Motoring Discussion > Trickle charging.	Accessories and Parts
Thread Author: Roger.	Replies: 45

New Wed 11 Nov 15 14:02   Trickle charging. - Roger.

As we do so little mileage these days, (the car went shopping today - four or five miles: the first use since Saturday) I was wondering if a trickle charger of some sort would be a good idea to keep the battery in decent charge? Does using one cause electrical problems in modern cars with ECUs etc.? Can one just connect to the battery terminals and switch on? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 14:10   Trickle charging. - ....

Connect the -'ve to the body not the battery as it can cause a wobbly with some BMS if both terminals are hooked up to the battery. Last edited by: gmac on Wed 11 Nov 15 at 14:10 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 14:12   Trickle charging. - Old Navy

I use the previous model of one of these, connect it to the battery switch it on and it sorts itself out. ALDI and LIDL do a cheaper version, our local ones have them in at the moment. www.ctek.com/gb/en/chargers/MXS%205.0 Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 15:08   Trickle charging. - Lygonos

>>I use the previous model of one of these, connect it to the battery switch it on and it sorts itself out The man who mocks 'milk float' owners plugs his own car in too. Lolz ;-) Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Thu 12 Nov 15 15:19   Trickle charging. - No FM2R

That would have been witty and very amusing. But you said "lolz". Go and get your coat. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 15:30   Trickle charging. - Lygonos

>>But you said "lolz". >>Go and get your coat The intent was to ironically self-mock in my mockingness. Hence the smiley (which I like using only slightly more than you) Last edited by: Lygonos on Thu 12 Nov 15 at 15:30 Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 15:34   Trickle charging. - No FM2R

Far too obscure and convoluted for a mind as simple as mine. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 15:51   Trickle charging. - Old Navy

>> The man who mocks 'milk float' owners plugs his own car in too. >> I doubt if my occasional 5amp load will crash the national grid. I have a wind farm nearby and only use my trickle charger when it is windy. :-) Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 12 Nov 15 at 15:51 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 14:14   Trickle charging. - WillDeBeest

Oh goody! It's ages since we last did this. You should also remove the wheels to avoid flat-spotting the tyres, spread lard on the door seals to avoid... I don't know - not smelling of pork? Oh, and don't forget to change the oil every week, whether you've driven it or not;these 'long life' service intervals are just one big scam, you know. Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Wed 11 Nov 15 14:23   Trickle charging. - Clk Sec

Changing the oil every week when the car isn't used seems a bit extreme. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 14:29   Trickle charging. - Old Navy

Not really, you can polish the underside of the car while it is draining, none of this suction extraction rubbish. Last edited by: Old Navy on Wed 11 Nov 15 at 14:30 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 14:29   Trickle charging. - No FM2R

I agree. With modern cars every 10 days should be plenty. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 14:53   Trickle charging. - Manatee

If your average trip is very short or use infrequent it would seem like a good idea. The MX5 gets used infrequently for most of the year and does go flat unless I leave a charger on it. Our Roomster battery actually did go dead flat a few weeks ago after standing for a couple of weeks, presumably not having had a full charge to begin with. If it's not too inconvenient for you, and you have time to mess about, I think it's worth considering at least in the winter time especially if your battery isn't in the first flush of youth. For leaving connected, you need the right sort of charger but that isn't a problem these days - the Aldi or LIDL ones are fine, as of course are the CTEKs. You won't need to disconnect the battery with this type. TBH I clip both leads to the battery and then turn on the charger. Received wisdom is to connect the +ve to the battery terminal and then connect the -ve (assuming -ve earth) to the frame away from the battery. Reverse when disconnecting. This is to avoid any sparks near the battery when connecting/disconnecting. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 15:18   Trickle charging. - henry k

>>Our Roomster battery actually did go dead flat a few weeks ago after standing for a couple >>of weeks, presumably not having had a full charge to begin with. >> From what I have read, these trickle chargers will not work with a dead battery. They need at least 7? Volts left in the battery before they can start charging. Which suggest that if the battery is flat you need a conventional charger to begin the process of getting the volts back. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 17:09   Trickle charging. - Manatee

>> >>Our Roomster battery actually did go dead flat a few weeks ago after >> >> >> From what I have read, these trickle chargers will not work with a dead battery. >> They need at least 7? Volts left in the battery before they can start charging. Which is another benefit of a prophylactic charge to stop it going flat in the first place. CTEK say it needs a couple of volts I think. I didn't put a meter on the Roomster but the battery wouldn't operate the central locking or put the dash lights on, and the clock had stopped. It's possible of course that the car itself shut the electrics down. Anyway, the Aldi charger that was handiest wouldn't charge it. I put the CTEK on and left it for a bit, when I went back it was charging. It's been no bother since. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 16:41   Trickle charging. - Haywain

