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Using battery trickle charger over winter
- Thread starter Oakleyextreme
- Start date
PerryGunn said:
I do this, but i set the boot as "latched", i.e. lock set, whilst still open, but then shut the boot lid without latching it. System thinks the boot is locked shut, but is only locked. No compression of the cable at all.
BTW, I also put a dehumidifier in the boot and main cabin - non electrical ones - to soak up any moisture. An easy home-made one is to use some cat litter and old socks (pour the cat litter into one sock, then place into the other sock). Replace the cat litter every couple of weeks, or just dry it out on a radiator for a couple of hours.
I use a CTEC over the winter and connect direct to the battery terminals in the boot. I leave a rear quarter light fractionally open and run the cable in through that and then down into the boot, Works for me I have left the car both locked and unlocked it doesn't seem to make any difference.
Number5 said:
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
Ewazix said:Number5 said:
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
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.
Number5 said:Ewazix said:Number5 said:
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
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.
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. 
I Picked up a solar charger a couple of weeks ago when my old battery bit the dust. No cables to worry about no good inside of course :lol:
no good inside of course :lol:Busterboo said:
There’s always the OBD port, or feeding a cable through the firewall.
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