Battery charger connection points?

[amg merc]

Can anyone advise whether its best to connect a battery trickle-charger/conditioner cable direct to the battery or is it OK via the in-car power socket?

[3rtt]

I believe both work OK.

I have mine direct to the battery. The up side is the conditioner is connected direct to the battery and not through the loom. The down side (if you can call it that) is that you have to open the rear clam each time.

Connecting through the cigar lighter is less hassle, but I don't have enough knowledge if there is a down side charging through the loom.

Perhaps Justin or any other users of this system have a better idea.

I do know it's great peace of mind that when you need it, the battery is fully charged.

You on the road yet Rob ?

Cheers,
Ian.

[amg merc]

[I do know it's great peace of mind that when you need it, the battery is fully charged.

You on the road yet Rob ?

Cheers,
Ian.[/quote]

Ian, I agree so will also get a charger but the factory wasnt almost £100 + VAT to fit a lead from the battery and tie-wrap it near the top for easy access! If the power socket works OK, and is more accessible, then why should I bother with spending yet another 100 squids - one of my current smaller dilemmas!

R77 leaves the factory this week so more new to follow!

>> Edited by amg merc on Tuesday 6th January 13:19

[MisterX]

Mine is connected via the cigarette lighter socket and it works fine. Its a darn sight easier than trying to connect to battery terminals themselves.

[noblem12]

I also use the cigarette charger and AFAIK there is no downside to it.

The only thing you need to be careful about is that when you plug it in, you put it in straight - otherwise you might short it and blow a fuse (which I did once).

Chris

[joust]

Cig lighter socket is fine. Maximum current through the cig lighter is a massive 10-15A (sorry, can't remember what fuse the Noble has in for the circuit), and the conditioner charger generates a few hundred mA

I just leave mine hanging next to the drivers window, then when I park up I just reach out and plug it in.

J

[amg merc]

Thanks all, it sounds like the interior power socket will work fine then.

As for the model do I recall correctly that the AccuMate "6V/12V Selectable Smart Charger" is preferred the most (I see that on accumate's site its £39.95 and on the TVR car club site its £45)?

[joust]

Yep - that's the one I have (see www.lotus-elise.org.uk/noble in the diary section).

I think the Accuate prices were +£6 carriage and then +VAT, whereas the TVRCC were +£4.50 carriage inc. VAT when I looked, hence I went with the TVRCC.

J

[MisterX]

......And as mentioned in another thread about this subject, the TVR club give a good/fast service.

[amg merc]

I know that the Accumate or Draper units, at around £40 are recommended by many owners but does anyone know about the Draper 12V Battery master (at half the cost)
Go to:
www.drapertools.com and then ENTER GUEST and SEARCH for part number 63147.

I have a racing nut friend with three of these and he says they work perfectly and that they do have "charging intelligence" (ie: switch on and off depending on the charge state)?!

[joust]

Read this

http://uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq9.htm

about what is actually required to keep things working

[http://uuhome.de/william.darden/ for the whole thing]

And then ask yourself would you trust £20 worth of electronics to do that correctly? Looking at it it's just a 12V power supply, and hence won't actually charge the battery or maintain it - just that it will "take over" the load of the alarm etc.

With a battery at ~£100 due to the labour for fitting, just 3 months extra life will save you the difference....

J

>> Edited by joust on Wednesday 21st January 12:12

[amg merc]

joust said:

Read this <a href="http://uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq9.htm">[url] >> Edited by joust on Wednesday 21st January 12:12

Thanks Justin, will do!

[lucozade]

Just about to tuck the toy away for winter time.

I'm going to put it in a garage and intend to use a trickle charger.

I will be ordering an Accumate (not sure which one yet?) and connecting it via the cigarette lighter socket. One thing though - is it possible to connect this up and alarm/lock the car. I guess either a window has to be left open slightly or the cables would have to run under the door ?

[AMG Merc]

lucozade said:

Just about to tuck the toy away for winter time. I'm going to put it in a garage and intend to use a trickle charger. I will be ordering an Accumate (not sure which one yet?) and connecting it via the cigarette lighter socket. One thing though - is it possible to connect this up and alarm/lock the car. I guess either a window has to be left open slightly or the cables would have to run under the door ?

How about cable through the window and, to avoid the ultrasonic sensors tripping the alarm as the window will be open (wind, etc.), put a piece of tape over both of the sensors at the ends of the dash?!

[chillidog]

I just use an Accumate Pro - www.accumate.co.uk/it010005.html - connected to the ciggy lighter with the wire jammed in between the passenger window and the rubber. I don't wind the window down at all.

[joust]

AMG Merc said:

How about cable through the window and, to avoid the ultrasonic sensors tripping the alarm as the window will be open (wind, etc.), put a piece of tape over both of the sensors at the ends of the dash?!

No need to worry about the sensors, they only detect large moving objects, not wires....

I just wind the window down a fraction in the garage so the squishy rubber seal doesn't get an "imprint" in it, and have the acumate mounted on the wall.

Drive in, wind down window, grab cable, plug in ciggy lighter socket, wind window back up.

J