Cigarette lighter charger

[cejsmith]

I haven't driven my tamora for a couple of weeks and the battery has gone flat,, I did get it started but it didn't seem to want to charge.

I want to try a charger conditioner and was wondering if you can charge though the cigarette lighter and what unit I should try?

[K4TRV]

First off, how old is the battery that went flat? Dunno, not sure or more than 2/3-years old??

Then forget any "smart charger", IMVHO I suggest you first fit a new battery, then get a smart charger!!

Car batteries do not like to be drained below 11 volts, and if they have been left at sub 12 volts, its pretty much a lost-case?

Lots of choice for "smart chargers", anything where between £16 at Lidl/Aldi, great value, to Halfrauds stuff and Ring. Most here will extol the virtues of Accumate/Accumen (£35+) etc. They all work very well but they will not revive at battery that's over a few years old and has been flattened.

Hope that helps?

P.S. yes you can charger/condition through the cig lighter

T

[swisstoni]

CTEK are well thought of and I have 2 that keep my garage queens batteries in good nick via the cigarette lighter socket.
I actually have 3 because I mistakenly bought one of the larger ones that can ressurrect a dead battery (the smaller ones are designed to keep a charged battery topped up) only to find that it didn't have a lighter socket option.

[shep1001]

I use the CTek too. Rather than plug it in to the cig socket, I have piggybacked a CTek connector off the back of the lighter

Shep

[Davel]

Used to charge mine through the cigarette lighter socket.

[gacksen]

CTEK with cigg charger is fine. Maybe if battery is dead connect it directly to the battery
if there are no connectors below the car...

[cejsmith]

The car isn't totally dead, I did get it to run. But it was only showing 10.6 v where normally it shows 13 plus.

Is it a big job changing the battery?

[shep1001]

cejsmith said:

The car isn't totally dead, I did get it to run. But it was only showing 10.6 v where normally it shows 13 plus.

Is it a big job changing the battery?

No just make sure you buy the correct size and shape. Having just been through the battery swapping thing, this is what you need:-

http://www.tayna.co.uk/072-Enduroline-Car-Battery-...

Not all 072/069 round posts are the same size or have the side profile required to clamp the battery down. The Tayna battery does and its a decent price

Edited by shep1001 on Sunday 15th December 21:56

[sidpinup]

Just to add to this. I bought a very good cheap smart charger from Draper. It does a full charge when needed and then will switch to conditioning. I made a cig lighter charger for it but it won't take charging at full rate through the lighter socket only conditioning so charge via Anderson socket then keep it topped up via cig lighter.

The battery is a bit of a PITA to replace and I mounted mine the opposite way to standard as the + terminal is very close to the chassis but the leads were long enough to switch it round. It's worth checking the power steering fuse while you're in there as the holder can rust out.

[Incognegro]

Old thread, but personally I'd always recommend the CTEK 4003 great smart charger. Will fully charge and then switch to trickle... Always monitoring condition so will never over or under charge. I've wired comfort eyelets direct to battery with the traffic light status system on it (very useful) charger comes with standard comfort connector and croc clips for choice. I'm now thinking of getting the cig lighter version just so bonnet can stay down in cold garage winters.

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