986 Boxster Trickle Charging - Cigarette Lighter?

986 Boxster Trickle Charging - Cigarette Lighter?

Author
Discussion

Monsterlime

Original Poster:

1,206 posts

167 months

Monday 16th April 2018
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I have a CTEK MXS 3.6 trickle charger, used it on my TVR and thought it would be perfect for the Boxster. Did a few Google searches and it seemed like plugging it in via the lighter socket would be fine.

I have done so, but none of the lights on the top row of the charger light up. I haven't had the TVR for a while, so am not 100% sure, but I am relatively certain one of the battery lights should come on.

In trying to check, I've seen reference to the lighter socket being live when the ignition was off (it was in the TVR), and in my Boxster, it is not. Am I right in thinking that if the lighter socket is not live, the charger will not do anything and I would need to connect it to the battery directly?

Pic of the charger connected -



Thanks!

981Greg

112 posts

145 months

Thursday 19th April 2018
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If the lighter socket is not live, then I would expect it to not work for charging.

Bullet-Proof_Biscuit

1,058 posts

78 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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Yep.
Several options - jerry wire the sig lighter back to a permanent live source in the fuse box, though suitable cable & fused.

Or, those chargers can come with a plug and a pair of ring terminals to hard wire onto the battery, or to battery connected terminals in the boot/bonnet, and leave the small plug hanging out somewhere convenient for you to connect the charger to, without needing to get battery access etc. This system is often provided for motorcycles, as battery access is usually restricted.


Example:

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products/9053615/?g...

MrBen1

516 posts

119 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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I have same car and charger. I have the plug attached at the battery, with the fly lead coming out from under the battery cover into the front boot.

To plug in I just pop the bonnet and plug in. There is enough space at the bottom of the windscreen to have the bonnet closed if you need to with the wire running through, although mine is in the garage so I leave bonnet ajar.

Monsterlime

Original Poster:

1,206 posts

167 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
Thanks all!

I have connected the charger to the battery, using the connection leads. Left it hanging into the front boot, and I carefully found there was enough space at the front corner of the boot to have a power cable hang out of to keep it plugged in, if I need to leave it outside.

Since it doesn't seem that common (from Googling), I assume because a previous owner has hard wired in a Parrot device (which I am likely to remove when I get round to it), the connection to the lighter socket was changed so it was switched rather than always live?

I do wish it wasn't as wet as it has been in Scotland lately, would have gotten out in the car more often to negate the need for leaving it plugged in. tongue out
While I don't miss 30C temps, I do miss the sun!