Can someone please recommend a battery conditioner?

[munky]

I'm obviously not using the Chim enough recently as the battery has gone flat. Only 9 days since I last used it, but was a couple of weeks before that. I have a normal charger but don't want to leave that plugged in all the time as I'm not sure it stops when fully charged.

So I basically want some kind of smart trickle charger that I can leave switched on all the time the car isn't being used. Which make is good?

thanks in advance

[Zippee]

I've got an accumate hard wired into my 350 and can't fault it. Never had any problems with the battery losing charge.

[.Mark]

I've had a Halfords on on my Chimaera for probably 5 years now and no issues.

[pacman1]

C-tek 3600 all the way. Does larger engined vehicles V8's too. Have a look on the Pork forum, it's the charger of chouce. Around 50 squid.

[.Mark]

pacman1 said:

Does larger engined vehicles V8's too.

How does the charger know how big and how many cylinders the engine has? And does it matter?

[Grey Ghost]

Accumate on my Chimaera since purchased 14 months ago and never failed to start

[Guillotine]

.Mark said:

How does the charger know how big and how many cylinders the engine has? And does it matter?

Bigger engine means bigger start loads and therfore a bigger battery.
Accumates ok up to 7L V8 HC race engines.

I know, because I've sold'em. Gel batteries too.

Andy

[G20RG B]

Accumate here, 3 years no problems.

[munky]

Thanks fellas - looks like accumate and ctek are the ones to look at.

Did think about laying up the car for the winter, but figured this may create more problems with corroded discs, rubber seals and needing axle stands to avoid flat spots on tyres. Does anyone do this without problems?

[.Mark]

Guillotine said:

Bigger engine means bigger start loads and therfore a bigger battery.
Accumates ok up to 7L V8 HC race engines.

I know, because I've sold'em. Gel batteries too.

Andy

Cheers.

My Halfords ones have kept my batteries going on both my V8's so guess they must be up to the job too

[.Mark]

Guillotine said:

Bigger engine means bigger start loads and therfore a bigger battery.
Andy

Actually, have you seen the size/power of a Chimaera battery? Just a bit bigger than a PP3

[bobcuth]

Accumate - with adapter for plugging in to fag (none of this cigar b*llsh*t) lighter.
Worked a dream over last two winters.

[munky]

my lighter socket only works intermittently so might go direct to battery... luckily I have the Anderson connector thingy wired in, so can use that and just connect the croc clips together (being careful in positioning so + and - can't touch of course!)

[Guillotine]

We do those too

Seriously though, Griffs Chims can cause problems to ciggy socket adapters, especially when the door slams. Cerbs too as you cant see them and the can be full of ciggy crap!

Accumates have a small waterproof flying lead included (as well as croc clip lead)that permanently attaches to the battery, and you can tuck it behind the carpet when not in use.

[pacman1]

.Mark said:

pacman1 said:

Does larger engined vehicles V8's too.

How does the charger know how big and how many cylinders the engine has? And does it matter?

If you look at the small print, say, in the Halfrauds range, they are cc specific. A given engine size will need a certain alternator of x output and hence the battery to suit, so you will need a charger to cope with that size battery. V6's and V8's tend to be of the larger cc variety. If you choose to buy a lower spec charger if your car's engine is on the small side, that will be fine. But should you change your car to one with a larger engine, the charger won't operate effectively, particulary in 'conditioning' mode. Best to buy a 'one size fits all' charger in the first place and have done with it.

[.Mark]

As far as I know Halfords only do one type. Like I say, pleased with it, it's kept my Chimaera battery alive so far over a year longer than they used to last

[dempsey]

Don't confuse price with quality guys.
Just because these are now popular gadgets, £50+ for threepence halfpennies' worth of circuitry is a ripoff.
A £9 unit bought four years from Hong Kong on ebay ago has kept my Cerb battery in top order.
Make sure you get a 'conditioner' not a 'charger'.

[Guillotine]

I know I'm biased but...

a nice liitle fire trap, permanently powered and drawing current. Unmanned in my garage and attached to one of my biggest finantial commitments (probably full of fuel and surrounded by other flammables)...and inside the other (my house) while my family sleep next door!

I want something thats been properly designed and built, inspected and of UK standards.

I think you're a lucky man dude. So far. £9 from hing Kong!!!

Now I know that many things are made in China now, but for reputable EU companies and they are built for the destination country to legitimate standards and voltages!

Not for me, and I wouldn't recommend any else does it either.

[MnS]

Have had an Accumate on the 'S' for last 3 years and an older Optimate(made by same company) which had done winters on my motorcycle since 1998 and then the 'M' for last 7 years , no problems at all.
Ian

[dempsey]

Guillotine said:

I know I'm biased but...

a nice liitle fire trap, permanently powered and drawing current. Unmanned in my garage and attached to one of my biggest finantial commitments (probably full of fuel and surrounded by other flammables)...and inside the other (my house) while my family sleep next door!

I want something thats been properly designed and built, inspected and of UK standards.

I think you're a lucky man dude. So far. £9 from hing Kong!!!

Now I know that many things are made in China now, but for reputable EU companies and they are built for the destination country to legitimate standards and voltages!


Not for me, and I wouldn't recommend any else does it either.

Certainly respect your opinion Andy (and note your bias!), but look carefully at the majority of electronic equipment sold in the UK and EU and you'll find out that they're made in China/Hong Kong/Korea but marketed by a 'respectable' brand. C-tek have a manufacturing plant in Hong Kong!
Cutting out the middle man doesn't necessarily mean cutting quality.