Tynesider Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 Hi I'm after some advice / recommendations for setting up battery charger for the winter. My problem is the car has to remain outside but is only approx. half a metre away from garage where the nearest socket is, but the cable will have to be outside. So should I even do this? Has anyone got a good safe working solution to this. Last winter my battery went down even though I ran the car every couple of weeks and then I was left with the pain of getting the frunk open. Have fitted new battery this spring and want to keep it maintained through winter, will most likely still run the car a bit through the winter. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinewood Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 CTEK MXS 5.0 extension cable cigeratte lighter comfort adapter I wrap some polythene around the connectors just to be extra safe, but they are shiweroroof anyway. the charger used to sit under the car in a plastic box (2 little cut outs for cables), until I put a Keter Storage unit on the drive with power. top tip: plug the cable in from the drivers side door so you remember it's plugged in 🤫 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tynesider Posted June 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 11 minutes ago, Pinewood said: CTEK MXS 5.0 extension cable cigeratte lighter comfort adapter I wrap some polythene around the connectors just to be extra safe, but they are shiweroroof anyway. the charger used to sit under the car in a plastic box (2 little cut outs for cables), until I put a Keter Storage unit on the drive with power. top tip: plug the cable in from the drivers side door so you remember it's plugged in 🤫 Cheers, does the cigarette adapter come with the CTEK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzevans Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 1 minute ago, Tynesider said: Cheers, does the cigarette adapter come with the CTEK? I believe from my recent searching that it is an additional purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red rocket Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 5 minutes ago, Tynesider said: Cheers, does the cigarette adapter come with the CTEK? It's separate and as Pinewood says you'll need the extension too. Also as he says you should be able to site any connectors in a plastic box with rubber sealed holes for the cables to pass through. I use one every Christmas to house the extension socket for our outdoor lights. Got it from B & Q i think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tynesider Posted June 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 Just now, red rocket said: It's separate and as Pinewood says you'll need the extension too. Also as he says you should be able to site any connectors in a plastic box with rubber sealed holes for the cables to pass through. I use one every Christmas to house the extension socket for our outdoor lights. Got it from B & Q i think. Thanks to you both, that set up sounds ideal and should be straight forward enough👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXY Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 You can connect directly to the battery and run the cable out beside the wipers. I have a post with a pic somewhere. If you are connecting to the cigarette socket there is a slight break in the door rubber near the back that allows you to route the cable and close the door. I made a 'ON CHARGE' sign from a site id lanyard to hang from the mirror to prevent tethered drive offs. CTEK's are totally waterproof and these are handy to hold the cables but also tuck under the car; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Masterplug-Splashproof-Extension-Lead-Plug-Socket-Protector-Outdoor-Power-Cover/332057148049?epid=8035409864&hash=item4d5025fa91:g:Ec8AAOSw~rpZVksN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tynesider Posted June 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 41 minutes ago, EXY said: You can connect directly to the battery and run the cable out beside the wipers. I have a post with a pic somewhere. If you are connecting to the cigarette socket there is a slight break in the door rubber near the back that allows you to route the cable and close the door. I made a 'ON CHARGE' sign from a site id lanyard to hang from the mirror to prevent tethered drive offs. CTEK's are totally waterproof and these are handy to hold the cables but also tuck under the car; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Masterplug-Splashproof-Extension-Lead-Plug-Socket-Protector-Outdoor-Power-Cover/332057148049?epid=8035409864&hash=item4d5025fa91:g:Ec8AAOSw~rpZVksN Thanks for that, will try and find your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzevans Posted June 11, 2020 Report Share Posted June 11, 2020 There’s lots of talk about where to connect the negative terminal of the charger. Do you connect to the battery or a ground on the body? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcs Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 On 6/10/2020 at 9:43 AM, Tynesider said: Hi I'm after some advice / recommendations for setting up battery charger for the winter. My problem is the car has to remain outside but is only approx. half a metre away from garage where the nearest socket is, but the cable will have to be outside. So should I even do this? Has anyone got a good safe working solution to this. Last winter my battery went down even though I ran the car every couple of weeks and then I was left with the pain of getting the frunk open. Have fitted new battery this spring and want to keep it maintained through winter, will most likely still run the car a bit through the winter. Cheers Hi I keep my charger in the house . As and when needed I connect a 25ft sae to sae extension cable , run it out through the top light window out to the car on the drive , connect to sae connector at wiper scuttle I have connected an o ring to sae connector cable with in-line fuse directly to the battery and fed this up to the wiper scuttle. I've tethered the connector end of the cable to the scuttle with some fishing gut so it can be tucked down between the frunk and plastic tray area and pulled back out when needed. If I havent used the car I connect it about once a week to top up . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzevans Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Annoyingly I ordered a ctek 5.0 from Demon Tweeks along with a breaker bar. Parcelforce delivered the breaker bar package, told me there was another package, so he went back to his van. Three minutes later I’m still stood by my front door as he drives off!! No second package! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted June 17, 2020 Report Share Posted June 17, 2020 I bought one like this, different brand but exactly the same, I paid £19 and it's been excellent. Looks like a CTEK knock-off and never let me down in 2 years. Touch wood. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ERAYAK-Car-Battery-Smart-Charger-and-Maintainer-5-Amp-12V-Fully-Automatic-/402298552937?hash=item5daadcc269 Only 99p at the moment... I then got a very long extension for the 12v side, 3 metres or maybe more, along with an eyelet adaptor lead to permanently attach to the battery. Something like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CTEK-Comfort-Connect-Connection-To-Battery-Cable-40cm-Lead-Flylead-56-260/372526422843?epid=7027452875&hash=item56bc4e1b3b:g:KAQAAOSwcZ1cVD3E I did have to do some trigging to make the knock off lead fit the ctek one but it works. When I plug the extension lead to the eyelet cable (attached to the battery) I open the bonnet and thread the extension through the gap between the bulkhead and top of the bonnet so that it can be closed and locked securely, without the frunk light staying on. I'll post a pic as I seem to be having trouble explaining what's in my head! Just thinking that if you have the 12v part between your garage and car then it should be safe, shouldn't it? Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr96er Posted June 17, 2020 Report Share Posted June 17, 2020 Amazon alternative charger click here👍 Maypole 7423A Battery Charger Auto Electronic 4A 12V https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009A83P1E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_R2K6EbCAM22PK Does the same job very well these last two years for £20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted June 18, 2020 Report Share Posted June 18, 2020 Here's what I was on about previously: Lead fed through the gap twixt bonnet and scuttle... Eyelet lead fed under the battery cover. Bonnet can be closed securely, thinking that if this were outside then would need to make sure that rain doesn't track down the cable into the bulkhead, I know there are drains but better avoided imo. We get a lot of rain here in West Devon! HTH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tynesider Posted June 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2020 7 hours ago, Freddie said: Here's what I was on about previously: Lead fed through the gap twixt bonnet and scuttle... Eyelet lead fed under the battery cover. Bonnet can be closed securely, thinking that if this were outside then would need to make sure that rain doesn't track down the cable into the bulkhead, I know there are drains but better avoided imo. We get a lot of rain here in West Devon! HTH! Thanks for the info and pics Freddie much appreciated 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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