Jump to content
SAU Community

Using Trickle Chargers

djvoodoo

By djvoodoo,
in General Maintenance

 Share

Recommended Posts

djvoodoo Experienced

djvoodoo

Posted
Posted

I don't think this topic has been discussed much at all on SAU.

I know a few people on SAU use trickle chargers. This will be a first for me.

I bought myself a Trickle charger from Jaycar, but have been given advice that I need to disconnect the battery from the car so that I don't ruin the Alternator or other electronics if there is a current surge from 240V.

A few questions I have.

1. Owning an R34 GTR, where the battery in the boot, it's not very well ventilated. Are people removing their batteries from the car? Kind of defeats the purpose of a quick solution.

2. The car only gets taken out on weekends. Am i better off simply disconnecting the -ve terminal for the week? Have i wasted my $$$ on the charger?

What other tips do people have when using a Trickle charger?

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/457967-using-trickle-chargers/
Share on other sites
  • Replies 67
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

MBS206
MBS206

I have two German Shepherds that like to bite things that are in places they shouldn't be. Plus the cars/batteries on chargers are inside a locked garage, inside that fully fenced and locked yard

silviaz
silviaz

Good news. So it went up to 16.2 volts as per the manual then dropped to 13.6v where it maintains that voltage. The sizzling sound stopped after that. All is looking ok. Car starts up same as usu

Hadouken
Hadouken

Not a dig. Just the internet

Posted Images

Hadouken Grand Master

Hadouken

Posted
Posted

I do this,

Disconnect +Ve side on the battery and leave it. It has been fine for me for up 6 months.

When I come back from lengthy times away, I put the car on the trickle over night and that is perfect.

With the +ve side disconnected instead of the -ve I don't see how there can be a problem with sending a surge through the car....

GeeDog Experienced

GeeDog

Posted
Posted

Given that there is a 20:1 step-down in the charger (240V input, 12V or so output) there would need to be a huge input voltage surge to damage any car electronics. Do you have a surge arrester in your meter box - a big enough surge to damage anything in the car will also take out most of your house electronics.

I use a 1 amp trickle charger on a motorbike, but I run it off a timer so it's only on for an hour each day. This helps prevent over-charging the battery. Have done this for many years and battery life has been great.

Sinista32 Grand Master

Sinista32

Posted
Posted

My experience is using a Trickle charger is fine.

In my case If I disconnect the battery the mongoose alarm goes off.

So I leave both terminals connected while charging.

Generally only connect it up if I'm leaving the GTR in situ for over a few weeks.

djvoodoo Experienced

djvoodoo

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Given that there is a 20:1 step-down in the charger (240V input, 12V or so output) there would need to be a huge input voltage surge to damage any car electronics. Do you have a surge arrester in your meter box - a big enough surge to damage anything in the car will also take out most of your house electronics.

I use a 1 amp trickle charger on a motorbike, but I run it off a timer so it's only on for an hour each day. This helps prevent over-charging the battery. Have done this for many years and battery life has been great.

Having it on a timer is a brilliant idea. Might give that a go. The charger i got is:

http://www.jaycar.com.au/PRODUCTS/Power-Products-Electrical/Charging/SLA-GEL-Chargers/6V-%26-12V-Heavy-Duty-8A-Car-Battery-Charger-with-Trickle-Charge/p/MB3522

I guess my main issue is that the car is kept in a downstairs garage (unit block) and I don't want to come home to an inferno. I understand that most batteries when on charge can emit gasses, which could cause a fire.

If anyone has seen the battery location on a 34R, it's an enclosed, tight space with a tonne of carpet surrounding metal

scotty nm35 Grand Master

scotty nm35

Posted
Posted

The whole idea of trickle charging is to leave the charger on the battery constantly. I don't like charging at high voltage/current with the battery connected in the car, but trickle charging should be fine.

