Accumate Charger - Am I a Numpty?

[Little Nicky]

So my new new Accumate battery conditioner arrived this morning and in my excitement I connected it up the the positive and negative terminals on my battery - which is still connected up in the car.

I've just got in from work and read the instructions and it appears that I've done it wrong!!!

I should have connected the negative crocodile clip to an earth on the chassis or similar...

So what's the worst that could have happened in last 7hrs of me doing things wrong?

Note to self - always read the manual even if that's not what real blokes do!!

[phillpot]

Little Nicky said:

So what's the worst that could have happened in last 7hrs of me doing things wrong?

Nothing, connecting to battery negative is exactly the same as any earth point on the chassis.

[Little Nicky]

phillpot said:

Nothing, connecting to battery negative is exactly the same as any earth point on the chassis.

Thank you for the reassurance - very much appreciated (phew)!

The included instructions scared me a bit and may not have been entirely clear (to me)...

Feel better now

[S2Andy]

I work part time in a car auction. Obviously on auction day lots of vehicles wont start. We have been trained to always put the positive lead on first (so as not to damage the ECU) and the negative to the chassis or engine block to avoid a spark and danger of explosion.

[v8s4me]

S2Andy said:

..... We have been trained to always put the positive lead on first (so as not to damage the ECU) and the negative to the chassis or engine block to avoid a spark and danger of explosion.

I wouldn't have thought the current running through a trickle charger would do any damage.

I connect mine via a two pin plug to the other half of the cable which is permanently attached to the battery so both positive & negative are connected at the same time.

I know I'm a numpty anyway but I've been doing this for years without any issues

[wilwak]

All my trickle chargers have been wired to the battery terminals with no problems.

[GreenV8S]

S2Andy said:

We have been trained to always put the positive lead on first (so as not to damage the ECU) and the negative to the chassis or engine block to avoid a spark and danger of explosion.

That's the recommended sequence, but I don't think it's anything to do with the ECU.

Attaching the positive lead first (and detaching it last) avoids the danger of shorting out the other battery if the other lead touches the vehicle ground.

Using a ground point that is not the battery negative terminal means that when you disconnect the lead afterwards, the resulting spark is not near the battery and any flammable gases it may have produced while charging.

[ianwayne]

It's to reduce the chance of sparking I believe. This CAN cause a spike to electronic components but doesn't necessarily.

The ECU on a TVR isn't all that sensitive. I've applied trickle chargers to a my last 2 Chimaera batteries several times without even disconnecting it. Never had a problem. In this case as long as you connect the leads before turning the charger on, and turn it off before removing the leads, you won't get any sparks anyway.

[TJC46]

wilwak said:

All my trickle chargers have been wired to the battery terminals with no problems.

This with the connector routed to a suitable point tucked under the dash. Reach for it pull it down ever so slightly and plug in......simple.

Unplug, tuck the connector away out of view and drive....simple.

My car is sorned through the winter and plugged into the accumate the whole time.

Tempting fate i know......but never had the battery go flat as the accumate is a brilliant trickle charger.

[kev b]

Just a word of caution, a friends XK8 had a lucky escape when the cables from the unit to the battery shorted out. Luckily damage was limited to a bit of melted carpet and bumper paint.
Caused by the brittle insulation cracking due to cold and aging.
I have checked a number of older battery tenders since and most have compromised insulation.

[GreenV8S]

Almost makes you want to put a fuse at the battery end of the circuit, hmmm?

[v8s4me]

There is a fuse in the wire from my trickle charger to the battery. It's a Halfords unit; not expensive and works very well. Unless you drop it on a concrete floor that is.

[kev b]

That’s what I am planning when I change the cables this week.

Thinking about it a fuse really should be standard fitment, wouldn’t add much to the price.

[v8s4me]

kev b said:

.....Thinking about it a fuse really should be standard fitment, wouldn’t add much to the price.

THIS is the updated version of what I have. Note in-line fuse on the cable with the circular terminals.

[phillpot]

Little Nicky said:

Am I a Numpty?

No, but anyone who uses any electric appliance with brittle and cracked cable insulation is!