"TBH I clip both leads to the battery and then turn on the charger .........." It's reassuring to know that it's OK to do that - I was wondering why the need to clip the negative to the frame - was it a requirement of modern electrical systems? I have to clip the negative to the battery neg on my son's MX5 mk1 because the battery is in the boot and there doesn't appear to be a scrap of unpainted metal. I don't think that he'd thank me for setting about it with a file. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 23 Nov 15 21:35   Trickle charging. - JohnM{P}

I discovered the glovebox light was on all the time on my 07 Roomster (upper glovebox was hot). Seems it is a not unknown problem, might be worth a check... Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 23 Nov 15 23:02   Trickle charging. - Manatee

>> I discovered the glovebox light was on all the time on my 07 Roomster (upper >> glovebox was hot). Seems it is a not unknown problem, might be worth a check... Definitely, thanks for that. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 24 Nov 15 23:42   Trickle charging. - J Bonington Jagworth

"the glovebox light was on all the time" There was a model of Jaguar in the bad old BL days with a boot light that came on when closed. This caused a lot of flat batteries and took some time to resolve... Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 24 Nov 15 23:43   Trickle charging. - Lygonos

My old 735i had an intermittent bootlight fault that flattened the battery - I just took the bulb out. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 25 Nov 15 00:13   Trickle charging. - No FM2R

It took me months to work out that the automatic tyre pressure fault warning light and tone every time I started the car was being transmitted by the spare. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 25 Nov 15 19:27   Trickle charging. - Clk Sec

>> bootlight fault that flattened the battery Same here with my humble limousine shortly after taking delivery. The dealer changed the switch, but I've kept it in the 'off' position ever since. Last edited by: Clk Sec on Wed 25 Nov 15 at 19:28 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 25 Nov 15 07:05   Trickle charging. - WillDeBeest

...boot light that came on when closed ... took some time to resolve. Did they have to get the philosophers in? Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Wed 11 Nov 15 15:30   Trickle charging. - CGNorwich

Drive to the post office and post that cheque. That should do the trick. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 15:37   Trickle charging. - WillDeBeest

How many taxi rides could you buy for the amount spent on tax, depreciation, garaging, insurance and trickle-chargers for a car you seldom use? There's that free bus pass we bought you too. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 15:44   Trickle charging. - Dog

How old is the battery Dodger. The one on my Sub was the original from 2006, when I got the car 2.5 years ago. Batt was more-or-less okay but, I decided to stick a new Exide on it just in case, like. Straight away I noticed the engine turned over much faster in the mornings. I have a trickle charger too of course ... but no longer required at all at all. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 16:02   Trickle charging. - Pat

Both the Fiesta and the Volvo stand outside, all year round for as much as a month at times without being used and always start straight away. The Fiesta in particular, gets used in the winter but the Volvo rarely....you need to buy a new battery and then stop worrying about it. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 16:16   Trickle charging. - WillDeBeest

My Volvo - same engine (and battery) as Pat's - did once fail to open after two weeks on the drive while we were on holiday. Both car and battery were 11 years old at that point, though, and it had probably suffered a bit of Short Journey Syndrome before we went away. A half-hour visit from the AA and all was well again. I can just about understand putting a charger on a car like Manatee's MX5, kept mostly as a toy and intended for intermittent use. But to use a main car so infrequently that it needs a charger - and then not to take it far enough to give it a decent charge - suggests you don't really need the car at all. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 16:26   Trickle charging. - ....

I had the same S60 as you WdB before swapping it for the current S60. The newer car left the factory with a lower capacity battery and bigger drains: 7" screen, digi dash, DAB radio etc... I frequently get a low battery warning when the car is left standing over a long weekend. There appears to be more sleep drain than on earlier cars. I had to change the battery at around 4 years on my current car whereas the previous car was still on the original at >9 years. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 16:31   Trickle charging. - Ted

I have the bike and a spare battery on the bench both on Lidl/Aldi tricklers. The caravan is always plugged in and has it's own trickle charger. The newish battery doubles as the battery for the Jowett. I didn't get a leisure battery as when on the van it is only really used for the motor mover........which is really like two starter motors. I have an old battery which has been living on the concrete floor by the garage doors for 3 or 4 years. I thought I might charge it up and use it for a new 12V drill I've just got for modelling. Blow me, when I threw the meter on it it showed 12.89 volts. Great batteries...all ' Shield ' brand from Shepherds Batteries of Salford. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 19:34   Trickle charging. - Roger.