JH32 Grand Master

JH32

Posted
Posted

I guess my main issue is that the car is kept in a downstairs garage (unit block) and I don't want to come home to an inferno. I understand that most batteries when on charge can emit gasses, which could cause a fire.

When you are driving the car the alternator is charging the battery, so there should be no difference really

GTR-N1 Grand Master

GTR-N1

Posted
Posted

The BNR34 has charging terminals in the front under the fuse box.

The main possible problem is reversing polarity (by accident).

If you're so concerned about surges from lightning strikes just put a surge protector between the trickle charger and the power point the same way you protect your computer.

djvoodoo Experienced

djvoodoo

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The BNR34 has charging terminals in the front under the fuse box.

The main possible problem is reversing polarity (by accident).

If you're so concerned about surges from lightning strikes just put a surge protector between the trickle charger and the power point the same way you protect your computer.

Learn something new everyday. Did not know that. Makes it a hell of a lot easier if this is the case

  • Like 1
Hadouken Grand Master

Hadouken

Posted
Posted

Learn something new everyday. Did not know that. Makes it a hell of a lot easier if this is the case

Lol, look at the fuse box and you will see a (+) and a (-) each next to a metal tab. Surely you didnt think that if you wanted to jump start your car that they would make you do it in the boot...

djvoodoo Experienced

djvoodoo

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Lol, look at the fuse box and you will see a (+) and a (-) each next to a metal tab. Surely you didnt think that if you wanted to jump start your car that they would make you do it in the boot...

ok ok, geez, chill out man.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Latest Posts

    • The Bogan
      NC MX5

      By The Bogan · Posted

      Yeah, it's getting like that, my daughter is coming over on Thursday to help me remove the bonnet so I can install the Carbuilders underbonnet stuff,  I might get her to give me a hand and remove the hardtop, maybe, because on really hot days the detachable hardtop helps the aircon keep the interior cool, the heat just punches straight through to rag top I also don't have enough hair for the "wind in the hair" experience, so there is that....LOL
    • joshuaho96
      Cas issue

      By joshuaho96 · Posted

      Could be falling edge/rising edge is set wrong. Are you getting sync errors?
    • joshuaho96
      Jacks that fit under GTR lips that can reach the subframe?

      By joshuaho96 · Posted

      On BMWs what I do because I'm more confident that I can't instantly crush the pinch welds and do thousands of USD in chassis damage is use a set of rubber jacking pads designed to protect the chassis/plastic adapter and raise a corner of the car, place the aforementioned 2x12 inch wooden planks under a tire, drop the car, then this normally gives me enough clearance to get to the front central jack point. If you don't need it to be a ramp it only needs to be 1-1.5 feet long. On my R33 I do not trust the pinch welds to tolerate any of this so I drive up on the ramps. Before then when I had to get a new floor jack that no longer cleared the front lip I removed it to get enough clearance to put the jack under it. Once you're on the ramps once you simply never let the car down to the ground. It lives on the ramps or on jack stands.
    • GTSBoy
      Mistakes were made, my R34 Story

      By GTSBoy · Posted

      Nah. You need 2x taps for anything that you cannot pass the tap all the way through. And even then, there's a point in response to the above which I will come back to. The 2x taps are 1x tapered for starting, and 1x plug tap for working to the bottom of blind holes. That block's port is effectively a blind hole from the perspective of the tap. The tapered tap/tapered thread response. You don't ever leave a female hole tapered. They are supposed to be parallel, hence the wide section of a tapered tap being parallel, the existince of plug taps, etc. The male is tapered so that it will eventually get too fat for the female thread, and yes, there is some risk if the tapped length of the female hole doesn't offer enough threads, that it will not lock up very nicely. But you can always buzz off the extra length on the male thread, and the tape is very good at adding bulk to the joint.
    • Duncan
      Mistakes were made, my R34 Story

      By Duncan · Posted

      Nice....looking forward to that update
×
×
  • Create New...