Trickle Charger

[Steve320]

Hi Everyone,

Can anyone recommend a good trickle charger I can get to keep my battery topped up whilst the car isn't used (for up to eight weeks at a time) and also advice whether it's best to connect it up to the battery or via appropriate +ve / -ve points under the bonnet?

Many thanks.

 

[BlackC55]

The Ctech is supposed to be the best.

Connect it via the battery.

 

[whitenemesis]

MB sell the Ctek under their own label and at many times the price from Ctek!

I found Amazon to be the best price when I bought mine. (MXS 5.0 )

 

[Jokuk]

I recently purchased one of these £30 seems to do the trick but there are others on here with far more knowledge and experience than me

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DW6RHN2/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

 

[JRH30]

I use optimate 4 on the SL and have about 40 of them at our storage facility on anything from Ferraris to Bentley. Never had a problem.

 

[BTB 500]

Accumate here, been using it on the SL for nearly 8 years now:

AccuMate 6V & 12V Battery Maintenance Charger

 

[Giantvanman]

Optimate for bikes and cars for many, many years. They don't just provide a constant trickle. Some clever electronics are used to maintain and refresh the battery. I have used an Optimate to bring more than one battery from the dead.

 

[IanA2]

AccuMate here too; times several.

Lidl do cheap ones every now and again that are TUV approved. That's what I'll be getting next.

What ever you get it's helpful to have a fly lead permanently attached to your battery. Makes life easier.

 

[whitenemesis]

The Ctek comes complete with leads one leaves connected to the battery, has a convenient connector for the charger.

 

[guydewdney]

I have had optimate, accumate and now have a ctek. The specs on the ctek are far better. They do a range from tiny to huge.

 

[BTB 500]

The battery in my SL is now 10 years old, so I'm pretty happy with the Accumate's performance

 

[Steve320]

Many thanks for your advise everyone - onto Amazon to check prices, availability etc. I must admit - the ability to connect fly leads to leave connected to the battery (appropriately insulated when not in use!) sounds like a good idea. Certainly make life easier than dragging out boot protector, carpet, cover et al.

Steve

 

[AMGeed]

^ Cteck is the one to get, although the Lidl one I'm using is very good for £14

 

[paulb64]

I too have and have used Optimate, Accumate and Ctek. As a couple of the previous posters have noted, the Ctek on paper at least is better. I have used it to good effect on everything from small motorcycle batteries to the E55 so its hard to fault.
The model I have has different settings for use in winter (cold affects charging rate I believe) car batteries and bike batteries.

 

[guydewdney]

The ctek does look rubbish though, it looks cheap and diy, even the 14a 24v £170 quid version i bought! They are all identical, just bigger....

 

[BTB 500]

ManI must admit - the ability to connect fly leads to leave connected to the battery (appropriately insulated when not in use!) sounds like a good idea.

The standard Accumate flyead (bottom left in the picture below) has a socket on the end with a rubber cover. I would guess the other makes are similar. I don't bother to 'close' the rubber cover with my SL as the battery is in the boot - I have the flylead poking out where the trim panels meet.

 

[optimusprime]

info

Steve have you thought about a solar charger .Plugs in to the cigarett socket.

 

[IanA2]

Steve have you thought about a solar charger .Plugs in to the cigarett socket.

Are there any that work?

 

[BTB 500]

The cigarette charger socket is usually isolated with the ignition off.

 

[nb_racing]

I've always used Ctek, on my bike and at work on race cars. They are very good, however one important point is that if you unplug the ctek from the mains while it is connected to the battery, it backfeeds itself and will flatten the battery. I bought a top of the range one and it still did it.
My dad has used an accumate for about 5 years on his weekend car that sits in the garage for weeks on end. He likes it so much he's now wired it up to the mains...

I would say it's worth using the fly lead on your car, then you can just plug it in rather than clamping it on each time. Much tidier and safer.