Battery charging and conditioning

[Mire Mare]

I'm looking to get a trickle charge device for use with my Panda and other cars.

Something like this >> AA Battery Charger & Maintainer, For 6V & 12V Lead Acid and Gel Batteries - Black/Yellow: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

There's a fair amount of choice so I was wondering if anyone could recommend a brand or particular charger?

Not sure I posted this in the right board or indeed if this has been discussed elsewhere. I did have a quick look :/

Cheers!

 

[g8rpi]

Hi,
The one you linked to looks reasonable. I can't recommend one as I just knock one up or use a bench type DC power supply when I need one

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I'm looking to get a trickle charge device for use with my Panda and other cars.

Something like this >> AA Battery Charger & Maintainer, For 6V & 12V Lead Acid and Gel Batteries - Black/Yellow: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

There's a fair amount of choice so I was wondering if anyone could recommend a brand or particular charger?

Not sure I posted this in the right board or indeed if this has been discussed elsewhere. I did have a quick look :/

Cheers!

Hi. I can't remember ever not having a battery charger but they've always been the old transformer type. A few years back, after a spate of flat batteries in family vehicles, I was unable to get a radio in one of them to "wake up" again. (I always disconnected before charging to avoid damage to electronics so radio code needed on reconnection and on this one the radio code was lost!). Newer cars are now also prone to loosing other settings (my boys Astra forgets how to work its windows for instance) so, after a bit of research, I bought a CTEC Multi XS 7000 specifically because CTEC make a big thing about not having to disconnect before or during charging. I've had it for a few years now (4, maybe 5 I think?) And it's been connected to all the family cars without any problems (I believe strongly in a battery getting a full charge twice a year, which the car's alternator will not achieve. I find battery life is definitely extended if you do this) It's also been used to charge my friend's S type Jag after it went very flat when he was on holiday. When not being used for other duties it is permanently connected, in maintenance mode, to my 12volt 77Ah jump start battery which lives in my garage.

Shortly after I bought it my oldest boy gave me a "Tronic T4X" (Lidl) which is also a modern electronic type charger - he didn't know at that time that I had the CTEC - as a present. I don't lend the CTEC out but I'm known as a "car person" in our street so occasionally a neighbor will ask to borrow something. If it's a battery charger then it's the "Tronic" that gets lent along with "terrifying tales" of what can go wrong. So far there have been no reports of damage so I think it's probably "safe" to use without disconnecting the battery from the car, like the CTEC. I notice Aldi sell a very, very similar product and they are both very reasonably priced.

Hope maybe some of that helps
Regards
Jock

 

[Mire Mare]

Hi. I can't remember ever not having a battery charger but they've always been the old transformer type. A few years back, after a spate of flat batteries in family vehicles, I was unable to get a radio in one of them to "wake up" again. (I always disconnected before charging to avoid damage to electronics so radio code needed on reconnection and on this one the radio code was lost!). Newer cars are now also prone to loosing other settings (my boys Astra forgets how to work its windows for instance) so, after a bit of research, I bought a CTEC Multi XS 7000 specifically because CTEC make a big thing about not having to disconnect before or during charging. I've had it for a few years now (4, maybe 5 I think?) And it's been connected to all the family cars without any problems (I believe strongly in a battery getting a full charge twice a year, which the car's alternator will not achieve. I find battery life is definitely extended if you do this) It's also been used to charge my friend's S type Jag after it went very flat when he was on holiday. When not being used for other duties it is permanently connected, in maintenance mode, to my 12volt 77Ah jump start battery which lives in my garage.

Shortly after I bought it my oldest boy gave me a "Tronic T4X" (Lidl) which is also a modern electronic type charger - he didn't know at that time that I had the CTEC - as a present. I don't lend the CTEC out but I'm known as a "car person" in our street so occasionally a neighbor will ask to borrow something. If it's a battery charger then it's the "Tronic" that gets lent along with "terrifying tales" of what can go wrong. So far there have been no reports of damage so I think it's probably "safe" to use without disconnecting the battery from the car, like the CTEC. I notice Aldi sell a very, very similar product and they are both very reasonably priced.

Hope maybe some of that helps
Regards
Jock

Cheers for that info, Jock. I appreciate it. I'll have a look at the CTEC option The battery is a bit of a pain to get to on the GTV so not having to disconnect it would be quite nice!

 

[irc]

Look into CTEK comfort connector - could make life even easier.