Trickle Chargers

[jerry phipps]

Hi everyone

Well with winter fast approaching my car Battery is already feeling the strain :( Because i only use my car say twice a week i find that the Battery is getting low with the alarm on.

So i have to take her out for a long drive to top back up the Battery ;) A friend told me about trickle chargers which tops up your battery by just plugging in the charger and connecting it to your battery. Now i was just think perhaps i could hook up a electronic timer and set it to say come on a hour a day which will top the battery up sweet i think Or should i go out and buy a normal 12v battery charger?

What do you guys and girls think??

Heres a charger what i was thinking of getting

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p...12&g=107&r=2058

Cheers jerry!!

[Bizarra]

I just use the normal 12 volt charger. Mine has a 6 volt option, never used coz my biking days are gone :shutit:

Mine is as old as the hills & does the job perfectly when needed

[jerry phipps]

I just use the normal 12 volt charger. Mine has a 6 volt option, never used coz my biking days are gone :shutit:

Mine is as old as the hills & does the job perfectly when needed

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As long as it does the job ah But on a good note you use your car everyday??

jerry!!

[Bizarra]

I just use the normal 12 volt charger. Mine has a 6 volt option, never used coz my biking days are gone :shutit:

Mine is as old as the hills & does the job perfectly when needed

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As long as it does the job ah But on a good note you use your car everyday??

jerry!!

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stays in the Garage all week & comes out on Sundays if the weather is good! Homest.

I live about 50 yards from the sea. Have a look at my avatar. They are lovely cars, but the Sunroof & arches go. Mine is nearly perfect & want to keep her that way.

She is 15 years old, & the NCT (read Mot) tester complimentsd me last time round

[Gnome]

Got a trickle charger for the bike.

Colleague of mine used it for a week or so on an Old MG a well, cause her husband was fed up of having to bump it in the mornings to get it going :D

I'd say worth it, def. Leave mine on the bike for a month or so on end, and it's all fine when removed. ;)

[sotal]

I use an Optimate with my bike because the alarm drains the Battery. Just pull the bike in and plug it in, comes with a nice little waterproof lead which you attach to the Battery and it gives you a plug to plug into the charger wire.

It stays on 24/7 only charges when it needs to and can supply a constant trickle to feed the alarm etc. Also does Desulphating and deep recovery

[jerry phipps]

I just use the normal 12 volt charger. Mine has a 6 volt option, never used coz my biking days are gone :shutit:

Mine is as old as the hills & does the job perfectly when needed

←

As long as it does the job ah But on a good note you use your car everyday??

jerry!!

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stays in the Garage all week & comes out on Sundays if the weather is good! Homest.

I live about 50 yards from the sea. Have a look at my avatar. They are lovely cars, but the Sunroof & arches go. Mine is nearly perfect & want to keep her that way.

She is 15 years old, & the NCT (read Mot) tester complimentsd me last time round

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You must have a very good Battery then mate as if i leave mine longer than a say 10 days it will be flat. But saying that i have got a very large LED bulb flashing for my alarm.

Hey get some pictures up of your car buddy i do like to see a car in good nick

jerry!!

[jerry phipps]

Got a trickle charger for the bike.

Colleague of mine used it for a week or so on an Old MG a well, cause her husband was fed up of having to bump it in the mornings to get it going :D

I'd say worth it, def. Leave mine on the bike for a month or so on end, and it's all fine when removed. ;)

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So you recommend to get one then? It seems like a good idea to invest in one dont you think ;)

jerry!!

[jerry phipps]

I use an Optimate with my bike because the alarm drains the battery. Just pull the bike in and plug it in, comes with a nice little waterproof lead which you attach to the battery and it gives you a plug to plug into the charger wire.

It stays on 24/7 only charges when it needs to and can supply a constant trickle to feed the alarm etc. Also does Desulphating and deep recovery

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This sounds really good it's a shame that they only do this for bikes only as i think that this would have been the one for me

jerry!!

