Battery Conditioner - 360

[RED UK]

I was speaking to a Ferrari main dealer who mentioned that Demon Tweaks or someone sold some sort of battery conditioner?

Apparently you plug it in to the cigarette lighter or similar and when the battery starts to get low the "gadget" charges it so that you can leave the car for a long period of time without having to turn the battery off and reset the car.

Has anyone heard of this?

Thanks
Rob

[PST 1]

Porsche do a charger which slots into the cigar lighter which I use and works very well.

[Jonny5]

PST 1 said:

Porsche do a charger which slots into the cigar lighter which I use and works very well.

do they work off solar?

[rmfa30]

RED UK said:

I was speaking to a Ferrari main dealer who mentioned that Demon Tweaks or someone sold some sort of battery conditioner?

Apparently you plug it in to the cigarette lighter or similar and when the battery starts to get low the "gadget" charges it so that you can leave the car for a long period of time without having to turn the battery off and reset the car.

Has anyone heard of this?

Thanks
Rob

You want to check out a 'Cirtek' trickle charger - excellent bit of kit, keeps the battery conditioned and re-charged etc.,

[bertie]

Yes, they're bog standard, Airflow make them and I saw one in Halfords the other day for about £15.

Chop the croc clips off and put a fag lighter plug on it.

On the 360 the lighter is wired onto a permenant feed so nothing else to do.

Whatever you do don't pay the Porsche / Ferrari price unless you enjoy being done.

[chrisx666]

I have used an Accumate with optional fag lighter connector on my 348 over the last couple of years. Works great.

www.accumate.co.uk/index2.htm

[m raks]

chrisx666 said:

I have used an Accumate with optional fag lighter connector on my 348 over the last couple of years. Works great.

www.accumate.co.uk/index2.htm

are these things worth buying?

am i right in saying they are powered off the battery of the car and monitor the battery levels, which once detected as low, the accumate charges your battery to the correct level and then goes on standby?

this thing doesn't need to be hooked up to a mains?

[bad company]

bertie said:

Yes, they're bog standard, Airflow make them and I saw one in Halfords the other day for about £15. Chop the croc clips off and put a fag lighter plug on it.
On the 360 the lighter is wired onto a permenant feed so nothing else to do. Whatever you do don't pay the Porsche/Ferrari price unless you enjoy being done.

No just lob the croc clips off and when the car goes up in flames the insurance wont pay

That is a serious point I bought the Porsche ones which fit straight into the cigy lighter. The insurance people are happy cos it is being used for the purpose it was manufactured. If you change it in the way Bertie suggests you are giving them a very easy way out paying if there is a fire.

[bertie]

bad company said:

bertie said:

Yes, they're bog standard, Airflow make them and I saw one in Halfords the other day for about £15. Chop the croc clips off and put a fag lighter plug on it.
On the 360 the lighter is wired onto a permenant feed so nothing else to do. Whatever you do don't pay the Porsche/Ferrari price unless you enjoy being done.

No just lob the croc clips off and when the car goes up in flames the insurance wont pay

That is a serious point I bought the Porsche ones which fit straight into the cigy lighter. The insurance people are happy cos it is being used for the purpose it was manufactured. If you change it in the way Bertie suggests you are giving them a very easy way out paying if there is a fire.

What on earth are you on about?

The charger comes with croc clips on the wires so you replace them with a fused lighter plug.
It then plugs straight into the ciggy lighter.

You don't touch the car at all.

No different to pluging in a phone charger, sat nav, iPod or any other accesory that plugs into the ciggy socket.

Edited by bertie on Tuesday 15th August 13:57

[bad company]

There is a big difference Bertie. I have purchased a Porsche product and use it unaltered in the way it was intended. You have changed yours by taking off the clips. Believe me that would be enough to give the insurance company a way out.

I'm not saying that you have made a fire more likely - simply that you have given them a way out. Try it - Call your insurance company broker and ask. I did exactly that when I bought the Porsche battery conditioners.

Edited by bad company on Tuesday 15th August 14:02

[chrisx666]

m raks said:

chrisx666 said:

I have used an Accumate with optional fag lighter connector on my 348 over the last couple of years. Works great.

www.accumate.co.uk/index2.htm

are these things worth buying?

am i right in saying they are powered off the battery of the car and monitor the battery levels, which once detected as low, the accumate charges your battery to the correct level and then goes on standby?

this thing doesn't need to be hooked up to a mains?

