Accumate: When and how long?

[Chris71]

Hi,

I've just plugged in my Accumate Pro for the first time and I wondered when people tend to use them and how long they leave them plugged in for one go?

I've put the alarm/immobiliser system on as there are a couple of LEDs that remain otherwise and I guess that (somewhat peversely) switching the alarm on might actually cause it to draw less current. I've now left it whirring away in the garage and a few thoughts occur: Is it strictly necessary (car goes out about once a week this time of year), how much money is it costing to keep it plugged in(!), and is it completely safe to leave unattended (I know there's no real reason it shouldn't be, but I've had a nasty experience with a trickle charger before)?

Chris

[V8NUTTER]

My Griff's on an accumate all year round as it's sometimes left for 4 or 5 weeks. Never had a problem in 3 years.

[Guillotine]

Plug it in and forget about it,
It has various cut outs should there be a problem (inc thermal), but there shouldn't be.

It'll run with the alarm on with no problems and adjust its charging to account for it, so shouldn't take any longer. TVR alarms can take anything up to 1/4amp (quite high) and can knock a battery down in around 2-3 weeks depending on size so yours MAY be down to 60% after a week. Rechaarging from the alternator is quite strong too which it only takes 20 mins or so and ages the battery.

Accumate costs? 1p hour as a guess.
Duff battery? £120 and a bummer of a day sorting it.

Andy

[OatSy]

Mine has been on for 8 months.

[DavidLScott]

I leave mine on permanently from October to March.

[Mr MoJo]

Mine is plugged in all the time, whether its put away over night or for long spells in the winter.
Plug it in and forget about it, not had a problem in 2 1/2 years.

[Cider Andy]

Mine's been connected permanently for about four years. Original battery would, I've no doubt, still have been good to this day had it not been run down whilst it was parked up for service and MoT for three months over winter a couple of years ago. The battery still worked but it was weakened, so I replaced it.

But keep your eye on the Accumate. My car hadn't been out on the road since February this year, 'til last week when I brought it home. It was parked in a lock-up garage to which there had been a power cut some weeks earlier. When I checked on it, the charger, although switched on, was not charging the battery so it had gone almost completely flat. What didn't help was (for the first time in over 30 years of being around cars) I connected jump leads the wrong way round and cooked the battery...

Replacement battery need not be too expensive, either. Although I paid about £47 for the previous Yuasa Professional battery through the trade, I don't have the same contact any more, so I bought this one. £68.89 delivered to your door. 72Ah and 650CCA plus a four year warranty. As I'm not far from the place I bought it over the counter for £62. Let's see how it goes...