Modern technology - ?

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Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
The Ducato Camper battery went a bit dead due to a long period of inactivity the other week.
I bought a charger, found the battery compartment, the size of the battery and the myriad wires attached read the Fiat instruction manual and thought better of it, so called Fiat Rescue. A very helpful chap soon turned-up and kick started it into life with one of those jump packs.
I said I bought a charger and asked how I should use it, and he politely suggested I had the wrong gizmo.
His recommendation is one of these:


View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/CTEK-MXS-7-0-Automatic-Reconditions/dp/B00604UABY/ref=asc_df_B00604UABY/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=226168125559&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4226446014826079109&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006662&hvtargid=pla-578948283592&psc=1&th=1&psc=1


If you buy an Aston Martin you get one of these with a posh AM frontage (in fact many other supercars come with them), reason is they often spend long periods in the garage unused. Of course AM has some fancy connection.

So could be an option.
His suggestion was to permanently connect the spade-type connectors to the battery, and then you just plug-in the conditioner.
Maybe an easier option?
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Photo Winner
Location
Inside my skull
Same here - I can go weeks without using the car so I purchased a basic soloar powered trickle charger that plugs in to the OBD port. It seems to work most of the time, but I do back it up with a 20-40 mile run up the A14 once a fortnight if it's been really cold.

Well I checked and my car has an obd port near the steering wheel. Thus I’ve bought a solar trickle charger and we will see how it goes. Cheaper than taking car for a run every week.
 

DRM

Guru
Location
West Yorks
The Ducato Camper battery went a bit dead due to a long period of inactivity the other week.
I bought a charger, found the battery compartment, the size of the battery and the myriad wires attached read the Fiat instruction manual and thought better of it, so called Fiat Rescue. A very helpful chap soon turned-up and kick started it into life with one of those jump packs.
I said I bought a charger and asked how I should use it, and he politely suggested I had the wrong gizmo.
His recommendation is one of these:


View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/CTEK-MXS-7-0-Automatic-Reconditions/dp/B00604UABY/ref=asc_df_B00604UABY/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=226168125559&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4226446014826079109&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006662&hvtargid=pla-578948283592&psc=1&th=1&psc=1


If you buy an Aston Martin you get one of these with a posh AM frontage (in fact many other supercars come with them), reason is they often spend long periods in the garage unused. Of course AM has some fancy connection.

So could be an option.
His suggestion was to permanently connect the spade-type connectors to the battery, and then you just plug-in the conditioner.
Maybe an easier option?


There are several places I visit that use the (i.c.e) fork truck very infrequently, and use those very succesfully, cables to the battery terminals with matching plugs on the battery & charger leads, just plug into the truck and the mains and leave it to do it's thing, alot cheaper than call out & labour costs
 

sevenfourate

Devotee of OCD
The Ducato Camper battery went a bit dead due to a long period of inactivity the other week.
I bought a charger, found the battery compartment, the size of the battery and the myriad wires attached read the Fiat instruction manual and thought better of it, so called Fiat Rescue. A very helpful chap soon turned-up and kick started it into life with one of those jump packs.
I said I bought a charger and asked how I should use it, and he politely suggested I had the wrong gizmo.
His recommendation is one of these:


View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/CTEK-MXS-7-0-Automatic-Reconditions/dp/B00604UABY/ref=asc_df_B00604UABY/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=226168125559&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4226446014826079109&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006662&hvtargid=pla-578948283592&psc=1&th=1&psc=1


If you buy an Aston Martin you get one of these with a posh AM frontage (in fact many other supercars come with them), reason is they often spend long periods in the garage unused. Of course AM has some fancy connection.

So could be an option.
His suggestion was to permanently connect the spade-type connectors to the battery, and then you just plug-in the conditioner.
Maybe an easier option?


You get one with a Porsche too 👍 And you can certainly buy a Mercedes version. All around £200.

Or: you can buy exactly the same product (as above) for 1/3rd the price on eBay / Amazon etc. FANTASTIC things - and I’ve got two in use on ‘toys’ that don’t get used throughout winter…..
 
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OP
OP
simongt

simongt

Guru
Location
Norwich
Our previous car was a '97 Fiesta which one year, sat in the driveway for over three weeks on the cold and snow. Got in, turned the key, started no problem.
And modern technology is better for the planet - ? :whistle:
 

icowden

Veteran
Location
Surrey
Our previous car was a '97 Fiesta which one year, sat in the driveway for over three weeks on the cold and snow. Got in, turned the key, started no problem.
it's not the fact that you left it for 2 weeks, it's that when you do use it, you don't use it very much. Over time the battery goes down but doesn't get recharged back up if you are only doing very occasional short journeys.

Interestingly that can be an issue for EVs particularly if stored for long periods of time. The recommendation is that you store the car with between 50% and 80% charge and the car will cope for about 6 months, possibly longer if the car has a deep sleep setting.
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
Interestingly that can be an issue for EVs particularly if stored for long periods of time. The recommendation is that you store the car with between 50% and 80% charge and the car will cope for about 6 months, possibly longer if the car has a deep sleep setting.

Teslas and most other EVs have a separate 12v battery to run most of the low drain electrical bits.

If that goes flat, it's unlikely you will be able to get in because you can't pop the locking or get the flush electronic door handles to emerge from their shut position.

In the case of a Tesla, leaving the main battery part charged is good advice, because for some reason the main battery won't charge the little battery if the main battery is full, but will if not fully charged.

You are then faced with some aggro to get the bonnet open and dismantle a few bits of bits of bodywork to reach the little battery, which is buried somewhere behind the front valance.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Although the most basic technology, a steering wheel on the right, is no longer available on the Model S and model X in the UK.

If Mrs D's MINI has a separate 12v battery for the accessories I've yet to find it, although there were so many panels and boxes it could well be condealed.
 

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
Although the most basic technology, a steering wheel on the right, is no longer available on the Model S and model X in the UK.

If Mrs D's MINI has a separate 12v battery for the accessories I've yet to find it, although there were so many panels and boxes it could well be condealed.

I would not be too concerned with owning a left hooker, I've got two LHD vehicles.
 

ExBrit

Über Member
Our previous car was a '97 Fiesta which one year, sat in the driveway for over three weeks on the cold and snow. Got in, turned the key, started no problem.
And modern technology is better for the planet - ? :whistle:

Anything is better for the planet than a 26 year old Ford Fiesta; even my friend's festering pile of used tea-bags he calls a compost pile.
 
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