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Using battery trickle charger over winter

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Ewazix
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Re: Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by Ewazix » Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:24 am

Number5 wrote:
Ewazix wrote:
Number5 wrote:Has anybody used a standard battery charger and just put it on a timer pkug to charge for 1hr a day ?
Would that cause any issues ?
That would probably be OK at a low rate but not at full whack which could result in plate damage. The latest ctek smart chargers 'read' the charge state and adjust charge rates, apparently a normal charge-up will only take a battery to 80% or so although it will indicate 100%. You can try it, when you leave a freshly charged battery for a few hours the charge dissipates away from the plates in to the liquid/gel and will then accept more charge giving the impression it has discharged a bit, but this is normal. The ctek reads this and feeds more in as and when. Secondly some ctek use a pulse discharge/charge cycle to help de-sulphur plates effectively restoring them (sulphation is caused by allowing a battery to become discharged).

The battery in my car is now 13 years old and still good, probably as a result of the ctek - but I'm probably tempting fate :P
Cheers. my charger reads it as it has a 4 stage LEd indicator, it also says it trickles once fully charged, but its not a CTEC.
Sounds like the same sort of kit, ctek actually make the charges for a lot of big brands plus BMW, Merc etc etc. But with a top-end ctek costing the same as a decent battery with a 5 year warranty it's a questionable cost/benefit in some ways TBH.
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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by Mop1 » Fri Feb 08, 2019 3:36 pm

Novice question
I have a Z4 E89 and want to use a trickle charger using the positive point in the engine bay. Where do people connect the negative clip to.
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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by Z4Sparky » Fri Feb 08, 2019 3:47 pm

Mop1 wrote: Fri Feb 08, 2019 3:36 pm Novice question
I have a Z4 E89 and want to use a trickle charger using the positive point in the engine bay. Where do people connect the negative clip to.
Cheers
Any exposed bit of metal should do the job...it should all be earthed.

there are some large nuts on top of the diagonal strut braces that are in a handy spot.
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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by Zed Baron » Fri Feb 08, 2019 5:55 pm

Ive got mine setup like this
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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by Mop1 » Sat Feb 09, 2019 9:16 am

Zen Baron, thanks for the photo which is really helpful.
Now I have located the negative terminal I realise the distance between the pos/neg clips on the Ctek charger I have brought is too short :headbang:

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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by road warrior » Sat Feb 09, 2019 10:17 am

I note many of you extend the mains cable and then worry about something going wrong like cut cable. I extend the12v lead. Safer and cheaper. Use 2 core white and you won't forget it's there either. :thumbsup:
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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by Silverzedtom » Sat Feb 09, 2019 10:40 am

I Picked up a solar charger a couple of weeks ago when my old battery bit the dust. No cables to worry about :thumbsup: no good inside of course :lol:
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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by Busterboo » Sat Feb 09, 2019 11:21 am

If only the cigarette lighter socket were live!
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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by Silverzedtom » Sat Feb 09, 2019 12:07 pm

Busterboo wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 11:21 am If only the cigarette lighter socket were live!
There’s always the OBD port, or feeding a cable through the firewall.
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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by NickDE » Sat Feb 09, 2019 12:17 pm

Silverzedtom wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 12:07 pm
Busterboo wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 11:21 am If only the cigarette lighter socket were live!
There’s always the OBD port, or feeding a cable through the firewall.
They are on BMWs.

There's always the cable CTEK supply that attaches to the battery and gives a convenient socket to connect to in the boot.
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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by Tinker15 » Sat Feb 09, 2019 12:43 pm

I use a CTEK and bought one of these http://www.allbatteries.co.uk/comfort-c ... x9049.html which gives you a bit more length.
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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by ronk » Sat Feb 09, 2019 8:15 pm

The handbook in my car says connect to the posts under the bonnet - they must have their reasons !
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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by road warrior » Sat Feb 09, 2019 9:24 pm

Busterboo wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 11:21 am If only the cigarette lighter socket were live!
mine is
If you ever think I'm off my rocker.. Just put me back in it and walk away... It's the kindest thing
My wife says I never listen - or something like that.
gone but not forgotton -Mean Steve - made a sound like a bear with his nuts in a trap.

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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by road warrior » Sat Feb 09, 2019 9:28 pm

ronk wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 8:15 pm The handbook in my car says connect to the posts under the bonnet - they must have their reasons !
i imagine is more component safe- not gonna upset the sulky airbags and such this way
If you ever think I'm off my rocker.. Just put me back in it and walk away... It's the kindest thing
My wife says I never listen - or something like that.
gone but not forgotton -Mean Steve - made a sound like a bear with his nuts in a trap.

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Using battery trickle charger over winter

Post by Mr Tidy » Sat Feb 09, 2019 9:30 pm

road warrior wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 9:24 pm
Busterboo wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 11:21 am If only the cigarette lighter socket were live!
mine is
Mine is too, but that's because E85/86 ones are!

E89 ones obviously aren't - my E91 lighter socket isn't live either. :(
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