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Author: Subject: Trickle Chargers
greggors84

posted on 21/12/06 at 01:48 AM Reply With Quote
Trickle Chargers

Looking to get a trickle charger for the winter as the Indy wont be used for a while especially with my broken leg!

Is there much difference between chargers? Will this £13 one do off ebay. Is there any danger leaving a cheaper one on for long periods?





Chris

The Magnificent 7!

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Fatgadget

posted on 21/12/06 at 03:17 AM Reply With Quote
I have opened some of them el cheapo chargers and quite frankly I was appalled by what I saw.
Sorry but I can't really recommend any brand,make

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SeaBass

posted on 21/12/06 at 08:05 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Fatgadget
I have opened some of them el cheapo chargers and quite frankly I was appalled by what I saw.



Was it like the tardis?? Was there some kind enormous sweatshop inside with children hooked up to the mains transforming and rectifying with their flesh??

Or do you just mean the components looked cheap and a fire risk?

Cheers






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ned

posted on 21/12/06 at 08:29 AM Reply With Quote
get an optimate, i've taken my battery out of the car and got it plugged in in the kitchen in the warm to the charger which conditions and checks the level of charge. optimate2 go for about £30-40 iirc on fleabay.
I even went out to the garage on monday and reconnected the battery just to run her up as she's not run for a while..

Ned.





beware, I've got yellow skin

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iiyama

posted on 21/12/06 at 08:42 AM Reply With Quote
http://www.barden-uk.com/automotive-chargers.html
used them loads of times. What they dont know about batteries aint worth knowing!





If its broke, fix it. If it aint broke, take it apart and find out how it works!

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NigeEss

posted on 21/12/06 at 09:38 AM Reply With Quote
I use an old 400ma 12v mobile phone charger for the bike. Use it once a month
for a week or so, seems to do the trick.

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bob

posted on 21/12/06 at 11:12 AM Reply With Quote
Tricle chargers

I bought one of these from machine mart last winter,it worked a treat also sold in argos i believe.

trickle charger link

It also has an led light on the front to show when it is charging,great value

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hobbsy

posted on 21/12/06 at 11:14 AM Reply With Quote
I've got a CTEK 3600, expensive but good, see here:

http://www.hamiltonclassic.co.uk/ProductInformation/BatteryCareCTEK.htm

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RazMan

posted on 21/12/06 at 11:19 AM Reply With Quote
Second vote for the Optimate - good design & quality kit





Cheers,
Raz

When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box

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bob

posted on 21/12/06 at 11:29 AM Reply With Quote
optimate

Best price i can see on fleabay

optimate link

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BenB

posted on 21/12/06 at 12:25 PM Reply With Quote
The optimate is good, I especially like the remote hookup connector- worth making sure that comes in the kit. So much easier than removing the bonnet after every drive...

The main advantage of the optimate over say the oximiser is the desulfate function on the optimate though I'm not sure how often I'm actually going to need it.

Although there are cheaper ones out there I'd worry about leaving them continuously switched on and attached to a battery..... Garage full of petrol, oils, cans of spray paint, GRP, rusted iron fillings and ali filings side by side .....

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bob

posted on 21/12/06 at 12:59 PM Reply With Quote
Even though the bonnet comes off after every trip in the car, i have wired in an auxillery power plug on the dash so i can plug the trickle charger in this way.






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Surrey Dave

posted on 21/12/06 at 01:31 PM Reply With Quote
Do you leave that machinemart charger connected for long periods?
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bob

posted on 21/12/06 at 03:30 PM Reply With Quote
Dave

I've left it on a timer,it comes on for 6 hrs in the morning and 6 hrs at night.

Although i dont know why i bother as after about 4 hrs its back up to speed,the clarke instruction book says it will cut out at 13.8V or something like that then come back on at 11. somrthing. I do have a misstrust of clarke products so i thought the timer would be a wise move.






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nitram38

posted on 21/12/06 at 08:05 PM Reply With Quote
Don't waste money on expensive chargers! Buy a redtop battery and this will hold a charge for 2 years !
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milson

posted on 21/12/06 at 08:24 PM Reply With Quote
i use the optimate no problems leave it plugged in all the time
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MikeR

posted on 22/12/06 at 12:24 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by nitram38
Don't waste money on expensive chargers! Buy a redtop battery and this will hold a charge for 2 years !


Got two from donnington - one for NS Dev and one for me. its spent the last 6 months sat in my kitchen

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Peteff

posted on 22/12/06 at 11:17 AM Reply With Quote
Optimate here

I charge my bike, car and a caravan battery so it can be used on any of them. I have a 12v charger that was £9.99 inc. p&p from ebay but it doesn't cut out or do a desulphating cycle like the optimate.





yours, Pete

I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.

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scottc

posted on 22/12/06 at 12:05 PM Reply With Quote
What does a desulphating cycle do?
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iiyama

posted on 22/12/06 at 12:25 PM Reply With Quote
desulphates!!





If its broke, fix it. If it aint broke, take it apart and find out how it works!

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Surrey Dave

posted on 22/12/06 at 05:46 PM Reply With Quote
Its all here...........................

http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq16.htm



Optimate III seems to only be for bateries upto 28ah , so bikes rather than cars???

[Edited on 22/12/06 by Surrey Dave]

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ChrisGamlin

posted on 24/12/06 at 03:14 PM Reply With Quote
Ive used an Oxford "Oximizer" for the last couple of years and cant fault it, does pretty much everything an Optimate does (possibly apart from desuplhate), comes with a "remote" fly lead and plug so you can mount a plug on the side of the car etc and plug in without bonnet being open, and costs £25 from M & P

[Edited on 24/12/06 by ChrisGamlin]






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