External Trickle Charger connector

[Hairsy16]

I would like to find a simple / neat / effective way to connect a trickle charger from outside the car.

My garage is fairly tight and I currently plug in a trickle charger to the cigarette lighter socket. It works but it's a right pain trying to plug it in and then get out of the car. With the car in the garage, the door only opens partially and now has a charge lead coming through the opening!

It would be so much easier to have an external socket that I could simply plug my trickle charger into.

Has anyone solved this problem neatly and easily? If so, what type of connector did you use (to ensure it is weatherproof while driving) and where did you connect into the 12v supply in the car?

Thanks

Dave

[951]

I use a C-Tek - which comes with a plug on the end of the lead from the charger and a socket on the end of the crocodile clips or hard wired extension.

I hard wired the socket to the battery with just enough lead to come up and out of the air intake at the top of the clam.

The socket has a rubber bung on a leash which seals the socket when not in use and it just tucks away in side the clam - I cable tied it to the loom so it dangles down a couple of inches.

[Blu3R]

The most elegant solution I saw was by David.mt who's now CarbonV12V. He mounted a socket into the rear clam facing downwards but I can't find the picture so hopefully he'll see this, or you could ask him.

[Quantum Steve]

Hi Dave, I use a Ctek charger as well, when the car was apart for the winter I wired in one of their connections, it's just inside the clam on the rail with a cable tie. Cheers, Steve

[CaptainPeter]

Same for me. Mine hides under the air filter when not in use.
I also have an Anderson Connector for jump starting, just in case.

[Jarcy]

The Rosion workshop manual shows the optional onboard charger mounting the connector inside the rear clam, as Quantum Steve has done. The disadvantage is that you have to raise the clam to connect each time, and remember to screw it down after removal!
I find that it's less faff to stick it in the cigar lighter with the lead through an ajar window - as you're already doing. However my garage has plenty of space to open the drivers door.
I guess any solutions are either going to be exposed to the elements, or a bit of a nuisance to access.
My car has a non-functioning tracker, that still enjoys drawing all the battery power over a couple of weeks. I don't even know where the unit is to consider removal.

[mgbond]

Jarcy said:

The Rosion workshop manual shows the optional onboard charger mounting the connector inside the rear clam, as Quantum Steve has done. The disadvantage is that you have to raise the clam to connect each time, and remember to screw it down after removal!
I find that it's less faff to stick it in the cigar lighter with the lead through an ajar window - as you're already doing. However my garage has plenty of space to open the drivers door.
I guess any solutions are either going to be exposed to the elements, or a bit of a nuisance to access.
My car has a non-functioning tracker, that still enjoys drawing all the battery power over a couple of weeks. I don't even know where the unit is to consider removal.

Mine is in the gap where the air filters are and secured to the bulkhead so I connect up without removing clam. Connector also comes with a weather proof plug so it doesn't get ruined.

[StreetDragster]

Ditto, no need to remove the clam on mine either

[Hairsy16]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm keen to avoid having to open the clam so pleased that others have done so.

Will take a look at the weekend. At the same time as getting the windscreen washers working again, that inexplicably gave up today.

[CarbonV12V]

Blu3R said:

The most elegant solution I saw was by David.mt who's now CarbonV12V. He mounted a socket into the rear clam facing downwards but I can't find the picture so hopefully he'll see this, or you could ask him.

Thanks - I still come back and read the forum here as much more entertaining that most of the others. Unfortunately I can't find a photo but it's relatively easy to explain and I have just fitted one to my Cobra.

What you need is one of these....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WATERPROOF-12V-24V-CIGAR...

Lots of alternatives around.

This can be fitted anywhere but if you look at where the registration plate light is mounted then either side there is a flat space to drill and mount the socket - I fitted to left as the car was parked on the left side of the garage and that was where the socket and charger were - yours might be different. The socket is hardwired direct to the battery and the cable all secured to the inside of the clam and chassis - the route is fairly obvious.

Once fitted you will not really see the socket but it gives easy to access to plug a trickle charger in without opening the clam and no wires dangling anywhere.

This is from the Cobra with an additional voltage meter which I am sure you could also fit somewhere.



And gratuitous photo for fellow petrol heads :-)

[Rob_W]

Slight hijack here but David MT/CarbonV12V's contributions were brilliant in documenting some of the upgrades possible. The problem is that the photos get lost from the archive so much of the detail is lost. It would be great to get some of those threads into the FAQ archive somehow, any thoughts?