Battery charging kit

(27-11-2015 01:06pm)mickeyf Wrote:  The manual says the battery must be removed from the car for charging. Anybody knows why?
I have managed to discharge the battery already (after one week's ownership!) apparently the various security bits + the stereo put a heavy load on the battery. Have ordered a plugin voltmeter but thinking about installing a permanent voltmeter someplace as battery draining seems to be a big issue!

Old fashioned chargers and chargers capable of a big current can damage the electronics (I blew the whole instrument panel in a Merc. once!) but modern ones such as the CTEK don't do any harm. Indeed, the LR one is a CTEK and you don't have to disconnect the battery to use it which contradicts their own instructions.

(27-11-2015 03:01pm)Donny Dog Wrote:  Old fashioned chargers and chargers capable of a big current can damage the electronics (I blew the whole instrument panel in a Merc. once!) but modern ones such as the CTEK don't do any harm. Indeed, the LR one is a CTEK and you don't have to disconnect the battery to use it which contradicts their own instructions.

Thanks for the reassurance. I am using a Lidl (Ultimate Speed !!!) charger, this is rated to max 3.5 A

You dont need to remove it - look at the cars in a dealers showroom and quite often you will see a charger attached to a cars battery. You do need to connect it to the correct points though to ensure the battery monitoring system (I can't remember the LR title for it) is aware that the battery is being charged.

(27-11-2015 03:18pm)JimWooly Wrote:  You dont need to remove it - look at the cars in a dealers showroom and quite often you will see a charger attached to a cars battery. You do need to connect it to the correct points though to ensure the battery monitoring system (I can't remember the LR title for it) is aware that the battery is being charged.

The connections recommended for the LR version are basically positive terminal and earth (i.e. battery side of the monitoring system), which boils down to being straight across the battery. That's how I fitted my CTEK and I've never had any bother.

---

(27-11-2015 03:10pm)mickeyf Wrote:  Thanks for the reassurance. I am using a Lidl (Ultimate Speed !!!) charger, this is rated to max 3.5 A

A simple limited-current charger wouldn't be any good, it needs to be an 'intelligent' charger. I wouldn't risk it myself - I'd invest in a CTEK instead (you don't have to pay LR prices!).

Edit: Having just looked at the Lidl charger it does appear to operate like the CTEK so maybe it's a similar type of intelligent device - mind you, I'd still buy a CTEK!!