Chimaera trickle charging - which one?

[rowey200]

Need a trickle charger for a Chimaera - seems like this is a good option with the addition of a cigarette lighter attachment:

http://www.accumate.co.uk/accumate.htm

http://www.accumate.co.uk/tm72.htm

Am I on the right tracks? Any help appreciated

[miniman]

That's what I had for my Chim, although I plumbed a connector directly onto the battery rather than using the lighter socket.

Check that the lighter works with the ignition switched off otherwise it won't charge.

[davo23]

I've got a ctek that came with the car. It's got a cigarette lighter type connection built into the carpet flap thing that covers the battery box. I have heard a lot of people mention accumate but I have no experience to compare.

[Malcster]

CTEK get my vote, they are superb...

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/ctek/mxs-3-8-12...

[JFReturns]

I just got the Accumate and its good. Easy to use (tells you if you get the polarity wrong) and it brought my battery back from the dead.

[Badgerchim]

+1

[sheel]

Ctek bought a totally flat battery back to life enough to start in 2 hours, got it wired direct to battery and it trickles and monitors 24/7 the dogs doo da

Rich

[Chuffmeister]

A thread for Daz I think!

[over_the_hill]

I have had my accumate for about 9 years now with the ciggy adapter.
It is always plugged in when the car is in the garage so it has been in constant use.

[Podie]

Staggered people still use cigarette chargers...

Get the connector that goes onto the battery terminal and wire it through.



Connect up it up to the battery, and run the cable under the carpet (there is a handy ridge for it to sit in.

Mount the charger in the boot (to the left of the fuel filler neck works well) and run the cable through the wheel arch, down past the seatbelt, under the seat and connect it.

Then you just pop the boot and plug it in when the car is in the garage...

[Mark.]

I use the Halfords one, about half the price of the others and does a perfect job. In both cases hard wired to the battery, in the Chimaera it plugs in under the dash and in the Cerbera it plugs in to the loom in the boot.
Been using them coming on for 10 years so has probably tripled the life of the battery so far, I think I was replacing the Chimaera one every 3 years or so.

[stumpage]

Podie said:

Staggered people still use cigarette chargers...

Why?

I have a plug socket on the wall of my garage right next to the drivers door and the charger is mounted to the wall, so I park the car, get out, plug the charger in and shut the door leaving the window cracked open for the cable to pass through. Simple and no need to run cables through the car.

[Podie]

stumpage said:

Podie said:

Staggered people still use cigarette chargers...

Why?

Cheap, crappy connection not really designed for what you're using it for. Certainly in the case of some TVRs I've seen (and some I've owned) the wiring really isn't up to it.

Why use a quick fix, when you can do a proper job, using the properly designed cables?

Each to their own...

[Rugbyfester]

Podie said:

Staggered people still use cigarette chargers...

Get the connector that goes onto the battery terminal and wire it through.



Connect up it up to the battery, and run the cable under the carpet (there is a handy ridge for it to sit in.

Mount the charger in the boot (to the left of the fuel filler neck works well) and run the cable through the wheel arch, down past the seatbelt, under the seat and connect it.

Then you just pop the boot and plug it in when the car is in the garage...

+ for this set up and possibly a good idea on the boot mounting, except if the battery is dead boot wont open...

[Podie]

Rugbyfester said:

...except if the battery is dead boot wont open...

Well the boot wont pop, so you use the emergency access.

[WinstonWolf]

Podie said:

stumpage said:

Podie said:

Staggered people still use cigarette chargers...

Why?

Cheap, crappy connection not really designed for what you're using it for. Certainly in the case of some TVRs I've seen (and some I've owned) the wiring really isn't up to it.

Why use a quick fix, when you can do a proper job, using the properly designed cables?

Each to their own...

Yup, look at the diameter of the wires feeding the lighter socket. I've wired a fused connector that hides in the transmission tunnel. Just pop the gaiter back when I need to use it.

[Rugbyfester]

Podie said:

Well the boot wont pop, so you use the emergency access.

Can someone PM me how this is done? I know how to get into the car but not the boot...

[Podie]

Rugbyfester said:

Podie said:

Well the boot wont pop, so you use the emergency access.

Can someone PM me how this is done? I know how to get into the car but not the boot...

Will do.

Have seen the car around the area, so know you're legit.

[EGB]

Auto XS charger. Does for me. Produced by a large German International company.
Was sold by Aldi £17 before Christmas. Easy and reliable, so far. Will also do motor bikes. Nice insulated battery clips. Digital display tell you when fully charged and switches off. Easy to check battery voltage. Starts recharge trickel when battery is down to 12.4 volts. Feeds off, out of the way power point in roof.

Edited by EGB on Thursday 20th February 17:07

[ianwayne]

WinstonWolf said:

Yup, look at the diameter of the wires feeding the lighter socket. I've wired a fused connector that hides in the transmission tunnel. Just pop the gaiter back when I need to use it.

Even a badly discharged battery will only draw about 6-7A from a charger (Mine drew 6A at first when it was too discharged to even make the starter solenoid click). A cigarette light draws more than this to get red hot, though admittedly only for a short period.