VH cars, Ctek charger, what do you do with the cable.

[markcoopers]

Afternoon all,

I have a V8 Vantage roadster as a high days and holiday toy so it spends along time in the garage. As with all my 2nd cars, i put them on a Ctek as a matter of routine so as to preserve batteries and stave off erratic voltage gremlins.

I had been using the Jump points under the bonnet and the Ctek crocodile clips, but this is a bit of a pain and means the bonnet is not shut and the alarm not set. So i have started using the Power socket in the boot and the "Cigar lighter" on the Ctek, but what do owners do about closing the boot? Do you trap the cable, or just rest it shut? Does the boot light go off after a while or is this a constant "on" if just resting the boot?

1st world problems and all that.

[willisit]

The cable on my Ctek is flat, so I just trap it on the flat side and it's been fine for... errr, 6 years or so.

[LTP]

I had Aston Installations add a magnetic charge port to the rear of my V8V - problem solved.

When I did use the boot socket I used to close the tailgate onto the first latch position to avoid trapping the cable too tightly with the seal, but never locked the car when it was in the garage. Fiddling about with the cigar plug and the cubby door got a bit old, so the magnetic socket fixed all of that

[Square Leg]

Did this era of cars not come with the magnetic disc by the rear reg plate?

[bogie]

Just trap it in the boot seal, close boot, lock car

[RacingSloth69]

Mine has a connector behind the drivers side headlight under the bonnet. I need to get a charger though as that part didn't come with it

[Dewi 2]

I fold a towel placed to one side of the boot catch.
The tailgate then rests on the towel, to avoid any possibility of squashing the CTEK cable.
The car can be locked and alarmed with the tailgate ajar, but obviously not something to do for any car left outside.

[alscar]

I connect via the boot socket and have done so for at least a decade on both Gaydon cars.Pass the Ctek cable close to the middle of the right hand side rear lights and then close the boot and just lock as normal.As it passes via the seal there is no chaffing of the cable.I then wind a sock around the cable where it could touch on any bodywork.

[LTP]

Square Leg said:

Did this era of cars not come with the magnetic disc by the rear reg plate?

No. That was introduced on the 2C cars

[Nigel_O]

I use the the charge points under the bonnet and just pass the charge cable through the grille so I can shut the bonnet properly

[Froomee]

Latch the boot manually and rest it shut, this makes sure the light goes off and doesn’t drain the battery.

[BiggaJ]

At first I used the boot access to plug into the lighter type socket however, very quickly had Aston Installations fit a magnetic connector (As LTP states) this was located next to the number plate light and never had any issues with it. Well worth having one fitted in my opinion.

[p102768]

I place a microfiber cloth across the boot latch then rest the boot lid on it and, yes, the boot light does go off after a minute or two. No need to trip the latch.

[Apollya]

I use the 12V cigarette lighter charging socket in the boot of my 2008 V8V. I bought the cigarette socket adapter with charge indicator from CTek and a 2m extension cable.

I trap the 2m extension cable in the boot seal at the side and lock the car. Almost no sign at all in seal after two years doing this.

[Davil]

I used to use boot socket, same cable approach as most others.

I switched to a LiPo battery a few years ago and no longer have any need for the CTek though.

[AngryAnglo]

I reoriented the "cigarette lighter" socket in the boot/trunk and used the Ctek adapter so it sits nicely tucked under the rear trim and I don't have to open the fabric panel every time. Just connect the Ctek to the quick release connector, drape the extension cord over the boot/trunk lid seal, close boot/trunk. I do close it fully, even in the garage, as I worried that the car would remain "alert" if not fully closed. It's only been a short time, but no apparent issues with the seal thus far.

Steve

[Simpo Two]

In both my VH cars I ran a cable from the +ve connection point under the bonnet and one of the fastenings of the slam panel (underneath!), along to the left side of the engine bay, then forwards under the slam panel and into the back of the grille. The cable comes with a smallish two pin socket which can be pushed back between the grille slats for driving, or pulled out to plug into the charger. It works extremely well.

I got a magnetic charger fitted last year thinking it would be 'better', but after about six months, perhaps due to the exposed position under the front number plate holder, it stopped making reliable contact so was useless.

[alscar]

I found with the magnetic charge point on the rear of my new gen 1 “ new “ vantage the connection was never 100% positive.
It did however avoid any chance of driving off with the CTEK connected normally and breaking the unit.

[Simpo Two]

alscar said:

I found with the magnetic charge point on the rear of my new gen 1 new vantage the connection was never 100% positive.
It did however avoid any chance of driving off with the CTEK connected normally and breaking the unit.

A connection that's not 100% means there's a chance that one day you'll get in to drive off and find the car won't start. Agree about the 'QRA' removal but my system will pull apart quite happily. (I mean I'm sure it would, after all I've never forgotten to drive off before unplugging )

[LTP]

Simpo Two said:

A connection that's not 100% means there's a chance that one day you'll get in to drive off and find the car won't start.

My Optimate 6 shows two green lights if there's a successful connection to the car battery, but only one (power) if the connection is broken. I assume CTEK and others have similar displays?