Going to lay the car up, where to connect the trickle charger?

[Cherrypd]

That's me done for Christmas, so the car will be parked up for a couple of weeks. Hubby is going to connect the trickle charger whilst it is unused. Is it OK to connect both leads to the battery?. I only ask as his Range Rover you can but the newer ones you don't connect to both terminals. So I thought I'd check.

A207 2010 E250 CDI.

 

[Ted]

Both terminals will be fine, or put the negative to a metal ground point (just as good)

 

[st13phil]

Look in the Owner's Manual.

There will be a brass "earth" post on the inner wing, and "live" terminal with red sliding cover over it located on the battery cover. These are the charger connection points.

 

[SpikyMikey]

This is what you're looking for - although the positioning of the items will be different on your A207

 

[Chrishazle]

Direct to the battery or indirect using the emergency jump points under the bonnet are both fine. I've used a trickle charger on our weekend toy for over 20 years, on the 968's it was direct to the battery (as it is when I put a charger onto the S204) but for the SLK I use the under bonnet emergency +ve and a bolt on the OS suspension mount (haven't found the -ve post the S204 has).

Just a small point from experience - The S204 battery went so flat I could only open the drivers door with the emergency key and could not open the tailgate, so had to call the recovery company. He put his large jump pack onto the emergency points under the bonnet, that gave enough Oomph to open the tailgate but not enough to start the car - he was not surprised by that, had seen it before. However, having the tailgate open allowed access to the battery, connected the jump pack to that - and was able to start the car.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Direct to the battery or indirect using the emergency jump points under the bonnet are both fine. I've used a trickle charger on our weekend toy for over 20 years, on the 968's it was direct to the battery (as it is when I put a charger onto the S204) but for the SLK I use the under bonnet emergency +ve and a bolt on the OS suspension mount (haven't found the -ve post the S204 has).

Just a small point from experience - The S204 battery went so flat I could only open the drivers door with the emergency key and could not open the tailgate, so had to call the recovery company. He put his large jump pack onto the emergency points under the bonnet, that gave enough Oomph to open the tailgate but not enough to start the car - he was not surprised by that, had seen it before. However, having the tailgate open allowed access to the battery, connected the jump pack to that - and was able to start the car.

+1. Lots of owners don’t realise that this is how to get in after a completely flat battery.

Key access to the tailgate went out of fashion when tailgates went electric.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Look in the Owner's Manual.

There will be a brass "earth" post on the inner wing, and "live" terminal with red sliding cover over it located on the battery cover. These are the charger connection points.

This

 

[Skd884]

That's me done for Christmas, so the car will be parked up for a couple of weeks. Hubby is going to connect the trickle charger whilst it is unused. Is it OK to connect both leads to the battery?. I only ask as his Range Rover you can but the newer ones you don't connect to both terminals. So I thought I'd check.

A207 2010 E250 CDI.

Mine is often not moved for a month - never required a trickle charger.

 

[Chrishazle]

Mine is often not moved for a month - never required a trickle charger.

You're lucky, having been caught out more than once having our S204 parked on the driveway where I cannot routinely connect a conditioner (and we may well not have used the car for a week, and only a little the week before. Battery is nearly new!!). I now have a battery condition monitor (Lidl) connected to the battery where I can see it through the tailgate, and I know from experience that if the light goes red I need to put the charger on the battery overnight. Fortunately the tailgate will close over the extension lead so I can have the battery on charge but the car locked and alarmed. Nothing worse than coming to the car on a Sunday morning to take wife to church and finding the damned thing will not start so I have to swiftly get the SLK out of the garage, especially if it's not a nice day. Learnt the hard way to check 10 minutes before time to leave - saves a shed load of earache.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

You're lucky, having been caught out more than once having our S204 parked on the driveway where I cannot routinely connect a conditioner (and we may well not have used the car for a week, and only a little the week before. Battery is nearly new!!). I now have a battery condition monitor (Lidl) connected to the battery where I can see it through the tailgate, and I know from experience that if the light goes red I need to put the charger on the battery overnight. Fortunately the tailgate will close over the extension lead so I can have the battery on charge but the car locked and alarmed. Nothing worse than coming to the car on a Sunday morning to take wife to church and finding the damned thing will not start so I have to swiftly get the SLK out of the garage, especially if it's not a nice day. Learnt the hard way to check 10 minutes before time to leave - saves a shed load of earache.

I don’t know if you use a traditional battery charger or a battery conditioner, but if it’s the former, it might be worth borrowing a CTEK from a friend. They do make a difference.

We go through thiese conversations every winter as batteries struggle with being left unused in cold temperatures. A few strategic top ups make all the difference.

(And this is about occasionally reconditioning, not trickle charging)

 

[RichardF]

I won't be using one of my cars for a wee while so it's on a ctek. I really rate them.

