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Battery chargers
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Buff and Hugh
We need to get a battery charger for our car which is not getting much use during lockdown. Hopefully, the solar panel supplemented from time to time by a hookup will keep our van's batteries topped up, but if we are to buy a charger perhaps it would be a good idea to get one that would also be capable of charging the van as well as the car.
The car has stop-start and an EFB battery (the Ford Fiesta manual says not a word about batteries, but there is a label on the battery saying Enhanced Flooded).
The Honest John website is very keen on recommending the CTEK CT5 charger which costs about £75 to £80. I think this is because it's supposed to be idiot proof, and by implication suitable for all batteries. However, this ignoramus is keen to be reassured that it would be suitable for our purposes, on which subject I've found a web page saying that CTEK CT5 chargers are bundled with EFB batteries sold by Mazda, so presumably they are compatible!
I would welcome advice on whether this is a sensible route for us to take. Are there other factors we need to be aware of?
Hugh
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Carol Weaver
Don’t think this is an answer to your question but we had to buy one for the Motorhome and got this. Duncan has found it fine to use But it will do both Carol
On Mon, 16 Nov 2020 at 15:15, Buff and Hugh via groups.io <huffbuffforums=googlemail.com@groups.io> wrote:
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-- Carol WeaverAires photos here|. www.carolweaver.co.uk/Travel Sign up for SMUGMUG here: https://secure.smugmug.com/signup?Coupon=ETh4Jkg1xE0KE Plusnet -cardun if you sign up recommend me please and use this link; https://www.plus.net/refer.php?strReferralsUid=190439df75498abb9996f599912e9539a8e2217307e3338783b7c846899424d4
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Peter S
I use a CTEK 2500 charger and use it on both my cars which have stop start. It is an older model which I just attach to the two charging points under the bonnet and I know it charges both batteries as the stop start availability activates much more quickly after using the charger - I have been keeping the cars topped up from time to time as they are not being used as much as usual at the moment and I don't want to have a car not start. Peter S
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Brian Reay
Both Aldi and Lidl offer 'clones' of CTEK chargers from time to time. I have an Aldi one and I bought a Lidl one for my son in law. They seem virtually identical in function and, going by various reviews, function more or less like the CTEK ones (there are several videos on YouTube).
The only problem is both Aldi and Lidl only tend to stock them every few months when they have the appropriate 'special'. However, they are only about £12 and the Aldi one comes with a 3yr warranty (not sure about the Lidl one). Regards Brian
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I've had a Ctek 5A charger for 8 years and the Lidl 3.6A (from memory) that I bought at Lake Garda 4 years ago (it was just £7!). The Ctek is versatile and bombproof. I tend to use it now for a conditioning charge on vehicle batteries over winter. If you need it for a long term maintenance charge when away over winter, don't rely on anything less. After a mains drop, the Ctek just goes back to what it was doing, while the Lidl stays off until manually turned back on!
I didn't understand the context of Carol's post! Dave
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Buff and Hugh
Thanks for all the comments.
So far as I can see there are no Aldi/Lidl chargers available at the moment. I think therefore we will go with the Ctek. Hugh
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Richard
Good move. Do not be put off by its size compared with historical
vehicle battery chargers!
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Richard
On 17/11/2020 11:14, Buff and Hugh via
groups.io wrote:
Thanks for all the comments.
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Ernest Bull
On Mon, 16 Nov 2020 at 15:15, Buff and Hugh via groups.io <huffbuffforums=googlemail.com@groups.io> wrote:
I do not have a van any more, but battery chargers never seemed to be up to the job and this thread highlights something I was toying with, but never did anything about. It seemed to me that normal chargers never quite cut the mustard, but that they had something with the MPPT type solar charge controllers. In essence, an MPPT controller squeezes the last ounce of charging current out of a source - usually solar or wind generators - by upping the charging voltage to push the last mA into the battery/batteries. Also, they can usually be set up to match the battery type being charged. Anyone wanting chapter and verse: - My idea, then, was to take a big enough charger, or indeed, the built-in hook-up charger and put it through an MPPT controller. Via a changeover switch if a solar panel was also fitted. Could work, I reckon. _________ ErnB
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Buff and Hugh
Thanks, Richard and Ernie for your comments.
The technology is beyond me, but the Ctek charger is supposed to be "smart" so I wonder whether it is designed to achieve the same as the MPPT controller. Hugh
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Brent
Sorry Ernb your last paragraph has totally confused me.
