TrIckle charging

[mrcabbage]

Looks like there has been plenty of discussion around this before but I can't find the definitive answer.

I want a charger that goes in the cigarette lighter, doesn't involve doing anything to the battery, and is intelligent enough to not over-charge (i.e. I can leave it happily for a month at a time).

What do I want?

[SILICONE KID]

I have a Accumate ,comes with a permanent connector.You can leave it by the foot board and plug it in.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OPTIMATE-3-4-ACCUMATE-MOTORC...

[dmjw01]

Accumate, and order the cigar lighter adapter to go with it.

If you Google "Accumate" the top result is the manufacturer's web site, but I've found there are cheaper places to order. I've just ordered some Accumate accessories from RS, for example.

Edited by dmjw01 on Wednesday 24th November 19:31

[mrcabbage]

Thanks. Do I need the Accumate 6/12 + cigarette lighter accessory?

[mrcabbage]

Thanks. Do I need the Accumate 6/12 + cigarette lighter accessory?

[dmjw01]

That's the one!

[Tyre Tread]

mrcabbage said:

Thanks. Do I need the Accumate 6/12 + cigarette lighter accessory?

Yep, good bit of kit.

I swap weekly between the classic and the TVR to keep both ready.

[SILICONE KID]

I have a Accumate ,comes with a permanent connector.You can leave it by the foot board and plug it in.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OPTIMATE-3-4-ACCUMATE-MOTORC...

[Good Soil (Pete)]

CTEK do one that is good too. I use it on my car...

[mrcabbage]

Just about to order the Accumate then saw post about CTEK. Which model? Does it do the same as the Accumate?

[TJC46]

mrcabbage said:

Just about to order the Accumate then saw post about CTEK. Which model? Does it do the same as the Accumate?

Ctek 8oo about £36/£38 fantastic piece of kit. Had it on my chim since the end of sept. Mine is hard wired to the battery with a plug in point in the passenger footwell. Its so sensitive to voltage drop, if you open the door the conditioning light goes from green to red, shut the door and a few secs later back to green, cant rate it highly enough.

[rainifa]

TJC46 said:

mrcabbage said:

Just about to order the Accumate then saw post about CTEK. Which model? Does it do the same as the Accumate?

Ctek 8oo about £36/£38 fantastic piece of kit. Had it on my chim since the end of sept. Mine is hard wired to the battery with a plug in point in the passenger footwell. Its so sensitive to voltage drop, if you open the door the conditioning light goes from green to red, shut the door and a few secs later back to green, cant rate it highly enough.

Just bought one of these on ebay for £29.50 delivered.

[Tyre Tread]

TJC46 said:

mrcabbage said:

Just about to order the Accumate then saw post about CTEK. Which model? Does it do the same as the Accumate?

Ctek 8oo about £36/£38 fantastic piece of kit. Had it on my chim since the end of sept. Mine is hard wired to the battery with a plug in point in the passenger footwell. Its so sensitive to voltage drop, if you open the door the conditioning light goes from green to red, shut the door and a few secs later back to green, cant rate it highly enough.

Not necessarily a good thing as the battery should be allowed to cycle a little which I understand the Accumate does.

[dmjw01]

Last night I tried a similar test with my Accumate. Light was on green, then I unlocked and re-locked the car. The light immediately went to amber and stayed that way for maybe half an hour before going back to green. I get the impression that the Accumate charges very gently indeed, especially when the battery is near full charge.

[P400PLS]

dmjw01 said:

Last night I tried a similar test with my Accumate. Light was on green, then I unlocked and re-locked the car. The light immediately went to amber and stayed that way for maybe half an hour before going back to green. I get the impression that the Accumate charges very gently indeed, especially when the battery is near full charge.

Same here, takes about 5 minutes to return to green.

[Sonic]

Not for a chim, i found this thread using the search, surprisingly!

rainifa said:

TJC46 said:

mrcabbage said:

Just about to order the Accumate then saw post about CTEK. Which model? Does it do the same as the Accumate?

Ctek 8oo about £36/£38 fantastic piece of kit. Had it on my chim since the end of sept. Mine is hard wired to the battery with a plug in point in the passenger footwell. Its so sensitive to voltage drop, if you open the door the conditioning light goes from green to red, shut the door and a few secs later back to green, cant rate it highly enough.

Just bought one of these on ebay for £29.50 delivered.

Cheers, looks like a good buy.

There is a handy table here that compares the CTEK chargers. http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Content/D...

[mrcabbage]

I went with the CTEK XS 3600 in the end. Battery was at the point where the doors wouldn't open from the outside. Within 2 hours of attaching the CTEK, it was starting again.

[Sonic]

mrcabbage said:

I went with the CTEK XS 3600 in the end. Battery was at the point where the doors wouldn't open from the outside. Within 2 hours of attaching the CTEK, it was starting again.

Thanks, handy to know. I'm thinking the 3600 or 7000.

I like the 12v supply feature on the 7000, but for the extra cost I don't think I'd use it regularly enough.

[rickprice]

What about disconnecting the battery when laid up over winter? Does that have any negative effects?


Rich

[Hybrids]

Sonic said:

I like the 12v supply feature on the 7000, but for the extra cost I don't think I'd use it regularly enough.

I have a couple of the XS7000, they were demo ones supplied a few years ago.
I rarely use the other functions, if I had to buy one I would be going for the 800 or 3600