Battery charging

[itiejim]

I need to top up my battery a bit after a couple of weeks inactivity in the garage - (note to self - buy a trickle charger)- is there any reason I can't just plug the positive feed onto the battery and the negative onto the chassis?

I had a sort of half-memory that it was advisable to remove some fuse or another or am I just confusing myself?

Just don't want to boil the alternator

[ridds]

That's all I do with my charger.

Also, be wary of the trickle chargers, my Optimate is ste and does not keep it topped up. Ok the engine's not fired for 3 months but the charger does nothing.

[itiejim]

Cheers for that, I use a CTEK on our 308 which seems to do quite a good job - unfortunately it's always needed when the Cerb would need it.

[jesfirth]

I have a bog standard halfords trickle charger. i solved the earth problrm by cutting a small sliver of plastic coating of the negative earth cable where it runs past the battery and I just clamp the terminal onto that.

No need to remove the battery or covers and direct oonnection to the battery

[peteA]

itiejim said:

I need to top up my battery a bit after a couple of weeks inactivity in the garage - (note to self - buy a trickle charger)- is there any reason I can't just plug the positive feed onto the battery and the negative onto the chassis?

I had a sort of half-memory that it was advisable to remove some fuse or another or am I just confusing myself?

Just don't want to boil the alternator

Why not just clip the + onto the battery and the - onto the engine somewhere....isn't the engine and chassis all earthed back to the battery...?

[350Matt]

Indeed I used to use the oil filler cap for the negative, worked fine.

[chim500nj]

Manual says put the negative clip onto the engine somewhere this is what I do with my trickle charger never had any issues with it.

Always leave it on low for about two hours seems to do the job.

[touching cloth]

350Matt said:

Indeed I used to use the oil filler cap for the negative, worked fine.

ditto

[cerbieboy]

just got 12w solar panel from maplins that plugs into cigar lighter, bargain @ 40 sheets....
should save some time over winter months. as far as i can see not avalailable on line only in store.

[esso]

You can charge the battery while its still connected as long as you do not put more than 7amps through it.I earth mine on the angled bracket which bolts to the rocker cover.

[VPower]

Optimate III and cig ligter adapter no probs!

Make sure you connect to battery first, then switch charger on.

[itiejim]

I've seen to many "cigar lighter" posts on here to want to go that route I think.

I'll get another CTEK and hardwire in a plug to the battery.

Thanks for all the suugestions folks.

[kojak]

350Matt said:

Indeed I used to use the oil filler cap for the negative, worked fine.

I do.

[optimax sniffer]

If it outside the house for a day I connect the optimate to the positive post of the battery and the airbox brackets

[VPower]

itiejim said:

I've seen to many "cigar lighter" posts on here to want to go that route I think.

I'll get another CTEK and hardwire in a plug to the battery.

Thanks for all the suugestions folks.

Why?

A cigar ligher will pull at least 10 amps heating the element.

Optimate 4 only puts in 0.8 amps max.

[robbri]

itiejim said:

I've seen to many "cigar lighter" posts on here to want to go that route I think.

I'll get another CTEK and hardwire in a plug to the battery.

Thanks for all the suugestions folks.

I have one of these same spec as ctek 5 stage charger.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TVR-TUSCAN-TAMORA-T350-SAGAR...

[itiejim]

I've seen several posts on here about problems caused by (usually aftermarket) cigar lighters. Usually short circuits or overloaded feeds, etc.

I appreciate that it should work OK and I know it powers my sat nav OK. However, for the sake of hardwiring in a dedicated plug for the charger I'd sleep easier - particularly for something that's plugged in for such a long period of time, rather than the 30 secs or so for a cigar lighter.

VPower said:

itiejim said:

I've seen to many "cigar lighter" posts on here to want to go that route I think.

I'll get another CTEK and hardwire in a plug to the battery.

Thanks for all the suugestions folks.

Why?

A cigar ligher will pull at least 10 amps heating the element.

Optimate 4 only puts in 0.8 amps max.

[Brummmie]

I use the cigarette lighter to trickle charge as you dont even have to lift the bonnet!

[VPower]

itiejim said:

I've seen several posts on here about problems caused by (usually aftermarket) cigar lighters. Usually short circuits or overloaded feeds, etc.

I appreciate that it should work OK and I know it powers my sat nav OK. However, for the sake of hardwiring in a dedicated plug for the charger I'd sleep easier - particularly for something that's plugged in for such a long period of time, rather than the 30 secs or so for a cigar lighter.

I will say I have the adapter to wire directly to the battery.
I was going to connect it to the fuse board in the boot, but the cig lighter adapter gave me the extra length (silly thing to ssy!) which allows me to simply plug in.

However the charger you are getting has a high rate current charge cycle, so can't argue against a proper hard wired connection with that.