Aston Martin Battery Conditioner - first use question
Discussion
Hi all - hope everyone is keeping safe and well.
It had to happen; the cover went on the 2016 V8VS two weeks ago. I've never "stored" a car before - ie. let it sit for more than a couple of weeks without a drive to keep it all alive.
Thankfully when I bought my first V8V a few years ago, I thought I'd haggle for an official AM Battery Conditioner. And duly put it in the cupboard 4 years ago and never used it.
I'm sure these are CTEK units, but the only model reference is the AM code 9G43-37-11332 on the side of the box.
I read the instructions and plugged it in the wall first and let it self-check. Then I plugged it into the book battery socket. After 10 mins, the spanner "Check Mode" light it still flashing along with an always-on STANDBY light:
In the manual, for the spanner "Check Mode" light: "Checking battery, in repair charge stage or battery is not suitable for recovery."
The battery remains OK, as far as I can tell. The central locking worked no problem and I'm sure the car will start instantly is it did a couple of weeks ago (and has never failed to).
I'm not yet able to select the vehicle mode.
Had anybody else got experience of this charger being used for the first time? Did you also get the spanner light flashing?
Thanks!
It had to happen; the cover went on the 2016 V8VS two weeks ago. I've never "stored" a car before - ie. let it sit for more than a couple of weeks without a drive to keep it all alive.
Thankfully when I bought my first V8V a few years ago, I thought I'd haggle for an official AM Battery Conditioner. And duly put it in the cupboard 4 years ago and never used it.
I'm sure these are CTEK units, but the only model reference is the AM code 9G43-37-11332 on the side of the box.
I read the instructions and plugged it in the wall first and let it self-check. Then I plugged it into the book battery socket. After 10 mins, the spanner "Check Mode" light it still flashing along with an always-on STANDBY light:
In the manual, for the spanner "Check Mode" light: "Checking battery, in repair charge stage or battery is not suitable for recovery."
The battery remains OK, as far as I can tell. The central locking worked no problem and I'm sure the car will start instantly is it did a couple of weeks ago (and has never failed to).
I'm not yet able to select the vehicle mode.
Had anybody else got experience of this charger being used for the first time? Did you also get the spanner light flashing?
Thanks!
No experience of it, however you could try speaking to Clive. He sells the unbranded version:
https://www.cccharger.co.uk/product-page/smart-cha...
https://www.cccharger.co.uk/product-page/smart-cha...
cornershop said:
No experience of it, however you could try speaking to Clive. He sells the unbranded version:
https://www.cccharger.co.uk/product-page/smart-cha...
Thanks for that link! So, it's not a CTEK device.https://www.cccharger.co.uk/product-page/smart-cha...
I'd feel a bit bad asking Clive, though. He didn't sell the unit
IanV12VSRs said:
I don’t think Clive will mind. He is a really good guy. If yours is knackered you may find yourself buying a new one from him 
I may 
But I just did what every self-respecting engineer should do. I unplugged it and plugged it back in after an hour. The charging indicator is now on and everything appears to be working.
Science!
Thanks both for the advice!
nickv8 said:
cornershop said:
No experience of it, however you could try speaking to Clive. He sells the unbranded version:
https://www.cccharger.co.uk/product-page/smart-cha...
Thanks for that link! So, it's not a CTEK device.https://www.cccharger.co.uk/product-page/smart-cha...
I'd feel a bit bad asking Clive, though. He didn't sell the unit
Re Ctek - many smart chargers use a Mode button (even the £13 Lidl offering), so my spidey senses suggest there will be some commonality between them.
Wish I could plug in a battery charger too.
Only thing I ordered is the following 12V indicator to check my charge. I also plan to keep it in the 12V boot plug all the time when the car will resume her normal usage (good/bad idea?).
Ctek must be doing some good money with all those stopped cars.
Only thing I ordered is the following 12V indicator to check my charge. I also plan to keep it in the 12V boot plug all the time when the car will resume her normal usage (good/bad idea?).
Ctek must be doing some good money with all those stopped cars.
