Trickle Charge procedure???

[Classico]

Now that I've got a new battery after running down my old one (doh!) got the GT on a trickle charger due to infrequent use.

I run the extension lead to the boot's trickle charger and then close the boot - but not fully closed as I'm worried about damaging/fraying the extension cord.

Wanted to know what others do? Recommend fully shutting the boot on the cord?

 

[CatmanV2]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CTEK-Exte...399012?hash=item1ea43bc3a4:g:PlIAAOSwiLdV-B4M

I have one. The boot closes fine and there is no damage to the cable. Even if there is cumulatively, it's only 12v and cheap enough.

C

 

[Doohickey]

There seems to be more of a gap between the light clusters so I hold the cable up whilst I close the boot lid. There doesn't seem to be any damage to the cable (or the car!).

 

[outrun]

I leave the boot open a little, like your picture. The main reason is that the heat transfer from the charger and exposed battery, combined with petrol fumes and the like that could be trapped in there, could spell major disaster. I think it's best
therefore to let the air circulate a little.

It may be over the top but you never know. A power surge or similar could cause a spark in an enclosed space....

 

[allandwf]

Mine is the same, cloth wrapped round wires where they come out boot, and boot just resting shut.

 

[daverichardson]

I leave the boot fully open when battery is on charge in the QP
The boot light goes out after about 10 mins.
I try Not to charge overnight (safety reasons) when I am asleep but during the day when I am around
I charge every couple of days if I do not use the car and it takes about 6 hours to get the green light on the Lidl special
So far so good..............................

 

[highlander]

I leave the boot open a little, like your picture. The main reason is that the heat transfer from the charger and exposed battery, combined with petrol fumes and the like that could be trapped in there, could spell major disaster. I think it's best
therefore to let the air circulate a little.

It may be over the top but you never know. A power surge or similar could cause a spark in an enclosed space....

^^^what he said^^^
better safe than sorry I say

 

[D Walker]

6p worth,
I put a piece of thick cardboard to one side of the cables keeping the boot slightly open, I also turn off the master switch, mine was left connected while I was on holiday for 3 1/2 weeks.
It is also plugged in via a surge/protection plug and backed up by being on a 5A spur.

 

[allandwf]

So basically we have any permutation you like from leaving it open, to chopping the cable in the boot! lol

 

[midlifecrisis]

From and Electronic Engineers point of view I would get the extension lead as Catman says, it's only 12V and the CTEK charger has a cut-out facility. Also the cable is thinner that main cable and can circumnavigate the panel gap. I would also get this , the connector to permanently keep connected to your battery.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CTE-56260-...dp/B002MT72YE?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

I wouldn't worry about fumes from the petrol tank etc, the risk is minimal. If you are worried about sparks from crocodile clips, then don't pull the leads off allowing the teeth to scrape along the terminals, open the jaws whilst keeping the teeth engaged on one side then quickly and smartly remove without the clip touching the terminal again.

 

[allandwf]

Think I missed something. The CTEk is external to the boot, yes? No one is putting the charger in the boot, the do get warm, and are supposed to be mounted on a hard surface. I assumed we were talking about the lead from the charger to the battery going through the boot.

 

[CatmanV2]

I think people are putting the charge in the boot. That's a mains cable. I certainly had the charger in the boot on the 4200. I'm still here!

C

 

[allandwf]

I think people are putting the charge in the boot. That's a mains cable. I certainly had the charger in the boot on the 4200. I'm still here!

C

Ah, ok. I have mine on the wall, and just run charging lead through the boot.

 

[TridentTested]

The leads which come with the Ctek - both the 240v side, and the 12v side - are slim enough to allow the QP's boot lid to close fully without damage to lid nor lead.




Having killed my relatively new motorbike's battery with an Optimate (similar to Ctek) conditioner, I now use the Ctek more sparingly. The motorbike's conditioner came with all the same sales guff saying it was programmed to carefully maintain the battery in tip top condition but I discovered the hard way that leaving it plugged in for long periods dried out the cells. My mechanic tells me this is a common problem with conditioners; owners, like I did, believe once plugged in the conditioner is looking after the battery but it will dry out the cells.

I'm going to rig up both on 7 day timers so they aren't humming away all the time.

 

[Jkulin]

I use a CTek in my 911 with the doors shut and the adapter plugged into the Cigar lighter socket (Its permanently live).

I have my CTek permanently charging in the boot of my 47 Chevy.

As and when I need it I will plug the other Ctek into my QP and lock it in the Boot.

Seriously gents the risk of it catching fire from petrol fumes is like saying your house will catch fire from someone throwing a f@g out of their car window 100 yards away.

Its a charger with a safety cutoff, lets not be pedantic, we drive Italian cars with more risk of the cars catching fire driving them on the motorway than sitting on the driveway.

 

[CatmanV2]

Seriously gents the risk of it catching fire from petrol fumes is like saying your house will catch fire from someone throwing a f@g out of their car window 100 yards away.

Its a charger with a safety cutoff, lets not be pedantic, we drive Italian cars with more risk of the cars catching fire driving them on the motorway than sitting on the driveway.

Aye

C

 

[ricp]

I have an Oxford Oximiser that I bought for my 355 as the battery died shortly after I got it. The car was always plugged into it and on whilst garaged. I used the car all year round but was also away a lot. Thus it had weeks / months at a time trickle charging. I recently sold the 355 after 8 years and never replaced the battery again so it can't have done it too much harm plugged in. The Spyder had a new battery just before I picked it up (again lack of use, 27k in 12 years?) and will get the same treatment. I just leave it plugged in with the boot lid open. The light is on when I close the door but out when I return days later. Thus it must have a timer that operates between 10 seconds and 2 days, or the battery pixies must creep in whilst I'm away and sort it out for me.

 

[zagatoes30]

Stuff battery chargers just use the car more

 

[Felonious Crud]

Mine's permanently connected to the battery and lives in the boot. I close the lid on the wire. Neither lid nor wire have ever complained.

 

[redsonnylee]

My ctek is on the brick wall, I close the boot & use an old bag glove to stop the boot touching the charger cable.