I had an elderly SL for 9 yrs, each winter living outside on a ctek. Battery remained good in my custody. No idea how old it was.

 

[Chrishazle]

I don’t know if you use a traditional battery charger or a battery conditioner, but if it’s the former, it might be worth borrowing a CTEK from a friend. They do make a difference.

The SLK is garaged with a conditioner attached, but the S204 lives on the front driveway with no power point available. I have a long extension lead that can reach the car, and a SIP Chargestar Smart 18 Automatic charger that I use when required - i.e. when the condition monitor says it's needed!

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

The SLK is garaged with a conditioner attached, but the S204 lives on the front driveway with no power point available. I have a long extension lead that can reach the car, and a SIP Chargestar Smart 18 Automatic charger that I use when required - i.e. when the condition monitor says it's needed!

Aye, but is it a battery conditioner, trickle charger or battery charger?

Conditioners like the CTEK refresh old batteries. It’s more than trickle charging or ordinary charging

 

[jacksona]

On my R231 SL350, which hardly gets used these days, it's struggling to start. No warnings on the display. I'm assuming Starter Battery?

Would the CTEK MXS 5.0 be the right way to go? Would I connect it to the terminals under the bonnet?

Went to Sainsbury's this morning, but I noticed on the return journey that the Trip information had reset (and the 'from reset' screen had also reset), which is weird - no idea if related?

Appreciate any insight!

TIA.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Treat it to a CTEK 5. £75 from Amazon. From memory you'll pick one up from Ebay for £50. ("Only one owner, seldom used, mainly just to go to church on Sundays")
Yes, easiest is to connect under the bonnet. No need to faff with pulling the cover of the battery up.

First sign of battery flattening on an R230 was usually an error message about "convenience"items not working - for example the roof not available for opening. Just simple protective design.

Can't comment about the trip information. Doesn't ring bells to my mind.

Early R230's had a phantom drain. I thought it hadn't continued past the 2008 facelift on into the R231.

Use a CTEK a couple of times over the Winter and you shouldn't need to replace the original battery.

(Great colour choice on that motor of yours)

 

[BTB 500]

I won't be using one of my cars for a wee while so it's on a ctek. I really rate them.

I had an elderly SL for 9 yrs, each winter living outside on a ctek. Battery remained good in my custody. No idea how old it was.

The battery in my own elderly SL is coming up for 20 years old now (fitted under warranty just after I got the car). I keep it connected to a wall-mounted AccuMate maintenance charger - this cost significantly less than a new battery, so has definitely paid for itself! FWIW I also have a CTEK MXS 5.0 which is used for general charging/maintenance duties (tractor, ride-on mower, caravan, electric fence batteries, etc.).

 

[jacksona]

Treat it to a CTEK 5. £75 from Amazon. From memory you'll pick one up from Ebay for £50. ("Only one owner, seldom used, mainly just to go to church on Sundays")
Yes, easiest is to connect under the bonnet. No need to faff with pulling the cover of the battery up.

First sign of battery flattening on an R230 was usually an error message about "convenience"items not working - for example the roof not available for opening. Just simple protective design.

Can't comment about the trip information. Doesn't ring bells to my mind.

Early R230's had a phantom drain. I thought it hadn't continued past the 2008 facelift on into the R231.

Use a CTEK a couple of times over the Winter and you shouldn't need to replace the original battery.

(Great colour choice on that motor of yours)

Thanks Mike. Ordered the MXS5. Any idea whether the battery is AGM or "normal" (or both)? Will it charge/recondition both batteries when attached under the bonnet?

Yes, I love the colour contrast!

 

[ToeKnee]

You can use either the under bonnet connections or direct to the battery in the boot. I used the fly wires that came with the Ctek and went straight to the boot battery. Neither way will charge up the auxiliary battery but I find that with a "full" starter battery then the auxiliary battery starts getting charged a lot earlier whilst driving.

 

[BTB 500]

Yep I have a flylead permanently connected to the battery on both my SL and tractor. So just a question of plugging the cable from the charger into that. With the SL this saves removing the trim panel on that side of the boot every time:

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Thanks Mike. Ordered the MXS5. Any idea whether the battery is AGM or "normal" (or both)? Will it charge/recondition both batteries when attached under the bonnet?
Yes, I love the colour contrast!

I'm pretty sure your R231 will have an AGM, but the label on the battery will tell you what it is.

I believe that the route is to recharge the starter battery, and that the other battery / batteries are charged from the starter battery.

21st century cars have purpose built easy connectors under the bonnet, before that you had to pull out the cover to the battery in the boot or wherever it lives.

Friends who have handfuls of cars tucked away, prefer the fly lead tags connected to the battery direct, as they tend to leave their motors connected "on float." It's not the sort of charging you'll be needing, but see what suits you. (Some people, seriously, don't like lifting the bonnet. It's a thing).

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