Battery Charger/Conditioner

[Jim Clark]

Hi All

Lack of use and the cold weather have caused my battery to drain completely flat over the last couple of months and not having any kind of charger or conditioner has left me in the annoying position of it being a dry and sunny day with no Tuscan to drive!! I might get the jump leads connected and go for a blast later but I really do need to get something more permenant sorted.

The car is a Mk2 S and had a new battery fitted at the end of last summer so hopefully a good charge should get it going again.

I'm lucky enough to have it in the garage and near a plug socket so my question really is which charger/conditioner am I best to go for? I've had a search about but can't see any reccomendations.

I really want to get one sorted because I'm totally gutted I can't use it!!

Thanks in advance guys and happy driving if the weather is good where you are this weekend!!

Edited by Jim Clark on Saturday 30th January 12:48

[BDM]

I use a CTEK and love it...

http://www.ctek.com/EN-GB/Default.aspx

You wont look back

[Jim Clark]

Thanks that's great. Sorry for being thick but does it have to connect directly to the battery or can I get it with a connector for the cig lighter?

[BDM]

You can buy an adapter... thats what i did...

http://www.ctek.com/EN-GB/Accessories.aspx

Brilliant piece of kit and looks the part too

Edited by BDM on Saturday 30th January 16:46

[beano500]

Jim Clark said:

Lack of use and the cold weather have caused my battery to drain completely flat

Problem I found is that once it's had a full discharge, the TVR needs such a lot of cranking power the potential is you need to replace that!

As far as conditioning, the Accumate is great. My car came fitted with one in the boot - just plug in!! Sadly I have a garage with no power, so the battery comes out and goes on charge/condition for long periods with no problems - new battery added a few years ago, three months to the states in 2007, four months out last year and it's fine!

[Milky400]

I have a halfruads one contected to my alt, think it was 25quid, haven't had a problem with it all winter.

Lidl do one for 12.99 and is extremely good for the money, you may need to sign up for there news letter wnicn comes via email as they sell very quickly. Most end up on ebay for 30quid!!!!!

[deeen]

To keep it topped up, isn't there a solar powered jobbie, you leave it on the dash in the sun, and connect it to the cigarette lighter?

[The Surveyor]

Jim Clark said:

Hi All

Lack of use and the cold weather have caused my battery to drain completely flat over the last couple of months ....

Just a word of caution, if your battery is flat, you'll need a charger, not a conditioner. I've got one of the £25 halfords charger/conditioner and it's great, but will only work if it detects at least 6v in the battery before starting it's charge-mode. Any less and it won't start charging. Not sure this is the same with other 'conditioners'.

Paul