Using a CTEC intelligent charger

[Loanwheeler]

I am considering purchasing a CTEC charger to keep my 2023 Yaris 12 volt Battery hopefully in an optimum charge condition. I have read somewhere in the forum the the CTEC will not work if connected to the jump start post in the engine bay. Can anyone expand on this as to the reasons why this is.

[hind]

It works fine, it's directly connected to the Battery - where did you read that it won't?

[Gray86]

I charge my Corolla from that location all the time, works just fine. 

[MikeSh]

1 hour ago, Loanwheeler said:

I am considering purchasing a CTEC charger to keep my 2023 Yaris 12 volt battery hopefully in an optimum charge condition.

If it's just keeping it topped up a CTEC is overkill. I have one of these*:

(there are several clones) from Amazon at about £20 which is fine for general charging/maintenance. It claims to have a repair function too but I haven't needed or tried that.

( * This exact one I got is currently unavailable.)

[jthspace]

Aldi or Lidl ones are also worth considering, I have CTEK and Aldi as they look after the MX5's and the Yaris.

[Loanwheeler]

8 hours ago, hind said:

It works fine, it's directly connected to the battery - where did you read that it won't?

It’s mentioned in 12 volt maintenance issues page 1.

[anchorman]

I wouldn’t be surprised.  It’s ok to use the fuse box connector, I do if for weeks at a time every time I go away.  And if information isn’t confusing enough on this forum, I do think it’s worth paying for a CTEK charger.  I prefer to have decent kit if I’m leaving it connected to my Battery for long periods.  I’m not confident enough in the cheap ones to maintain an effective health cycle and I don’t want the car and garage burning down.  

[MikeSh]

7 hours ago, anchorman said:

I’m not confident enough in the cheap ones to maintain an effective health cycle and I don’t want the car and garage burning down.  

Agreed. I only use mine for as long as it takes to get the charge up, which seems to be what the OP wants. I wouldn't leave it unattended for weeks - though tbh I wouldn't like leaving a ctek like that either.

[Gray86]

7 hours ago, MikeSh said:

Agreed. I only use mine for as long as it takes to get the charge up, which seems to be what the OP wants. I wouldn't leave it unattended for weeks - though tbh I wouldn't like leaving a ctek like that either.

A lot of supercar owners leave their cars on smart chargers for months on end (the handbook suggests you can leave it a long time too) as it just cycles between the last two modes. I’ve left mine over a week, but would confident leave it longer.  

[MikeSh]

Just personal preference. I'm not happy leaving any Battery on a charger unattended for long periods - and I have a lot of batteries between phones, tablet, multiple power tools, headphones, earbuds, power banks, inspection lights, shaver, ... etc. Even the flippin smart meter display thing.

I try and only leave them charging when I'm around to intervene (which for overnight charging means in my bedroom). Other members of the family are less bothered (aka don't give a monkeys) but at least if the house burns it won't be my fault 👍 🙂

[jthspace]

My 1993 Eunos goes on a ctec in November when she "rests" for the winter and comes out to play again in late March or when all the salt has gone off the road.

Never had an issue. Except this year when she was at the paint shop for a full respray.  At 31, the red paint had faded, Battery went flat because of the Smiths electric clock 🤣

Yaris in the background

 

 

[Roy124]

There are ways to fire up a smart charger for a limited time over a long period.

The simplest would be a mechanical 7-day timer.

More flexible would be a smart socket running either a routine or OTA control though an App.

 

[anchorman]

I leave mine connected while I’m away for a month at a time but I have got a hive plug I can see the current draw and I can disconnect it remotely from another country.  I can also see the car and the charger on CCTV.  It gives me a certain amount of control and a big benefit is that, accepting the damage is already done if it does catch fire, I can watch it burn from a safe distance.  

[hind]

  

5 minutes ago, Roy124 said:

More flexible would be a smart socket running either a routine or OTA control though an App.

Or just use any trickle charger 🙂 

[Roy124]

20 minutes ago, hind said:

  

Or just use any trickle charger 🙂 

Err that was not the point.  It was for those that do NOT trust continuous trickle chargers.

That reminds me, just to prove that flat batteries are not a new phenomenon;  60 years ago I considered having a Battery charger fitted to my car.  IIRC Ford made one in a housing similar to a coil.   It was intended for permanent mounting under the bonnet.  You could also get a sump heater, rather safer than the paraffin heaters one put under the engine at night.

E2A, just googled but got Ford and CTEK.  Rather more hits than on Toyota methinks. 

[Dick_Dastardly]

I use a timer on the socket to just supply a trickle charge for a few hours a day.