Surely the vehicle charger works off mains and a lot of the new type of chargers fitted are the 3 stage type so what on earth would you gain from feeding via MPPT? Probably I'm in my thick mode this early in the morning!!? Have to agree Dave - I didn't get Carol's post either. Take care and stay safe all
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Brent
Definitely the right move Hugh, we have two of their all singing and dancing chargers at work and swear by them, not to mention the batteries we've "saved" for customers. As my old grandad used to say : you get what you paid for!!!
Take care and stay safe all
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Elwyn
On 17/11/2020 11:14, Buff and Hugh via groups.io wrote:
Thanks for all the comments.I reccomend all of the CTEK chargers too. I've an MX8 on loan to a friend that needs to keep their mobile use batteries charged up. They have no problems with it and its actually been more resilient than many of its predecessors. My car has the Ctek D250S DC to DC charger, which was bought from advice from here and my father, and has survived at least 6 years now and on 2 different vehicles and still going strong. The D250S also has a solar input should I decide to go down that route I am very wary of the 'cheap and cheerful' and 'replace often' kinda thing as I tend to find mischarging can lead to fires and stuff. Elwyn
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timsinc Sinclair
I have read some of the posts on this subject but got to say totally
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at loss why a separate charger (requiring mains elec) required at all when even older m-homes have in-built charger working from simarly required mains hook-up. My camper in-built also charges engine battery. Extra gear at extra cost for what? campervan Tim
On 18/11/2020, Elwyn <webforum.emails@gmail.com> wrote:
On 17/11/2020 11:14, Buff and Hugh via groups.io wrote:Thanks for all the comments.I reccomend all of the CTEK chargers too. I've an MX8 on loan to a --
*It'll all be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end*
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The secret is in the OP, Tim 🙂 Dave
On Wed, 18 Nov 2020, 12:53 timsinc Sinclair, <timsinc@...> wrote: I have read some of the posts on this subject but got to say totally
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kenny.macdougall
Hi Tim, What make of charger do you have. Regards Kenny Skye
From: motorhome-list@groups.io
[mailto:motorhome-list@groups.io] On Behalf Of Dave Burleigh
Sent: 18 November 2020 12:59 To: motorhome-list@groups.io Subject: Re: [motorhome-list] Battery chargers
The secret is in the OP, Tim 🙂
Dave
On Wed, 18 Nov 2020, 12:53 timsinc Sinclair, <timsinc@...> wrote:
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timsinc Sinclair
It's a Westfalia, Kenny, part of their conversion of the VW T5
Tim On 18/11/2020, kenny.macdougall via groups.io <kenny.macdougall=btinternet.com@groups.io> wrote: Hi Tim, -- *It'll all be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end*
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Buff and Hugh
Thanks, Brent and Elwyn, for the reassurance that Ctek is the way to go. The D250S seems to be a lot more expensive, so maybe something to bear in mind for the future.
Tim, sorry that my question was a bit off topic. I hoped people wouldn't mind, but I know that this is a good place for knowledgeable answers on technical matters like this, and I've found the answers very helpful. Hugh
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kenny.macdougall
Hi Tim,
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I was asking What make of charger do you have. Kenny
-----Original Message-----
From: motorhome-list@groups.io [mailto:motorhome-list@groups.io] On Behalf Of timsinc Sinclair Sent: 18 November 2020 17:01 To: motorhome-list@groups.io Subject: Re: [motorhome-list] Battery chargers It's a Westfalia, Kenny, part of their conversion of the VW T5 Tim On 18/11/2020, kenny.macdougall via groups.io <kenny.macdougall=btinternet.com@groups.io> wrote: Hi Tim, -- *It'll all be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end*
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timsinc Sinclair
No apology needed, Hugh. So many posts on this (inc about MPT
controllers), thought it was to do with m-home batery charging. So sorry my mistake. This list great for tech help/info on very near off-topics, such as sat-navs. Tim On 18/11/2020, Buff and Hugh via groups.io <huffbuffforums=googlemail.com@groups.io> wrote: Thanks, Brent and Elwyn, for the reassurance that Ctek is the way to go. The -- *It'll all be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end*
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timsinc Sinclair
Kenny, I have no separate charger to that in my camper. Tim
On 18/11/2020, kenny.macdougall via groups.io <kenny.macdougall=btinternet.com@groups.io> wrote: Hi Tim, -- *It'll all be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end*
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