Another question, sorry!

[Mr Noble]

I have a battery charger thing that I used to plug into my elise when leaving it for a week or more. Can I use it on the £R and if so how do I plug it in. I heard someone say I could wire on a ciggy attachment and plug it into the 12V socket in the cockpit. Is this true?

I go away for 10days next Wednesday so need to get something sorted or the battery will go flat rendering the Tracker useless etc etc.

[JAZ 34]

Greg,

After owning a Lotus 340R, (Body off to change the battery) first thing I did when I ordered my Noble was get a battery charge connection fitted from the dealer. It is a small wire protruding from the footwell of the passenger side. I connect the mains powered conditioner to it when I garage the car.

JAZ 34

[DanH]

Mine lasted for 3 weeks just fine whilst I was on holiday. I was bricking myself as I thought it had gone flat, but turned out it was just the keyfob!

[chillidog]

Yes you just connect it into the ciggy lighter.

I, like others, followed joust's recommendations and got the Accumumate + ext lead + ciggy lighter adapter. Details here:- www.accumate.co.uk/it010005.html or search the Noble forum for "Accumate".

If you're lucky their ciggy lighter adapter may fit your existing charger - maybe worth giving them a call.

[Mr Noble]

Great, I assume if the one I have (charge, maintain Halfords thing) works on the elise, it will be fine on the Noble too. I guess I could just chop the end off an old mobile phone charger I have and whack in ot to the charger leads. Might be fused though. Will pop to discount autoparts and see if they have a non fused ciggy adapter!

Thanks chaps. GN

[DanH]

You might need to check that the lighter is powered when the ignition is off, otherwise you'd have to leave the ignition engaged

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

DanH said:

You might need to check that the lighter is powered when the ignition is off, otherwise you'd have to leave the ignition engaged

It's live the whole time. Oh, and a non-fused ciggy adapter is a fused one with silver foil wrapped around the fuse in my book

[Mr Noble]

ThatPhilBrettGuy said:

DanH said: You might need to check that the lighter is powered when the ignition is off, otherwise you'd have to leave the ignition engaged It's live the whole time. Oh, and a non-fused ciggy adapter is a fused one with silver foil wrapped around the fuse in my book

Just chopped the end off my old phone charger and it cant be fused or there would be a way of replacing the fuse, right.?

But the wires look awfully small to be taking a full charge current, do you think it will be safe. Knowing my luck, I will burn my car down!!

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

Mr Noble said:

Just chopped the end off my old phone charger and it cant be fused or there would be a way of replacing the fuse, right.? But the wires look awfully small to be taking a full charge current, do you think it will be safe. Knowing my luck, I will burn my car down!!

If it's fused the end (front were the springy bit is) will unscrew. Are you sure the phone charger doesn't output 5Vish? If it does, the plug will have voltage converters in it and you can't use it.

[joust]

You should only use a "conditioner" charger if you plan on leaving it attached for any length of time.

Do NOT leave a normal charger attached for any more than it takes to fully charge the battery, otherwise you will seriously lower it's life.

If it looks like a "small power supply" then it will only be putting out a few 100mA at most (it will say normally on it what it's max current is), and hence any wire bigger than AWG30 (>0.25mm conductor size) will be fine.

J

[chillidog]

DanH said:

You might need to check that the lighter is powered when the ignition is off, otherwise you'd have to leave the ignition engaged

Yup, that's why it's harder to use on my Jag - have to open the boot, get the floor up and connect it to the battery terminals. If only it was as simple as the Noble.

[Mr Noble]

My charger is one that first charges the battery and then switches to a different mode. I used to leave in on the elise all the time. It is just a halfords thing with a car/motorbike switch but I think its ok to use.

So do I need to get a more substansial ciggy adapter. There is a fuse in the end of the one I have and it says 1.5 a 0.25ov. I am not sure if thats ok, I think not and the wires look very thin, like walkman headphone thickness.

[joust]

1.5a is the current, and is 1.5A. Consequently, as long as your charger doesn't give out more than 1.5A then you will be OK.

Maplin or Halfords will so cigarette plugs for about £1.

www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=1054&TabID=1&source=15&WorldID=&doy=8m3

J

[AllorNothing]

I use the Carcoon Battery Conditioning Unit on my Lotus and E-Type. It monitors the state of the battery and provides a trickle charge when needed to keep the battery fully charged but not over charged. It cuts in and out automatically.

You just attach a short lead permanently to the battery and unclip the main lead (to the unit) from this when you need to use the car. It works well.

AoN

>> Edited by AllorNothing on Tuesday 8th March 10:35