Battery charging Exige
Discussion
My 2019 Exige 410 has a Lithium battery fitted from new and when not in use the car is connected to an Optimate battery charger supplied by Lotus and connected directly to the lead attached to the battery in the boot.
It is a bit of a pain to have to open the boot every time I want to take the car out ( it is only used occasionally ) and want to know whether I could use the socket inside the car ( between the seats ) using a cigarette lighter accessory ?
In other words is this safe to do and is that socket always live when the car is switched off and locked ?
I asked my dealer and have also posed the same question to Lotus customer services but probably should have started with the more knowledgeable on here first !
TIA.
It is a bit of a pain to have to open the boot every time I want to take the car out ( it is only used occasionally ) and want to know whether I could use the socket inside the car ( between the seats ) using a cigarette lighter accessory ?
In other words is this safe to do and is that socket always live when the car is switched off and locked ?
I asked my dealer and have also posed the same question to Lotus customer services but probably should have started with the more knowledgeable on here first !
TIA.
Shamefully and with also the last years various lockdowns in mind it can be months between drives and I also have other toys so have always just put on the charger automatically.
Lotus customer services came back just now and said the interior socket isn't live post ignition switch off anyway so looks like I have no choices other than keep with the boot connection.
Note to self, drive it more I know.
Lotus customer services came back just now and said the interior socket isn't live post ignition switch off anyway so looks like I have no choices other than keep with the boot connection.
Note to self, drive it more I know.
The dealer said " I’m not sure if there is a lithium ion battery charger that can be connected via the 12V socket. There is the voltage protection device that sits between the battery and the vehicle and I’m wondering if this would prevent a charge from anything other than the suppled charger connected directly to the battery"
Lotus themselves said "We acknowledge your frustration but unfortunately, the interior 12V accessory supply port is only live with the ignition switched on, so this cannot be utilised for the battery conditioning device, we are sorry"
I tested the socket and as Spindoctor said it is very much live so can disregard the Lotus comment but guess I will have to purchase the cigarette lighter connection and see for myself whether the Dealer is correct !
Lotus themselves said "We acknowledge your frustration but unfortunately, the interior 12V accessory supply port is only live with the ignition switched on, so this cannot be utilised for the battery conditioning device, we are sorry"
I tested the socket and as Spindoctor said it is very much live so can disregard the Lotus comment but guess I will have to purchase the cigarette lighter connection and see for myself whether the Dealer is correct !
alscar said:
The dealer said " I’m not sure if there is a lithium ion battery charger that can be connected via the 12V socket. There is the voltage protection device that sits between the battery and the vehicle and I’m wondering if this would prevent a charge from anything other than the suppled charger connected directly to the battery"
How would the alternator do it? 
alscar said:
The dealer said " I’m not sure if there is a lithium ion battery charger that can be connected via the 12V socket. There is the voltage protection device that sits between the battery and the vehicle and I’m wondering if this would prevent a charge from anything other than the suppled charger connected directly to the battery"
Lotus themselves said "We acknowledge your frustration but unfortunately, the interior 12V accessory supply port is only live with the ignition switched on, so this cannot be utilised for the battery conditioning device, we are sorry"
I tested the socket and as Spindoctor said it is very much live so can disregard the Lotus comment but guess I will have to purchase the cigarette lighter connection and see for myself whether the Dealer is correct !
Not necessarily, it's likely that it stays live while the doors are open and shuts down on a timer. My Cayman did that, shut down the socket after 10 minutesLotus themselves said "We acknowledge your frustration but unfortunately, the interior 12V accessory supply port is only live with the ignition switched on, so this cannot be utilised for the battery conditioning device, we are sorry"
I tested the socket and as Spindoctor said it is very much live so can disregard the Lotus comment but guess I will have to purchase the cigarette lighter connection and see for myself whether the Dealer is correct !
sociopath said:
alscar said:
The dealer said " I’m not sure if there is a lithium ion battery charger that can be connected via the 12V socket. There is the voltage protection device that sits between the battery and the vehicle and I’m wondering if this would prevent a charge from anything other than the suppled charger connected directly to the battery"
Lotus themselves said "We acknowledge your frustration but unfortunately, the interior 12V accessory supply port is only live with the ignition switched on, so this cannot be utilised for the battery conditioning device, we are sorry"
I tested the socket and as Spindoctor said it is very much live so can disregard the Lotus comment but guess I will have to purchase the cigarette lighter connection and see for myself whether the Dealer is correct !
Not necessarily, it's likely that it stays live while the doors are open and shuts down on a timer. My Cayman did that, shut down the socket after 10 minutesLotus themselves said "We acknowledge your frustration but unfortunately, the interior 12V accessory supply port is only live with the ignition switched on, so this cannot be utilised for the battery conditioning device, we are sorry"
I tested the socket and as Spindoctor said it is very much live so can disregard the Lotus comment but guess I will have to purchase the cigarette lighter connection and see for myself whether the Dealer is correct !
Spindoctor said:
Mine is live 24/7 and the ctek works fine using a cig lighter adapter. I can't see why a 2019 410 would be different from a 2020 in this respect. Then again, this is Lotus...
If anything, being Lotus means it's even less likely to have changed.They don't even bother changing things like the wiring loom when components are no longer an option. (Like the exhaust override button which was removed on later cars but still has the wiring and ECU code. So all you have to do is buy the button and plug it in)
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