Battery Charger Connection Points

[Shinjuku79]

I've bought a C-TEC charger to keep my battery topped up. My question is about where is best to connect the leads.

The C-TEC manual says - I paraphrase - "for batteries mounted inside a vehicle - (i) connect red clamp to positive pole (ii) black clamp to chassis (remote from fuel line and battery) (iii) charge battery and remove clamps in reverse order". However, the pictures next to this description clearly show red and black clamps attached to pos and neg poles. I assume this is the case where car's power terminals not connected.

So - what is best
(i) disconnect car power terminals each time I want to charge battery and connect C-TEC to pos and neg poles
(ii) leave car terminals in place and connect red to pos and black to somewhere else - in which case where is good for this
(iii) I understand there may be pos connection and grounding site in the engine bay - is that the case. Most threads I've read talk about people coming in through the boot or door so I assume this is not the preferred option.
(iv) connect red and black clamps to battery terminals with car's terminals in place - I infer from the C-TEC manual this is not a good idea.

The C-TEC manual also says that some cars may have positively earthed batteries, in which case one does something different. I assume this is not relevant to the V8 Vantage, but if it is positively earthed please say so.

Thanks
Shinjuku

[paulrog1]

The Vantage is negatively earthed. The battery charging point I think is in the boot (it is for a DB9) plus I recommend getting the cigarette lighter connection for the ctek to easily connect up.

[davek_964]

I just plug mine into the lighter socket. It's permanently live, so seemed no reason to connect it any other way.

I prefer the cabin socket to the boot one because it's less likely I'll forget and drive off.

[Shinjuku79]

Thanks. Looking at the C-TEC manual it looks as though the charger charges at 14.4v at 5amps. I thought the female cig lighter shape connections in the boot and in the centre tunnel are 12v. Is there any risk in putting 14.4v through them?

Edited by Shinjuku79 on Thursday 4th August 14:12

[gilbo]

Although a battery is called 12v, it will actually be dead flat at that level. Your alternator puts out 14.4v. Plug into the boot socket and forget, all will be fine

Edited by gilbo on Thursday 4th August 15:31

[19RBB]

Thanks for the info. This is relevant to me, recently bought a V8 Vantage and want to keep the battery charged while I'm regularly away with work. I have a small 12v charger I've used successfully on another car for a few years but it just has crocodile clips. Anyone know where you can get a reasonably priced adapter to go into the lighter socket charger in the boot? And which of those is +ve if I'm wiring it myself please? Cheers

[Dickie Dastardly]

19RBB said:

Thanks for the info. This is relevant to me, recently bought a V8 Vantage and want to keep the battery charged while I'm regularly away with work. I have a small 12v charger I've used successfully on another car for a few years but it just has crocodile clips. Anyone know where you can get a reasonably priced adapter to go into the lighter socket charger in the boot? And which of those is +ve if I'm wiring it myself please? Cheers

I use an accumate trickle charger with an adapter plug for the cigarette lighter, very reliable and works a treat. Link below...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OPTIMATE-ACCUMATE-TM72-1...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-ACCUMATE-6-VOLT-AND-...

Cheers,
Richard