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Trickle chargers


Drumster

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The cobra immobiliser (fitted by previous owner) really seems to drain the battery during the winter months even if left for 2 weeks without use. Can anybody recommend a good trickle charger to leave plugged in permanently to solve the problem?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Chris Alston

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Chris,

 

I had the same problem and fitted a battery isolator which stops the battery discharging. The immobiliser is armed the instant the current is rearmed by the isolator so there's no functionality loss as the thief still has to overcome the imobiliser once he's found an isolator key (not left in the car obviously). I informed my insurance company (Independant) that this was what I was doing and they were fine with it. It also means I have the isolator for sprints etc etc

 

Cheers, Simon.

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I use the Airflow charger as well and following an article in Low Flying a couple of years ago, fitted a caravan charging socket on the dash (looks like a ciggy ligter socket only smaller and with a flip up cap). With a plug on the charger, I can simply plug in whenever needed without messing about lifting the bonnet. Works a treat.
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I've got an OptiMate charger, comes with a separate plug and connections to wire up to battery to allow you to charge without lifting the bonnet. Also the standard clips, and a usefull (as I found out last month) auto cut-off in case you connect it backwards. (Which you can't do with the plug fitted).

It also has a deep-discharge recovery mode which has bought our Blackbird back to life on numerous occaisions.

 

..... Ash.

+++ Honestly, it was like that when I got here.

 

 

Edited by - ashjackson on 17 Nov 2000 21:53:28

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A friend has used an Optimate on his bike for a couple of years and swears by it.

 

Simon's idea sounds good though - how does the immobilser arm itself when current is resumed? Is it by arming it prior to cutting the current, or does it automatically arm if the current is cut and then restored?

 

Cheers, Nick

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Don't know about the Rover type but my Vecta immobiliser automatically re-arms when power is restored. The Airflow charger also has a reverse polarity protection device and warning light so no problem if you wire the plug incorrectly.

 

Edited by - brent chiswick on 18 Nov 2000 12:38:23

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All this is o.k if you have power in your garage, but for those of us who havn't does anyone know if the SOLAR powered trickle chargers work ? I've seen the advert in a supplement, called Innovations they are about £25 & plug into a cigarette lighter socket or you could clip to the battery.

Supposed to work even on a cloudy day, bet they switch off at night !!

Any comments welcome before I buy & try.

Cheers Mark.

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Any old charger/battery manager will do. I got a charger from Halfords for my Elise and wired a plug and cable to the battery, ( 7.2v connectors for radio cars are perfect for this ). It charges the battery then maintains the charge once OK. I've been using it for about a year on the Elise and now a Caterham and it works a treat. I bet it's cheaper than the airflow too.

 

 

Graham

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