Can anyone recommend a battery charger that can be connected via the 12v socket in the car?

With winter fast approaching I think it might be an idea to leave the battery on trickle charge between being used.

Thanks for any recommendations.

Is the 12v socket connected when ignition is off? I guess it's not. 

 

You'll need smart charger any brand you like. Or is it "battery tender" in your language? Then be sure you connect negative lead to ground, not to battery negative terminal. If it's micro hybrid. 

My Citigo often sits in the garage unused for weeks at a time (only ~7,000 miles on the clock at three years old) and I have never experienced any issues with charging in the winter. I do have the better engineered starting and charging system that the Greentech stop/start affords though, if that makes any difference.

 

Can't help with a plug-in charger but I own and have used a C-Tek smart charger with other cars. It kept my classic Mazda MX-5 battery in good order and that was a very old battery in a car that was mothballed for the entire winter. It also revived a battery in my sister's Clio that had been declared "dead and beyond help" by so-called expert technicians. Aldi often have similar chargers on offer from time to time.

Thanks, I'll have to investigate. Emil - I'm a bit lost with your reply, my fault, I'm not very technical!

1 hour ago, snapseller said:

Thanks, I'll have to investigate. Emil - I'm a bit lost with your reply, my fault, I'm not very technical!

For a trickle-charger to work via the 12v socket, that socket needs to be "live" all the time....even with the ignition "off" and the key removed. In the Citigo, it's NOT live all the time.

If the ignition switch has an "accessories" position (not sure if they do, these days), then you could use the 12v socket for charging BUT would need to leave the key in the ignition all the time!

There were some small chargers earlier this week in our local, cant remember which , Aldi or Lidl.

cg

>Can anyone recommend a battery charger that can be connected via the 12v socket in the car?

 

It's relatively straight forward to add a(nother) 12V socket dedicated to battery charging - use suitable twin core cable run through the firewall/bulkhead and connect between the battery terminals and new socket.

 

However, its frowned upon to charge the battery without first isolating it from the vehicle e.g. without disconnecting the negative/ground battery terminal.  Unless of course, the charger has the relevant 'fail safes' built in. 

 

On cars used infrequently, some use solar panel chargers fitted to the dashboard and trickle charge the battery that way.

 

Optimate is another system used by the classic motorcycle fraternity in the winter months.

 

https://www.optimate.co.uk/

 

Edit to add:  I've spent time working in Sweden and some of their vehicles have electric heaters fitted to the cooling system to keep the engine block from a few degrees above freezing and some working to approx. 65C. They are plugged into parking meters and suchlike for their power supply.  They are wired through the ignition to prevent the vehicle being started without being disconnected by the driver.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_heater

 

Snaefell, Marown, IoM.

Edited 21 October, 20178 yr by Snaefell
Additional info...

Thanks for all replies.

I should have realised the key would need to be on at least the first position since that is where it has to go in order to use a tyre inflator.

It sounds as tho' it may be more trouble than not, so I'll see how the next winter goes - assuming we get one of course.