Those smart chargers are expensive! Cheaper to buy a new battery in some cases! The battery is about 3 or 4 months old - a Halford's brand, bought as they were open on the Saturday afternoon after a Green Flag call out to our house, after the car refused to start. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 19:53   Trickle charging. - Manatee

The Aldi/Lidl ones should be in again before long - about £15. Smart enough. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 20:25   Trickle charging. - Haywain

"The Aldi/Lidl ones should be in again before long - about £15. Smart enough." I've owned both makes - the Aldi one lasted about 3 years, the Lidl one is 2-years old and still going strong; reports vary concerning their reliability. Although I have never owned or tried a Ctek, I have yet to read a bad report/review. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 20:33   Trickle charging. - MD

Is it possible to get a trickle charger for an old Builder? Creaking knees, dodgy back. You get the picture. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 21:56   Trickle charging. - Zero

>> Is it possible to get a trickle charger for an old Builder? Creaking knees, dodgy >> back. You get the picture. Sounds like you are only fit for the electric chair. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 11 Nov 15 22:13   Trickle charging. - Dog

>>Is it possible to get a trickle charger for an old Builder? Creaking knees, dodgy back. You get the picture. Go and live in the hot country as this climate is no good whatsoever for old bones. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 13:16   Trickle charging. - Fullchat

A jump start might be better :) Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 11:49   Trickle charging. - Cliff Pope

>> Both the Fiesta and the Volvo stand outside, all year round for as much as >> a month at times without being used and always start straight away. >> That's always been my experience of cars too. Battery chargers are for when you are trying to run an old banger with a failed battery, and you have to charge the battery up before every trip and then park it on a slope so you can bump-start it to get home again. A decent battery on a vehicle with a working charging system will hold its charge for months. The minimal amount of capacity you use to start it up will be replenished after about 5 minutes of running. If you have ever watched the ammeter on an older car that has one, it charges at 10-20 amps for a few minutes, then it quickly falls and hovers around the zero. Even an old car with a generator will do this. Mine do. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 12:00   Trickle charging. - No FM2R

Whilst I mostly agree, these days the constant monitoring by alarms and computers does represent a drain. Its still a darn sight more than a couple of weeks though. I regularly leave one of mine for 6 weeks or so at a time, and its been that way for 5 years or so as I don't need it much. And it hasn't let me down yet. Mind you, I thought I read somewhere that it was more like 20 minutes to replace the drain of starting. Though that was some years ago. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 12:46   Trickle charging. - Cliff Pope

Starting: assume 500 amps for 3 seconds = 0.42amp.hours. Charging: assume modest 10 A from alternator, 0.42/10 X 60 = 2.5 minutes. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 13:00   Trickle charging. - No FM2R

Good to know, Cliff - thanks. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 13:11   Trickle charging. - Clk Sec

>>Mind you, I thought I read somewhere that it was more like 20 minutes to replace the drain of starting. Though that was some years ago.<< Sounds more like it. I was told, also some years ago, that I would have to drive my modest limousine for around 8 miles to replace the drain of starting. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 12:50   Trickle charging. - Dog

>>If you have ever watched the ammeter on an older car that has one, it charges at 10-20 amps for a few minutes, then it quickly falls and hovers around the zero. I miss ammeters on cars, do any of today's jamjars have them I wonder. Incidentally, the alternator on my Forester doesn't begin to charge the battery until the engine has warmed up - an economy measure I understand. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Nov 15 14:30   Trickle charging. - Manatee

>> Incidentally, the alternator on my Forester doesn't begin to charge the battery until the engine >> has warmed up - an economy measure I understand. Really? I would have thought the extra load would help the warm up, if anything. But it would be a reason to consider the charger. This is really about peace of mind rather than the likelihood of a flat battery. Just as I rarely have less than a quarter of a tank of fuel; not because I am worried about running out, but so that I don't have to. In any case, it makes sense to have a serviceable battery charger. Just be aware that while a 3.8amp CTEK or aldi/lidl lookalike will recharge a flat battery, it will take a while. Last edited by: Manatee on Thu 12 Nov 15 at 14:32 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 24 Nov 15 23:49   Trickle charging. - J Bonington Jagworth

"an economy measure I understand" And/or reducing alternator load on a cold engine. It may also be kinder to the battery to let it recover from the heavy starting load before pouring current back into it. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 25 Nov 15 08:11   Trickle charging. - Dog

>> And/or reducing alternator load on a cold engine. It may also be kinder to the battery to let it recover from the heavy starting load before pouring current back into it. Ab-so-lute-ly ... I canned the battery on Monday though = lights/heated seats/rear window/mirrors/blower on 'fool'. I should have known better!! Reply to this message | Report message