Keeping the battery charged whilst not using

[dukemasterpro]

Hey guys, not been recommended to drive the car before trade in due to ABS fault.
Realise turning over the car daily won't put much back in and my Traxide kit and DBS is getting pulled out before trading though the main battery still was too flat today after a week off the road. Had to jump start today off a hire car! The traxide was at 11.5, main was 5v. After 30 mins both back up to 12.7.
Any suggestions other than driving it to keep charged till the 20th? I don't own any battery charging equipment yet nor have an idea of what's what with that.
Many thanks ( again! )

[Epic pooh]

Two options that spring to mind:

a) disconnect the battery when not in use, reconnect when you want to use the car, hope for the best, or

b) buy a suitable charger (such as a CTEK MXS5.0 - about a hundred bucks) and leave it connected when the vehicle is not in use,

[dukemasterpro]

Maybe option b - sounds like a plan then.

[~Rich~]

Heh Duke read this thread:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/166849-max-amps-through-12s-socket.html

Works well for me.

[AndyG]

And the ctek has a recondition option, it may breath in some life.

[Don 130]

Solar battery charger. Mount it outside your shed where it can see the sun, or if you've got skylight in the shed roof, hang it under that. I don't know where you are, but someone like this (http://www.ljwsolar.com.au) bloke in Sydney, can make you one to do what you want for a reasonable sum.
( I have no connection with this mob)
Don.

[dukemasterpro]

And the ctek has a recondition option, it may breath in some life.


So all I need for the ctek is a power socket nearby the garage ( tick ), connect it to the main battery close the bonnet and lock the car then bobs your uncle?

[Epic pooh]

I wouldn't close the bonnet personally but yes that's about the size of it. If you are going to close the bonnet you must ensure that the leads don't get crushed, come off or otherwise short on some surface. If you're going to close the bonnet suggest you use the eyelets rather than the alligator clips.

[trevorj]

Better to connect the ctek via comfort fitting and dedicated plug to the D4 white trailer socket. Vehicle can stay locked/alarmed; dont need to open any doors, bonnet etc. I made my own connection of comfort and trailer plug (wiring diagram is here somewhere), and now can easily connect ctek, and solar when camped for more than a couple of days. Dont have a camper to connect, but I guess that would be hooked via the other plug. Anyway, I keep optima and crank batteries floated up with the ctek at home (traxide equipped); and with a $10 LED voltmeter left plugged into the console cig plug - now - stress free and very happy campers. We just finished 12,000 km 6 weeks cross continent camping circuit - not a single glitch; running 50L fridge, camp lighting, air compressor, etc.

[dukemasterpro]

Ordered a ctek today $90 posted, will look into the wiring for the rear socket later. Should be a handy thing to have, only got 2 years out of a genuine battery before and current non genuine battery is months old but still running down quick.

[JamesH]

I made my own connection of comfort and trailer plug (wiring diagram is here somewhere), and now can easily connect ctek, and solar when camped for more than a couple of days.


Hi Trevorj

Sorry for stupid question but if you have a comfort to 12s adaptor for your ctek ( I've ordered one) do you have a comfort plug for your solar charger so you can use the same 12s adaptor? I'm trying to get my head around a setup without having the bits in front of me. It would be nice to have a single 12s plug and be able to use it for both the ctek and the solar but I could not see any obvious solution in the ctek accessories page.

[letherm]

Hi Trevorj

Sorry for stupid question but if you have a comfort to 12s adaptor for your ctek ( I've ordered one) do you have a comfort plug for your solar charger so you can use the same 12s adaptor? I'm trying to get my head around a setup without having the bits in front of me. It would be nice to have a single 12s plug and be able to use it for both the ctek and the solar but I could not see any obvious solution in the ctek accessories page.

Hi JamesH

I just received my adapter today from this site. My understanding is that the white socket has a line to the battery and the socket allows charging through that line. I am not electrically competent but it would seem to me that a solar panel attached to the same socket would still feed power to the battery but I will leave it to more knowledgeable people here to confirm.

Charging through towing socket - DISCO3.CO.UK Knowledge Base (http://www.disco3.co.uk/wiki/Charging_through_towing_socket#Checking_Voltage_.2 6_Powering_Central_Locking)

Martin

[~Rich~]

My earlier link was also referring to charging using the towing socket.

Another plus is that you can always plug a charger in if the car is looked and has a flat battery to unlock it.

[trevorj]

Hi James: I just soldered up an anderson plug to the comfort that was (supplied with the ctek) wired to the round terminals (which I just couldnt see any need for, in my case, so clipped them off). So now, the ctek outputs to an anderson plug via the comfort link, and both my trailer connector and solar connector terminate in anderson plugs. Its a bit clumsy, but flexible, and I had all the bits at hand, and it seems to work .... I kept the original ctek comfort that terminates in alligator clips for use with our other car, which occasionally needs a charge.

[JamesH]

Hi James: I just soldered up an anderson plug to the comfort that was (supplied with the ctek) wired to the round terminals (which I just couldnt see any need for, in my case, so clipped them off). So now, the ctek outputs to an anderson plug via the comfort link, and both my trailer connector and solar connector terminate in anderson plugs. Its a bit clumsy, but flexible, and I had all the bits at hand, and it seems to work .... I kept the original ctek comfort that terminates in alligator clips for use with our other car, which occasionally needs a charge.

Thanks, got it. I don't have an anderson coming to the back from my auxiliary battery so I will be using the 12s plug that's already there. Ive bought an adaptor so I can plug my ctek in there, and you're right, I might be able to use that extra connector on the solar panel keeping the alligator clip connector for using both the ctek and the solar panel in a different car.

[dukemasterpro]

Ctek was delivered - just to check that both alligator clips get connected to each main battery terminal or does the black one go onto an earthing point on the vehicle as per the manual?

[discotwinturbo]

Ctek was delivered - just to check that both alligator clips get connected to each main battery terminal or does the black one go onto an earthing point on the vehicle as per the manual?

Black one to one of the two bolts posts outside of the battery box....just a little in front on the passenger side.

I hard wired my soft fittings, and kept alligator clips for other batteries.

Brett.....

[dukemasterpro]

Black one to one of the two bolts posts outside of the battery box....just a little in front on the passenger side.

I hard wired my soft fittings, and kept alligator clips for other batteries.

Brett.....


Cool all good Brett, also found a lengthy post on disco3.co.UK on ctek - very handy. Battery on Stage 3 now. Going to leave bonnet up as long as possible - hope to get a white socket adapter made up this week as that seems to be the most convenient way to hook it up.

[letherm]

Ctek was delivered - just to check that both alligator clips get connected to each main battery terminal or does the black one go onto an earthing point on the vehicle as per the manual?

I just bought a ctek and it said that it would warn you if you had them around the wrong way and not cause any damage. Best to check the manual though as it may be model(ctek) specific.

Martin