well have all the mod-cons if the battery is dead!

[framerateuk]

Dr Slotter said:

Just fit a 12v power socket hidden under the dash and plug the C-Tek into that.

I didn't even realise that CTEK provided an adapter. I'm definitely going to get one of these as I've already got a 12v on my dash....

[Agent Orange]

Tango7 said:

But very useful for charging mobile phones, sat nav, bullet cam or go pro batteries and even using an air pump for the camping weekends away to save a lot of puff!

Since you put it like that yes I guess it would be more useful than a single function charger port.

CTEK 12v adapter available here
http://www.ctekchargers.co.uk/ctek-ciglead.php

Edited by Agent Orange on Monday 29th April 22:35

[Dr Slotter]

Yep, I have one of those plugged into the 12v socket under my dash. The main CTEK unit, in one of the rubber 'frames' they also sell, then sits on top of the tunnel and is plugged into a 13a socket that hangs from the ceiling of my garage. When I unplug it, I loosely coil everything up and place on top of a old-fashioned drying rack that is also suspended from the garage ceiling.

Have you got a electrical master switch on your car?

Edited by Dr Slotter on Monday 29th April 22:40

[Agent Orange]

Dr Slotter said:

Have you got a electrical master switch on your car?

Yes I have.

[Dr Slotter]

OK, if it's a proper FIA one, you'll need to either leave it switched on for it to charge through a dash socket wired into the loom, or wire the dash socket directly to the battery which may (I can't remember exactly, you'll have to check) then cause your car to fail scrutineering because technically the electrical system is not completely isolated.

If you 'do' Blatchat, there's loads more detail about all of that with respect to things like; if you have a good battery and turn the master switch off to isolate the car you don't need a conditioner, but that then means the immobilisor is off so may invalidate your insurance even if the immobiliser reboots into armed mode when the power is restored etc. etc.

[V7SLR]

If you immobilise the car before removing the FIA key the ecu remains in the immobilised state. Only downside is that when you replace the FIA key you need to press the disarm button 4 times to reset the system, not really an issue though.