Car Battery Charger. Buying Advice needed

[Geddes]

Alright, just had another attmept just now, got it cable tied round the battery area ok. I took the loose cable and put it under the panel, and just had a the end sticking out of the tow aye area to whenever i need it, and then got the battery charger and the charger cable wasn't long enough so i had to take that loose cable from under the panel and feed it through the tow eye gap for it to be ok.

So when it's finished charging, I'm debating wether just to tie up the loose cable and just tuck it in behind the headlamp area instead of putting it back under the panel every time. Just wondering if i do just tie it together the loose cable it wont cause any heat will it as there's no power going through it other than connected to the battery?

Also debating wether to get another 2.5m extenstion cable so 2 extensions joined together, will this cause issues? having part of the cable under that panel hidden away and the rest going to the car garage to the charger from the tow aye where the connecter is.

 

[Geddes]

I got my batttery charged up from flat the other week using the C-Tek charger, on the display it went from 1 to 7 until i turned it off and it fired up straight away. Left it for a week or two and yesterday i got in the car and noticed the on the display about turning the car over or something. So today i got the battery charger back out and stuck it on charge around 10:00 and it was on level 3 and then went to level 4 quit quick and it's been stuck on level 4 for aorund 5 hours. I unpluged it and re plugged it and it's still on level 4, any reason why it's stuck on level 4?



Few weeks ago when it was completely flat it went from 1 to 7 in aobut 4 or 5 hours iirc

 

[stonejedi]

I got my batttery charged up from flat the other week using the C-Tek charger, on the display it went from 1 to 7 until i turned it off and it fired up straight away. Left it for a week or two and yesterday i got in the car and noticed the on the display about turning the car over or something. So today i got the battery charger back out and stuck it on charge around 10:00 and it was on level 3 and then went to level 4 quit quick and it's been stuck on level 4 for aorund 5 hours. I unpluged it and re plugged it and it's still on level 4, any reason why it's stuck on level 4?



Few weeks ago when it was completely flat it went from 1 to 7 in aobut 4 or 5 hours iirc

https://www.ctek.com/storage/ma/3f8...D8EB07FE2E6CAA66/MXS_5.0-manual-low-UK-EN.pdf

 

[botfch]

Been running one of these for over 10 years on the Imprezas PC680 and never ever have I had a flat battery.
Also one in an IP65 housing with the traffic light connector on the Cayman. Great bits of kit.

View attachment 1467195View attachment 1467196View attachment 1467197View attachment 1467198

Do you recall what that box (the white one) is called trying to find one.

 

[frayz]

Do you recall what that box (the white one) is called trying to find one.

Just an IP65 enclosure. Pretty sure Screwfix sell them. About £20 quid from memory.

 

[justinbowness15]

Hi everyone. I've recently fitted a new Bosch S4 battery and due to little use of the 182 it's gone flat. Jumps starts fine but even after 20 miles with no radio, lights, heater etcit still not enough. I tested the voltage of alternator etc and all seem ok.


I wondered if anyone had any success with the solar panels??



As apparently for them to work and put a charge IN through the fag lighter - the fag lighter has to be live permanently, and on the 182 when no ignition is on its off so doesn't charge.


Thanks

 

[Darren61]

£70 on a CTEK will solve your charging issues if you’re not using it regularly.

Perfect if it’s garaged and you have access to a power supply.

 

[justinbowness15]

I've been looking at those recommended CTEK's but like many, im struggling on the best connection options.

I think with the extended cord i will be able to reach a nearby plug socket through the side of a garage door. However the car is outside and open to the elements and people.


Does anyone have any pictures of how they fitted the hard wiring option under the bonnet, to the battery and positioning of the cables to easily plug into the charger with the bonnet down etc?


Thanks

 

[Darren61]

Granted I’ve got a garage to use solely for the Clio, but my socket is at the back, so I mounted the CTEK on the wall and bought two of the 2.5m extension cables and plugged them into each other. To keep
It neat I stuck some cable trunking to the wall and ran it though that.

Then on the Clio I bought the “comfort connect” which is a permanent attachment to the battery terminal but allows you to plug and unplug really easily. You just feed the cable from the CTEK under the bonnet, connect it up and close.

 

[justinbowness15]

That is a fantastic looking set up!

Thanks very much for the pics. Does that give enough room to shut the bonnet and let the wire out through near the scuttle panel / wipers?

Is that the standard positive connection on the battery?

Where have you connected the hard wire negative cable?


Regards

 

[Darren61]

That is a fantastic looking set up!

Thanks very much for the pics. Does that give enough room to shut the bonnet and let the wire out through near the scuttle panel / wipers?

Is that the standard positive connection on the battery?

Where have you connected the hard wire negative cable?


Regards

Thanks, that’s what being furloughed does to you, time to invest in the man cave 😂

It gives enough room to connect it though the scuttle panel and under the bonnet and there’s also enough slack to move the car forward/backward inside the garage without having to unplug it.

The comfort connect has the same connection on the negative as the positive, I’ve only taken a pic of the positive for reference... The cost all in, including the wall mount, comfort connect and 2x extension cables along with the charger itself was somewhere around the £150 mark, but given my use of the Clio is fair weather track days, it makes a lot of sense.

If yours is outside you could still connect it up and make it weather tight. I’m pretty sure @frayz has a nice set up that’s outdoors...

 

[deanoE30M3]

I use c-tek chargers, great bits of kit.

I’ve got this for home use:

MXS 7.0 UK

56-758

www.ctek.com

For work I use this:

PRO25S UK

40-198

www.ctek.com

 

[frayz]

Similar to what Darren has shown above, except mine is in a full IP66 housing. Cable goes up the door aperture and into the scuttle.

 

[Darren61]

Granted I’ve got a garage to use solely for the Clio, but my socket is at the back, so I mounted the CTEK on the wall and bought two of the 2.5m extension cables and plugged them into each other. To keep
It neat I stuck some cable trunking to the wall and ran it though that.

View attachment 1514912
View attachment 1514913

Then on the Clio I bought the “comfort connect” which is a permanent attachment to the battery terminal but allows you to plug and unplug really easily. You just feed the cable from the CTEK under the bonnet, connect it up and close.

View attachment 1514915

View attachment 1514916

@HaveaCuppa

 

[FrogJam Motorsport]

The Noco range of battery chargers get my vote. They also do booster packs which work get when you have a small battery. All of which can plug into the same pigtails of the battery.

 

[Mr Underhill]

The Noco range of battery chargers get my vote. They also do booster packs which work get when you have a small battery. All of which can plug into the same pigtails of the battery.

View attachment 1582278

I use the same as you guys. Great bit of kit. My previous charger - a C-Tek - lasted just over a year.