Just enough to keep it at level 4 on the CTEK indicator. Choose your own level that you're happy with and set a timer accordingly.

Generally only needs to be on for a couple of hours a day

Don't currently have a Yaris but that method has served me well for a few years

[Roy124]

48 minutes ago, Dick_Dastardly said:

I use a timer on the socket to just supply a trickle charge for a few hours a day.

Whether you leave your charger on continuously or as Richard says a few hours a day, check your charger.

Does the charger get hot while charging?  If it gets hot, how hot?  

Keep flammable materials away from the charger (don't place it on the engine).  Ensure there is adequate ventilation. 

E2A after 30 minutes my CTEK was at level 4 and the voltage showed at 14.95v.  The case was cold to touch.

E2AA mine is board mounted on the wall. I think checking the charger temp may be more necessary with Chinese copies.

[Dick_Dastardly]

27 minutes ago, Roy124 said:

Whether you leave your charger on continuously or as ***** says a few hours a day, check your charger.

Does the charger get hot while charging?  If it gets hot, how hot?  

Keep flammable materials away from the charger (don't place it on the engine).  Ensure there is adequate ventilation. 

 

I've never checked the temperature but that sounds like a sensible thing to do.

Mine is currently attached to the back of the garage door, with a cable going outside to the car sat on the drive.

So plenty of ventilation in my garage, I now just need to worry about setting the garage door alight 😃

[Basil-BarryC]

When I visited a Mercedes showroom several years ago every vehicle had a Ctek charger (rebranded as a Mercedes charger) underneath connected from a floor socket to the vehicle. I asked the salesman how long they were connected he said “permanently, well all the time the cars are in the showroom “

Surely thats the whole point of buying a premium charger like Ctek rather than some cheap Chinese or Far Eastern unbranded knockoff

[skidlid]

Our Skoda dealer advised to use a smart charger when the first lockdown happened and surprise, surprise, they were offering the Ring RSC404 for about £60. I had a good charger (Gel Battery compatible) but since it was probably 35 years old AGM and EFB had not been invented so it was not compatible thus a new charger seemed a good idea. Before setting off for the Skoda dealer had a look on Amazon, just over £20 posted so ordered one. Its been used on normal and EFB (whilst connected to the car) and its worked perfectly. Will use it on the Yaris.

Just had a look, about £25 now. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HZZZZV2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2N5C423YTFC35&psc=1

[hind]

1 hour ago, Roy124 said:

Err that was not the point.  It was for those that do NOT trust continuous trickle chargers.

I thought that it's for people who don't trust the devices designed for occasional use to be used constantly for a prolonged period of time.

On the other hand trickle charger was designed to be used in that scenario, so should handle even months of being connected. 

Personally I use regulated power supply because it lets me control the voltage and max current - so I can compensate for the temperature or lower it to let the Battery saturate. It is perfectly fine being left with 14.5V charging for a week. Reading the voltage and current also allows to estimate when the charging process would achieve specific charge level. 

[MikeSh]

1 hour ago, hind said:

I thought that it's for people who don't trust the devices designed for occasional use to be used constantly for a prolonged period of time.

On the other hand trickle charger was designed to be used in that scenario, so should handle even months of being connected

My concern is not about the principle of long term trickle charging but the whatifs should the charger develop a fault. It may be rare but given the potential consequences to my family and home I try to minimise that risk.

Our cars (and other devices) don't need long term charging, just a boost occasionally, so there is no need to leave them connected all the time.

Commercial premises is a different situation.

[Puglet]

I use a CTEK charger I bought years ago on my laid up car and leave it for months at a time, had no issues. As mentioned I also got a normal trickle charger, which I had before the CTEK, which I use on our regularly used cars when feel Battery needs a top up, I only ever leave that on overnight and never for days on end, but that although works ok, is very basic nor sophisticated compared to the CTEK. I got my CTEK when they were really the only one doing these sophisticated/phased car Battery chargers, but there a lot more choice nowadays. 

 

[CPN]

4 hours ago, Roy124 said:

Whether you leave your charger on continuously or as Richard says a few hours a day, check your charger.

Does the charger get hot while charging?  If it gets hot, how hot?  

Keep flammable materials away from the charger (don't place it on the engine).  Ensure there is adequate ventilation. 

E2A after 30 minutes my CTEK was at level 4 and the voltage showed at 14.95v.  The case was cold to touch.

E2AA mine is board mounted on the wall. I think checking the charger temp may be more necessary with Chinese copies.

'scuse my ignorance but ?? (in bold above)

[Roy124]

@CPN had me the first time I came across it then the penny dropped:

Edited to add and E2A again

That is different from Edited and is a postscript 😀