Yes it has to be connected to the mains - where else would it get the power from to charge the battery???

Edit: Remember to order the optional cig lighter plug (which connects without modifications).

Edited by chrisx666 on Tuesday 15th August 14:04

[bertie]

bad company said:

There is a big difference Bertie. I have purchased a Porsche product and use it unaltered in the way it was intended. You have changed yours by taking off the clips. Believe me that would be enough to give the insurance company a way out.

I'm not saying that you have made a fire more likely - simply that you have given them a way out. Try it - Call your insurance company broker and ask. I did exactly that when I bought the Porsche battery conditioners.

Sorry I don't believe that to be true.

Out of interest how much was the Porsche one?

They're all very similar, this one for instance.....

www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/Pr

Edited by bertie on Tuesday 15th August 14:52

[m raks]

chrisx666 said:

m raks said:

chrisx666 said:

I have used an Accumate with optional fag lighter connector on my 348 over the last couple of years. Works great.

www.accumate.co.uk/index2.htm

are these things worth buying?

am i right in saying they are powered off the battery of the car and monitor the battery levels, which once detected as low, the accumate charges your battery to the correct level and then goes on standby?

this thing doesn't need to be hooked up to a mains?

Yes it has to be connected to the mains - where else would it get the power from to charge the battery???

Edit: Remember to order the optional cig lighter plug (which connects without modifications).

Edited by chrisx666 on Tuesday 15th August 14:04

i thought it was self sustaining?!?! ie. taking power from the battery to keep it working, and then working to put power back in?!?!? no?!?!

[bertie]

m raks said:

i thought it was self sustaining?!?! ie. taking power from the battery to keep it working, and then working to put power back in?!?!? no?!?!

Sure, it's from the same range of products as the perpetual motion machine, the anti-gravity boots and the alchemy cupboard.

Sorry, couldn't help myself!

[bad company]

bertie said:

bad company said:

There is a big difference Bertie. I have purchased a Porsche product and use it unaltered in the way it was intended. You have changed yours by taking off the clips. Believe me that would be enough to give the insurance company a way out.

I'm not saying that you have made a fire more likely - simply that you have given them a way out. Try it - Call your insurance company broker and ask. I did exactly that when I bought the Porsche battery conditioners.

Sorry I don't believe that to be true. Out of interest how much was the Porsche one?

They're all very similar, this one for instance.....

www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/Pr

Edited by bertie on Tuesday 15th August 14:52

Bertie I really don't recall - I bought 2 at the same time one for the 360 & 1 for the TVR. I think you would be OK if you buy one with the cigy lighter already attached.

I wish you would speak to your insurance people. I have had experience of them before and they can be bar stewards when it comes to not paying out.

[bertie]

bad company said:

Bertie I really don't recall - I bought 2 at the same time one for the 360 & 1 for the TVR. I think you would be OK if you buy one with the cigy lighter already attached.

I wish you would speak to your insurance people. I have had experience of them before and they can be bar stewards when it comes to not paying out.

Since this cropped up I've spoken to the people who do the Caterham, since you don't mod the car in any way they're not bothered, spoken to AON who do the Lambo, broker isn't bothered but is confirming their lack of interest with the insurers.

I really can't see it, they can't be saying you car is un-insuread as soon as you plug anything into the accessory socket or put the battery on charge.

[PST 1]

For crying out loud!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just buy the Porsche one for £40ish and be done with it. One plug into the wall socket then plug the other end into the cigar lighter, shut the car door! Job done!!!!

[m raks]

dang it, no power in the garage. guess it means when i do get one, i'll be driving it a little more!!!

[bertie]

PST 1 said:

For crying out loud!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just buy the Porsche one for £40ish and be done with it. One plug into the wall socket then plug the other end into the cigar lighter, shut the car door! Job done!!!!

If indeed it is £40 it's cheaper than almost anywhere else so why not.

Personaly, I use the V10 battery charger which was factory installed in the back of the Gallardo.

But I do have a conditioner on the Caterham.

[rviant]

I can vouch for the accumate charger too had it for 3 t=years no probs. It is permanently connected when the car is in he garage. I didn't get the cigarette light adaptor option, mine had a plug in the passenger footwell where I connect to.

Worth a try :thumbsup: