Portable battery charger / power pack
Discussion
Hi all,
I live in a second floor flat and my TVR is parked in a block of garages out the back. To charge the battery I currently have to run about 50 metres of extension cable from my flat to the garage where I use a CTEK 7000 as the charger. I was wondering if there is a portable charger or power pack that I could charge indoors that would allow me to charge the battery in the garage without the need for mains power. Inside the garage, it is only feasible to charge through the cigarette lighter socket.
If you anyone else has had and/or solved this problem, I would love to hear from you.
Thanks and regards,
Stephen
I live in a second floor flat and my TVR is parked in a block of garages out the back. To charge the battery I currently have to run about 50 metres of extension cable from my flat to the garage where I use a CTEK 7000 as the charger. I was wondering if there is a portable charger or power pack that I could charge indoors that would allow me to charge the battery in the garage without the need for mains power. Inside the garage, it is only feasible to charge through the cigarette lighter socket.
If you anyone else has had and/or solved this problem, I would love to hear from you.
Thanks and regards,
Stephen
Not really sure what this would gain, Obviously theres no power socket in the garage, is fitting one a complete none starter?
The portable power packs are basically just a 12v battery with a pair of jump leads attached so I don't think the charger would like being wired to a 12v supply, you could connect the battery pack to the car but I don't really think this would have the same effect.
Another solution may be, and I've never used one so can't really comment on their quality, the solar power chargers, pop one on the roof and with a bit of luck it might work.
The portable power packs are basically just a 12v battery with a pair of jump leads attached so I don't think the charger would like being wired to a 12v supply, you could connect the battery pack to the car but I don't really think this would have the same effect.
Another solution may be, and I've never used one so can't really comment on their quality, the solar power chargers, pop one on the roof and with a bit of luck it might work.
I have looked into the solar ones and they are quite low power and it would takes days or months to charge the battery I think. Thanks for the suggestion though.
The other problem as mentioned is I ideally want to charge the battery through the cigarette lighter socket so am looking at 7 amps max input.
I would need to go through the management company to discuss having elec installed in the garage so not straight forward.
My latest thoughts are buying a 40 Ah Ring Professional Power Pack With Inverter and then plugging the CTEK charger into this? No idea if this is possible but will go to Halfords to have a look at one.
Appreciate your speedy replies.
The other problem as mentioned is I ideally want to charge the battery through the cigarette lighter socket so am looking at 7 amps max input.
I would need to go through the management company to discuss having elec installed in the garage so not straight forward.
My latest thoughts are buying a 40 Ah Ring Professional Power Pack With Inverter and then plugging the CTEK charger into this? No idea if this is possible but will go to Halfords to have a look at one.
Appreciate your speedy replies.
You are getting into some technical issues here. If you are looking to provide up to 7 amps, you'll need more than a 40Ah power source, since it "theoretically" will last 5 hours (10A-hour rate) or so (much less in practice). Also I think the Cetec won't give you anything like 7-amps ??
As for using an invertor, unless you pays dearly, you will not get much better than a 60% conversion and again no longer than 5 hours or so - you don't get something for nothing.
Why not just keep the Power Pack charged at home. Take it with you when you attempt to fire up the car and if it doesn't, use the Power Pack ??
Trev
As for using an invertor, unless you pays dearly, you will not get much better than a 60% conversion and again no longer than 5 hours or so - you don't get something for nothing.
Why not just keep the Power Pack charged at home. Take it with you when you attempt to fire up the car and if it doesn't, use the Power Pack ??
Trev
You may be able to find a solar charger good enough to maintain the battery therefore preventing the need to have a full recharge all the time. But you would need to minimise the drain on the battery. If the car is locked in the garage then the alarm is not necessarily needed. An isolator could be installed to disconnect the battery when not in use. The clock is also a big drain.
Dont think you will be able to find a portable mains supply good enough to charge the battery unless it is a fuel based generator. Noisy.
Could look into something like this:
http://www.hayesequipment.com/yamaha_generators/ef...
This looks good and is cheap. Has a car battery charger built in!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wolf-WP980-Portable-Quiet-Ru...
Dont think you will be able to find a portable mains supply good enough to charge the battery unless it is a fuel based generator. Noisy.
Could look into something like this:
http://www.hayesequipment.com/yamaha_generators/ef...
This looks good and is cheap. Has a car battery charger built in!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wolf-WP980-Portable-Quiet-Ru...
Edited by Chimjunkie on Monday 24th November 15:49
Hi Trev,
My understanding is that the battery is about 75 Ah's so I was thinking that if I can get the 40 Ah's into the battery, then with 2 charges of the power pack I should have a fully charged battery ??
The problem with using the power pack to fire up the car is that I cannot get to the battery in the passenger footwell when the car is in the garage (it's quite hard to get to it when the car's out of the garage!) so I will need to jump start through the cigarette lighter which can't take the cold cranking amps (>>> 7 amps) required as far as I know but I could be wrong.
Fyi, the CTEK 7000 delivers a maximum of 7 amps during charging which is fine for the cigarette lighter circuit (seems to work anyway).
Regards,
Stephen
My understanding is that the battery is about 75 Ah's so I was thinking that if I can get the 40 Ah's into the battery, then with 2 charges of the power pack I should have a fully charged battery ??
The problem with using the power pack to fire up the car is that I cannot get to the battery in the passenger footwell when the car is in the garage (it's quite hard to get to it when the car's out of the garage!) so I will need to jump start through the cigarette lighter which can't take the cold cranking amps (>>> 7 amps) required as far as I know but I could be wrong.
Fyi, the CTEK 7000 delivers a maximum of 7 amps during charging which is fine for the cigarette lighter circuit (seems to work anyway).
Regards,
Stephen
CTEK 7000, inverters, power packs... Why not just buy a new battery???Mine was new in June 2006 and the only time it gets charged is when the car is being driven ('98 Chimaera 450). I've just returned from just over 6 weeks away having left the car in an unheated council lock-up garage with the alarm set. Getting into the car for the first time after approaching 7 weeks the starter motor turned the engine over and it started first time, almost as though I'd used it just a few days before.
Surely a new battery, rather than trying to support the old one is the answer here.... IF you have a new battery and it's discharging to the extent that the car will not start after just a few days, then identify the source of the short/power drain and resolve it. Anything less is a band-aid and depending upon what's causing it, there could even be a low fire risk existing in your car.
sash33 said:
I have looked into the solar ones and they are quite low power and it would takes days or months to charge the battery I think. Thanks for the suggestion though.
The other problem as mentioned is I ideally want to charge the battery through the cigarette lighter socket so am looking at 7 amps max input.
I would need to go through the management company to discuss having elec installed in the garage so not straight forward.
My latest thoughts are buying a 40 Ah Ring Professional Power Pack With Inverter and then plugging the CTEK charger into this? No idea if this is possible but will go to Halfords to have a look at one.
Appreciate your speedy replies.
I have one of those Ring power packs.The other problem as mentioned is I ideally want to charge the battery through the cigarette lighter socket so am looking at 7 amps max input.
I would need to go through the management company to discuss having elec installed in the garage so not straight forward.
My latest thoughts are buying a 40 Ah Ring Professional Power Pack With Inverter and then plugging the CTEK charger into this? No idea if this is possible but will go to Halfords to have a look at one.
Appreciate your speedy replies.
The car is fitted with an AccuMate conditioner.
Taking the pack and plugging the AccuMate into the inverter flattens the pack quite quickly. I don’t know how long exactly, but if I plug it in and go to work then it will be flat when I come home.
The pack then takes about 1.5 days to recharge on the mains charger.
sash33 said:
Hi Trev,
My understanding is that the battery is about 75 Ah's so I was thinking that if I can get the 40 Ah's into the battery, then with 2 charges of the power pack I should have a fully charged battery ??
The problem with using the power pack to fire up the car is that I cannot get to the battery in the passenger footwell when the car is in the garage (it's quite hard to get to it when the car's out of the garage!) so I will need to jump start through the cigarette lighter which can't take the cold cranking amps (>>> 7 amps) required as far as I know but I could be wrong.
Fyi, the CTEK 7000 delivers a maximum of 7 amps during charging which is fine for the cigarette lighter circuit (seems to work anyway).
Regards,
Stephen
Stephen,My understanding is that the battery is about 75 Ah's so I was thinking that if I can get the 40 Ah's into the battery, then with 2 charges of the power pack I should have a fully charged battery ??
The problem with using the power pack to fire up the car is that I cannot get to the battery in the passenger footwell when the car is in the garage (it's quite hard to get to it when the car's out of the garage!) so I will need to jump start through the cigarette lighter which can't take the cold cranking amps (>>> 7 amps) required as far as I know but I could be wrong.
Fyi, the CTEK 7000 delivers a maximum of 7 amps during charging which is fine for the cigarette lighter circuit (seems to work anyway).
Regards,
Stephen
If only electrics were so simple. Your charger will only provide 7 amps if the battery is flat and a very reduced amount if half charged etc. Using the power pack and an inverter will not, IMHO, achieve your goal.
The only time I would recommend you cross strap your power pack to the car battery is when you are trying to start the car. Certainly DO NOT do it via the cigar lighter !!
I suspect you will have to find yourself an "Anderson" connector which is used on the Cebera/T 350/Tamora series. A high current professional connector for starting cars. This allows "another" battery to be connected like your power pack. It can be fitted to an area which you do have access. If you're unsure most Garage Electrians would wire one up for you quite cheaply.
This would allow then you to ignore your car when in the garage and when you want to use it. Plug the power pack in and go !!
Cheers. Trev
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk should have reviewed them.
If you find the list, then click on the heading should put them in alphabetical order
BTW, I was in Maplins at the weekend and noticed this solar charger. Should be waterproof.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=99760 If you extended the leads and left it on the roof it should deliver 1A (the diode prevents reverse current after dark)
If you find the list, then click on the heading should put them in alphabetical order
BTW, I was in Maplins at the weekend and noticed this solar charger. Should be waterproof.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=99760 If you extended the leads and left it on the roof it should deliver 1A (the diode prevents reverse current after dark)
Edited by henrycrun on Tuesday 25th November 15:22
Simple fixes are often the best. Wire an anderson connector to your car battery, then loop it up and store in the pouch under the dash above the battery. If it wont start whip out the connector , hook up to power pack and jump start.
That way you dont have to fumble around with connecting direct to the battery and dont have to use the ciggy lighter.
That way you dont have to fumble around with connecting direct to the battery and dont have to use the ciggy lighter.
The AccuMate instructions state that a 75 Amp Hour battery should take 25 hours to fully recharge from the point where it is just too flat to crank the engine. However, a totally discharged battery can take 60 hours.
Based upon the earlier estimate of 5 hours of power from the power pack inverter, (which is credible in my experience) then you will need between 5 and 12 sessions on the power at 5 hours each, plus 36 hours between to recharge the power pack.
So that’s up to a massive 480 hours to recharge fully.
In practice, it should be a lot less. The battery shouldn’t be so deeply discharged and you don’t need to fully charge it, just enough to start the car.
The instructions say that the inverter draws >3mA if the inverter is switched on, but there is no current being drawn.
As I only got the power pack recently it is still recharging the battery. The car hasn’t been run for a few weeks. Anyone know how long the power pack should last when the AccuMate is just in maintenance mode?
Based upon the earlier estimate of 5 hours of power from the power pack inverter, (which is credible in my experience) then you will need between 5 and 12 sessions on the power at 5 hours each, plus 36 hours between to recharge the power pack.
So that’s up to a massive 480 hours to recharge fully.
In practice, it should be a lot less. The battery shouldn’t be so deeply discharged and you don’t need to fully charge it, just enough to start the car.
The instructions say that the inverter draws >3mA if the inverter is switched on, but there is no current being drawn.
As I only got the power pack recently it is still recharging the battery. The car hasn’t been run for a few weeks. Anyone know how long the power pack should last when the AccuMate is just in maintenance mode?
Uncle Fester said:
snippity Anyone know how long the power pack should last when the AccuMate is just in maintenance mode? snip
Indefinately if the battery has been fully charged. The accumate will, if necessary, go back to charge, then go back to maintenance cycling ad infinitum.Trev
I use one of these to keep my track car topped up:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=98358
Used to have a bigish gap at bottom of my garage door so it would get enough light to work.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=98358
Used to have a bigish gap at bottom of my garage door so it would get enough light to work.
I’ve thought of it, but that leaves the car unalarmed and invites insurance problems if stolen/damaged.
Then there is the problem that, as I understand it, the alarm contains a back up battery. When I turn off the battery master switch, the alarm will detect this as tampering and sound.
As there is no power supply to the garage, fitting a building alarm is problematic.
What would make sense is to have a switch to isolate the clock. Next time the dash is out this will be done.
Then there is the problem that, as I understand it, the alarm contains a back up battery. When I turn off the battery master switch, the alarm will detect this as tampering and sound.
As there is no power supply to the garage, fitting a building alarm is problematic.
What would make sense is to have a switch to isolate the clock. Next time the dash is out this will be done.
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