I have the CTEK indicator lead plugged in the boot all year around and check it occasionally after longer periods of non use. Works great.
there are even better options out there, you can get bluetooth battery monitors you install on the battery that alert you on a phone app. £20 or so....slightly less convenient to fit .
there are even better options out there, you can get bluetooth battery monitors you install on the battery that alert you on a phone app. £20 or so....slightly less convenient to fit .
bogie said:
I have the CTEK indicator lead plugged in the boot all year around and check it occasionally after longer periods of non use. Works great.
there are even better options out there, you can get bluetooth battery monitors you install on the battery that alert you on a phone app. £20 or so....slightly less convenient to fit .
ctek do one too. Which did you buy?there are even better options out there, you can get bluetooth battery monitors you install on the battery that alert you on a phone app. £20 or so....slightly less convenient to fit .
https://www.ctek.com/products/vehicle/ctx-battery-...
I have the cheaper indicator plug that goes in the 12v boot charge socket. They didnt offer the bluetooth one 8 years ago when I got it
https://www.ctek.com/products/vehicle/indicator-ci...
I think these leads are about £20 versus £75 for the CTEK bluetooth version. You can get cheap unbranded bluetooth for £20 on ebay, probably what is inside the CTEK .
https://www.ctek.com/products/vehicle/indicator-ci...
I think these leads are about £20 versus £75 for the CTEK bluetooth version. You can get cheap unbranded bluetooth for £20 on ebay, probably what is inside the CTEK .
bogie said:
I have the cheaper indicator plug that goes in the 12v boot charge socket. They didnt offer the bluetooth one 8 years ago when I got it
https://www.ctek.com/products/vehicle/indicator-ci...
I think these leads are about £20 versus £75 for the CTEK bluetooth version. You can get cheap unbranded bluetooth for £20 on ebay, probably what is inside the CTEK .
Yep, saw the Bluetooth one, but I was happy with the more straightforward 12V one. In normal times, battery is not something that worries me much. Cheers for reporting that keeping it always plugged is no harm.https://www.ctek.com/products/vehicle/indicator-ci...
I think these leads are about £20 versus £75 for the CTEK bluetooth version. You can get cheap unbranded bluetooth for £20 on ebay, probably what is inside the CTEK .
Harry Metcalfe (ex EVO founder) produced a great video recently showing his setup which included these indicators. Not a bad idea!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cImhs_uwrAU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cImhs_uwrAU
nickv8 said:
Harry Metcalfe (ex EVO founder) produced a great video recently showing his setup which included these indicators. Not a bad idea!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cImhs_uwrAU
Bought mine after watching his video in fact! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cImhs_uwrAU
As expected, the 12V indicator gave me back a red light. But the car reacts correctly to the remote, internal lights are working, clock is working, side mirrors open/close, windows roll down that tiny bit when you open the door... so the battery is not completely dead.
I did not try to turn on the engine as I want to do it when I will be driving afterward, so probably next week.
What do you guys suggest? Try to turn it on as it is? Or maybe buy a booster?
This one seems fine, but I somewhat doubts a small thing like this can actually crank to life a 4.7... Anyone with some experience with those?
https://www.amazon.it/BuTure-Avviatore-Emergenza-P...
I did not try to turn on the engine as I want to do it when I will be driving afterward, so probably next week.
What do you guys suggest? Try to turn it on as it is? Or maybe buy a booster?
This one seems fine, but I somewhat doubts a small thing like this can actually crank to life a 4.7... Anyone with some experience with those?
https://www.amazon.it/BuTure-Avviatore-Emergenza-P...
I've been using a CTEK or similar for over 17 years. Plug the car in as soon as it gets into the garage and leave it permanently on; the CTEK does the rest. I occasionally check to make sure the lights are all on and only disconnect it when doing the pre-start checks to go somewhere.
I've considered getting a Battery Monitor (the £16.30 one) but never bothered, as a row of good lights was enough for me. HOWEVER, in a moment of weakness I bought a monitor and plugged it in to the ashtray socket. The best the monitor could do was to flash red, indicating that the battery, while on charge, was below 12'65V. If the CTEK thought all was well, the only thing remaining was a voltage drop between the charger and battery. Sure enough, after marginally bending the pins of the 2 plugs of the charger extension lead, the monitor flashed green again and has continued to do so since, The monitor has proved its worth already.
Supplementary starters are only as good as their batteries, which very often lose capacity through lack of use. A permanently connected CTEK would render one irrelevant.
I've considered getting a Battery Monitor (the £16.30 one) but never bothered, as a row of good lights was enough for me. HOWEVER, in a moment of weakness I bought a monitor and plugged it in to the ashtray socket. The best the monitor could do was to flash red, indicating that the battery, while on charge, was below 12'65V. If the CTEK thought all was well, the only thing remaining was a voltage drop between the charger and battery. Sure enough, after marginally bending the pins of the 2 plugs of the charger extension lead, the monitor flashed green again and has continued to do so since, The monitor has proved its worth already.
Supplementary starters are only as good as their batteries, which very often lose capacity through lack of use. A permanently connected CTEK would render one irrelevant.
I use a CarLock tracker which, because of how it is fitted, (which I'm not going to give away on an open forum!) reads the voltage and I can get it on the app easily. I'm slightly obsessed with checking it! Whenever the car is on the drive it is on either my CTEK or, if the CTEK is doing duty on another vehicle, I have a 40W solar charger that keeps the Aston topped up. Other trackers / battery monitors are available but I find the voltage readout via CarLock really convenient (and accurate having checked it against a calibrated voltmeter).
EVR said:
As expected, the 12V indicator gave me back a red light. But the car reacts correctly to the remote, internal lights are working, clock is working, side mirrors open/close, windows roll down that tiny bit when you open the door... so the battery is not completely dead.
I did not try to turn on the engine as I want to do it when I will be driving afterward, so probably next week.
What do you guys suggest? Try to turn it on as it is? Or maybe buy a booster?
This one seems fine, but I somewhat doubts a small thing like this can actually crank to life a 4.7... Anyone with some experience with those?
https://www.amazon.it/BuTure-Avviatore-Emergenza-P...
Mine is a few years old now but this has started a 4.2 V8 (twice), a 5.6 V8 once and 3.4 F6 - all off a single charge and still had half the leds showing.I did not try to turn on the engine as I want to do it when I will be driving afterward, so probably next week.
What do you guys suggest? Try to turn it on as it is? Or maybe buy a booster?
This one seems fine, but I somewhat doubts a small thing like this can actually crank to life a 4.7... Anyone with some experience with those?
https://www.amazon.it/BuTure-Avviatore-Emergenza-P...
There maybe better out there, but this works well for me. 4 weeks ago I helped a damsel in distress start her late husband’s Porsche 964 after several years dormant and which was showing 0v (!) across the terminals (using a known good voltmeter). It fired straight up, much to both of surprises!
https://www.lrparts.net/da1239-multi-function-jump...
cornershop said:
Mine is a few years old now but this has started a 4.2 V8 (twice), a 5.6 V8 once and 3.4 F6 - all off a single charge and still had half the leds showing.
There maybe better out there, but this works well for me. 4 weeks ago I helped a damsel in distress start her late husband’s Porsche 964 after several years dormant and which was showing 0v (!) across the terminals (using a known good voltmeter). It fired straight up, much to both of surprises!
https://www.lrparts.net/da1239-multi-function-jump...
Thank you for the reply, so those are actually working.There maybe better out there, but this works well for me. 4 weeks ago I helped a damsel in distress start her late husband’s Porsche 964 after several years dormant and which was showing 0v (!) across the terminals (using a known good voltmeter). It fired straight up, much to both of surprises!
https://www.lrparts.net/da1239-multi-function-jump...
Sadly, I don't have a chance to use a trickle charger as the car is parked in a privatised but public garage. It would have been my first purchase when covid hit otherwise.
EVR said:
cornershop said:
Mine is a few years old now but this has started a 4.2 V8 (twice), a 5.6 V8 once and 3.4 F6 - all off a single charge and still had half the leds showing.
There maybe better out there, but this works well for me. 4 weeks ago I helped a damsel in distress start her late husband’s Porsche 964 after several years dormant and which was showing 0v (!) across the terminals (using a known good voltmeter). It fired straight up, much to both of surprises!
https://www.lrparts.net/da1239-multi-function-jump...
Thank you for the reply, so those are actually working.There maybe better out there, but this works well for me. 4 weeks ago I helped a damsel in distress start her late husband’s Porsche 964 after several years dormant and which was showing 0v (!) across the terminals (using a known good voltmeter). It fired straight up, much to both of surprises!
https://www.lrparts.net/da1239-multi-function-jump...
Sadly, I don't have a chance to use a trickle charger as the car is parked in a privatised but public garage. It would have been my first purchase when covid hit otherwise.
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