Using a battery charger/conditioner

[sjb]

My car hasn't been used in a month and now a dirty great skip in front of the garage means it's unlikely to move this month so I am going to get the new charger/conditioner out. I thought it was a simple case of connecting the crocodile clips to the terminals on the battery but my instructions say to disconnect the battery cables whilst charging. Is this correct or are they just being overly cautious ?
What do you guys do?

:beer:

[shimmy]

With the Ctek the connectors can be permanently attached to the battery and you just plug the Ctek in and leave it to charge for as LNG as you like. No disconnecting necessary.

[sjb]

Ah I forgot to say mine is a Lidl special CTEK copy although German made and was well reviewed a couple of years ago when they were out. I can't see it would be any different though? it's got a facility to switch off so it can't overheat or overcharge.

[Clubber]

I use Black& Decker charger on all my cars which plugs in directly from the cig lighter. Easy to use and works very well for years.

[sjb]

I use Black& Decker charger on all my cars which plugs in directly from the cig lighter. Easy to use and works very well for years.

Do you bother to disconnect the battery leads whilst charging?

[shimmy]

Ah I forgot to say mine is a Lidl special CTEK copy although German made and was well reviewed a couple of years ago when they were out. I can't see it would be any different though? it's got a facility to switch off so it can't overheat or overcharge.

If it doesn't switch off automatically then I can see why they recommend disconnecting it....should have got the real deal.

[cslsuperfan]

Do you bother to disconnect the battery leads whilst charging?

As Shim says

You need to connect the charger leads directly to the + and - terminals.
As I recall their 5mm nuts and a washer screw onto the terminal blocks so no need to disconnect the main battery terminals. The insulated charger lead will now sit between the plastic battery cover and the hardboard boot floor covering towing eye and inflation kit.

Mines an optimate 4 which is on from sept through to april. I never switch it off unless I'm unlocking the car for access.:-D

[alexk]

I connect my CTEK MXS 5.0 in the engine bay :-D
Simplessssss

[sjb]

Cheers all, I will fire up the lidl special tomorrow but now I will consider a ctek due to the known quality.
:beer:

[MCSL]

Ctek MXS 5.0T to cigarette lighter.

[CraigMillwardCroft]

Mine has a supplied two pin plug coming off the battery into the boot area just plug in and leave on all the time. :-D

[outnumbered]

It's probably just a bit of arse-covering by the manufacturer and it'll be fine if you connect it with the battery still on the car.

FWIW, I've got an Accumate charger which works fine, I often connect it to the jump-start points under the bonnet as I can't open the boot when the car's in the garage. I did have a CTEK that came with the car, but it died.

[sjb]

I bought the brand new ctek mxs 5 last night so I can hook it up without having to disconnect the terminals. £61 delivered for a quality piece of kit, I decided not to risk a LIDL £12.99 unit on my car ;)

[alexk]

I bought the brand new ctek mxs 5 last night so I can hook it up without having to disconnect the terminals. £61 delivered for a quality piece of kit, I decided not to risk a LIDL £12.99 unit on my car ;)

Good call :beer:

[Clubber]

Do you bother to disconnect the battery leads whilst charging?

No, I don't. If I had to bother disconnecting them each time, battery would last much much longer anyway, hence losing the convenience of the charger.

[Rick H]

Mine has a supplied two pin plug coming off the battery into the boot area just plug in and leave on all the time. :-D

Yep same.

[mattCSLnut]

I bought the brand new ctek mxs 5 last night so I can hook it up without having to disconnect the terminals. £61 delivered for a quality piece of kit, I decided not to risk a LIDL £12.99 unit on my car ;)

A very wise move my friend :thumbs: My Cecil has been CTEKed Setember to April for the past 4 winters while hibernating :smt015

[sjb]

A very wise move my friend :thumbs: My Cecil has been CTEKed Setember to April for the past 4 winters while hibernating :smt015

I think I've made the right decision :hahaha: and a 5 year warranty? That's quality :thumbs:

[mattCSLnut]

I think I've made the right decision :hahaha: and a 5 year warranty? That's quality :thumbs:

:smt023

[JBird]

Due to my current garage situation, i'm going to have to remove the battery from the car and charge it in a different room :banghead: . Have not done this before. Will it be straight forward when I put the battery back in in a few months, or am I gonna get warning lights or something? Presumably its no different to temporarily disconecting the battery when working on the car??? Have done this before but only ever for an hour or so.

[Marv968]

Question for those with battery conditioners - If have the lead of my CTEK coming up through the boot, then the boot compartment lights stay on. I take it there's a way round this?

Marv

[sjb]

This is how I do mine but I'm sure the lights are timed and go off after a little while?

[shimmy]

Shut the boot over the lead

[sailorbaz]

Shut the boot over the lead

What he said.

[Das Chin]

exactly what i do and never had issues

got the ctek 5 thingy. Was great over winter.

[CraigMillwardCroft]

Never had an issue with mine :thumbs:

[Marv968]

Thanks for the advice, everyone!

I tried carefully closing the boot on the lead, I didn't Iike how it kinked the lead though.

I waited a while longer and the lights did go off, after a while.

I've had my CTEK for yonks now. Brilliant thing, and I credit it for keeping the battery on my Golf working for over 12yrs and my 968 battery is still going strong after 6 years. They pay for themselves, by the fact that you don't end up replacing batteries every 3 years.

[Paulgreatheadcsl]

Could someone help I bought the BMW battery charger last year not really used it properly so just want to make sure I'm using it right, brand new battery maybe two years ago but with the car not being used I need to get this charger on and bring the battery back to life :banghead:. Can someone tell me if I put the setting onto normal or lithium iron? Its the correct battery from BMW and I haven't a clue which it is. Sorry for the really stupid question.

[Mark CSL]

Could someone help I bought the BMW battery charger last year not really used it properly so just want to make sure I'm using it right, brand new battery maybe two years ago but with the car not being used I need to get this charger on and bring the battery back to life :banghead:. Can someone tell me if I put the setting onto normal or lithium iron? Its the correct battery from BMW and I haven't a clue which it is. Sorry for the really stupid question.

The CSL uses a Normal battery
The lithiun batterys are in the newer bmws :thumbs:

[Paulgreatheadcsl]

Brill thanks Mark another question I did notice/Hurd the battery bubbling? Safe to plug the charger back on guessing charge from boot too.