[Red Yaris 54]

This sounds really good it's a shame that they only do this for bikes only as i think that this would have been the one for me 

jerry!!

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Aren't the batteries the same type on bikes as on cars?..............surely the bike trickle charger would do the job?

[Gnome]

Jerry - I got an optimate, and it can be used on all 12v batteries. Cars, bikes, jet skis, etc... (Only said Jet skis, as it was on the packaging! :D)

I've used it on both the car and bike, and as I said, it was recently used on an old MG.

Def worth having one. Halfords do one, otherwise, you can head down the local bike shop and have a butchers for an Optimate.

;)

*Edit: Jerry - As long as the Battery is not completely flat/ near flat, they're very good to use. It's more of a "conditioner" than a trickle charger, as it basically works by appyling mA if there is not a sufficient level in the Battery.

So best put it on the Battery when you put the car away in the garage. ;)

[sotal]

Yeah, the Optimate works well with the car Battery too, I also use it with a couple of Gel Cel batteries - basically it charges anything and conditions whilst it does it. I got my Optimate from eBay, there are also some copies on eBay for sale cheaper but not sure how good they are.

Mine wasn't over cheap from eBay (same price as local shop) but did have a free wall mount (worth £6.99) and free p&p so I couldn't grumble seeing as I needed a wall mount!

[knightrider]

i too have an optimate it used to charge my bike great piece of kit, with clip on leads and a hardwired lead for ease of use every bike its been on has been fine and never damaged the Battery, also used it too charge golf trolley batterys and my mini,

great piece of kit, make sure its reset every time you reconnect otherwise it will read charging but wont charge, catches my dad out everytime and he wonders why the bike doesnt start,

[daktari]

Same as Gnome and Knightrider. I use an Optimate on my bike all year round. Dont get to ride it too much. :(

[sotal]

i too have an optimate it used to charge my bike great piece of kit, with clip on leads and a hardwired lead for ease of use every bike its been on has been fine and never damaged the battery, also used it too charge golf trolley batterys and my mini,

great piece of kit, make sure its reset every time you reconnect otherwise it will read charging but wont charge, catches my dad out everytime and he wonders why the bike doesnt start,

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Reset it???? How do you do that? It hasn't got any buttons, it's fully automatic. Plug in Battery, switch on at mains - hey presto!

[jerry phipps]

Wow this sounds like a good bit of kit. I will have to look about to find this then guys Cheers for all you advice ;) Found this on the net would this be the charger what you are all talking about??

http://www.thegreenreaper.co.uk/ShowDetails.asp?id=506

jerry!!

[Gnome]

That's the one Jerry!

[sotal]

According to that you can even get an accessoried to give you a cig lighter plug, just park up in the garage and plug it in to the !Removed! lighter.

Gnome - do you have to reset yours like Knightrider was saying?? I just plug mine in and walk off as far as I'm aware it's fully automatic. Mine does fail the voltage retention test every 30 minutes though!! If I don't use the optimate the Battery will be dead in 2 days

[Gnome]

No buttons or anything on mine.

I just plug it in, make sure the LED shows "charge," and leave it.

:S

[sotal]

Cheers Gnome - that's what I do and I was hoping you would say that!

Maybe Knightrider has an older one?? I think mine said it was version 3

[jerry phipps]

yeah version 3 is the new one mate

jerry!!

[Gnome]

Jerry - I'll bring mine with me 2moz, so you can see what it's like.

(obviously there are no mains plugs in the fields at Donny, but at least you can see what you'll be getting! :D)

[jerry phipps]

Jerry - I'll bring mine with me 2moz, so you can see what it's like.

(obviously there are no mains plugs in the fields at Donny, but at least you can see what you'll be getting! :D)

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Hey now thats a good idea Cheers mate ;)

jerry!!

[Gnome]

It's in my boot!

:D

*Don't forget to meet me and Red at LFE services 2moz morning! ;)