Front grille charger cable

[SE_123]

I want to have an easy way to connect a CTEK charger, so I am hoping to run a cable from the battery to the front grille. The reason for wanting it out of the front, is because of how I need to park the car on my slightly small driveway.

CTEK offer this "long" easy connect cable, which is great, but only 2.5m - Amazon link

Any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[midlifecrisis]

Buy two...you can link them together as they have male and female connectors at each end. There won't be much voltage drop if any.
The question is to route them through the car or just have it external on the drive ready for you to connect.

 

[SE_123]

Buy two...you can link them together as they have male and female connectors at each end. There won't be much voltage drop if any.
The question is to route them through the car or just have it external on the drive ready for you to connect.

Thanks - thats a good idea.

I feel it might be a job for a pro to pull the cable through the car, removing seats and getting through into the engine bay is not easy based on my experience with other cars.

 

[GeoffCapes]

Extension cable then plug the CTek into that?

 

[CatmanV2]

Thanks - thats a good idea.

I feel it might be a job for a pro to pull the cable through the car, removing seats and getting through into the engine bay is not easy based on my experience with other cars.

The connectors are sealed to an extent as well. I would not be concerned about routing them outside, or making up a complete cable with no joins.

C

 

[safrane]

Would it not be easier to fit and external 240 volt socket on your drive?

 

[Zep]

Running it through the car sounds like a lot of pain, I’d be running it outside.

I’m not sure what your plans are for the location of the charger itself, but if it is to be located outdoors, Ctek are not especially waterproof (and neither are the connectors) so if you are planning on having them outside, make sure they are in a weather proof box. Also, they don’t say this, but the thermistor for the temperature compensation is in the charger itself, so locating it away from the battery negates this function.

To do away with the joints in the cable, you could just buy a longer wire and splice it into the lead with the joints in the house and the car.

 

[SE_123]

Its just how I have to park the car, needs to be front first and the boot is close and facing the street. I'm therefore keen to have all cables at the front so they are hidden and closer to the socket.

Running it under the car might make sense. I guess some cable ties is all it needs

Thanks

 

[CatmanV2]

thermistor for the temperature compensation is in the charger itself,

Interesting. So should (in theory) the charger be resting on the battery?

C

 

[SE_123]

Running it through the car sounds like a lot of pain, I’d be running it outside.

I’m not sure what your plans are for the location of the charger itself, but if it is to be located outdoors, Ctek are not especially waterproof (and neither are the connectors) so if you are planning on having them outside, make sure they are in a weather proof box. Also, they don’t say this, but the thermistor for the temperature compensation is in the charger itself, so locating it away from the battery negates this function.

To do away with the joints in the cable, you could just buy a longer wire and splice it into the lead with the joints in the house and the car.

What gauge cable would be recommended to avoid voltage drop?

 

[Scaf]

Does it have to be connected direct to the battery? I am sure I read somewhere you could charge from somewhere in the engine bay or from cigarette plug?

 

[Zep]

Interesting. So should (in theory) the charger be resting on the battery?

C

In the same vicinity anyway. I mean, they call it temp compensation, but it is compensating for the temperature of the electronics not the battery, which is a bit of a fudge.

 

[Zep]

What gauge cable would be recommended to avoid voltage drop?

At least the same size as the standard cable. I use 1mm2 twin cable as volt drop on low voltage DC is quite high.

 

[SE_123]

Does it have to be connected direct to the battery? I am sure I read somewhere you could charge from somewhere in the engine bay or from cigarette plug?

That would be helpful.

Do I only need to run a single core from the +positive terminal, then just have a -negative on the chassis in the engine bay (meaning less cable)? My BMW and Land Rover don't like the negative to be on the battery when charging.

 

[Scaf]

Someone who knows the answer will be along to answer, I was posing the question and recounting what I think I have read.

 

[Zep]

That would be helpful.

Do I only need to run a single core from the +positive terminal, then just have a -negative on the chassis in the engine bay (meaning less cable)? My BMW and Land Rover don't like the negative to be on the battery when charging.

I use a cigar lighter adapter into socket in the boot for my charger. I wouldn’t go for a body connection a significant distance from the battery myself, as this will introduce a chunk of resistance you don’t really want.

I can’t think why LR and BMW would say not to connect to the negative unless they are concerned about sparking and hydrogen gas, but the appropriate use of a charger is to make the battery connections and then turn the mains on. Then to disconnect turn off the mains and then disconnect the battery terminals.