Trickle charging an 2012 Petrol E250 C207

[Jason1145]

I would like to hook up my E250 up to a battery trickle charger for when it’s not in use (it won’t get driven daily and could sit for a week repeatedly between drives)

I am used to connecting up my old Toyota Celica which was no problem, but that was a more traditional battery set up compared to this C207.

Please bear with me as I’ve only had the car less than a week so I’m learning as I go, plus this is a more complicated car than I’m used to so please be patient.


So bonnet up, the main battery is located at the back of the engine bay on the right side as you face it, It has a positive blade just to the left of this which is protected by a red sliding plastic cover.

I presume this is meant for easy access to the battery (positive) to save having to remove that big black battery cover?

Once the positive clamp is on that positive blade I was planning to then clamp the negative one on the metal nuts on top of the suspension strut, does this sound ok?

 

[Jason1145]

I forgot to ask, what in the blazes is this spinning turbine foam filter thing behind the battery??

And what’s that open ended metal pipe for??

This car is a learning experience

 

[ALFAitalia]

The open pipe is the ground/negative point for jump starting and/or charging. The fan is the interior blower fan.

 

[Jason1145]

Thanks @ALFAitalia that solves my where to put the negative clamp issue

 

[Chrishazle]

That +ve under the sliding cover and the -ve that Alfaitalia has identified for you are the emergency jump start points for your car and are the ones I use for trickle charging my S204 (for the SLK I use the emergency +ve and the nut at the top of the suspension as you thought of ) without problems, much easier on the SLK than pulling the drain etc cover over the battery.

From experience, if you ever have to call out your breakdown folk for a flat battery non start, their heavy duty jump starter may not work on the emergency connectors and its best connected straight to the battery. Been there with the S204 where connecting to the emergency connectors allowed me to open the boot and get at the battery, but would not start the car until connected direct to the battery.

 

[Jason1145]

Thanks that’s all good information @Chrishazle .

My battery cover is held in place with 3 clips all along the bulkhead, the two outer ones were fine but the middle one was a different design and I may have broken it getting it off.. it wouldn’t go back on properly

It is a bar that slides in to two grooves at each end.. I forced that bar upwards thinking that’s the correct method but it was so stiff I had to use a screwdriver for purchase.

 

[Jason1145]

Looking at the photo again maybe I should have tried the other side to lift up where it hooks on the bulkhead plastic - but last night I thought it looked like it was hooked and looped back around so was fixed - maybe not!

 

[ALFAitalia]

Release from the bulkhead end or you will break the mount where the bar goes on the battery cover.....as you now know!!

 

[OneForTheRoad]

I've got the user manual for the c207 for sale £10 posted .238 pages still as new Also some puddle lights for the doors with the mb logo 4 for £15 type B. If any interest



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