Recommendations for a trickle charger

[stevenccox]

Looking for people's recommendations for a trickle charger for my '02 coupe. There's so many out there at varying prices, so interested to see what people have and recommend (and why).

 

[HenrysDad]

As far as I am concerned the CTEK is the best on the market and Maserati just rebadge it to make it OEM.

 

[Bebs]

Optimate 6.
Expensive but have used for 10 years now and never an issue.
Both the 360 and the GT have one permanently attached when parked in garage.

 

[alastairb]

NOCO for me. My CTEK MX5 struggles sometimes.
I've got a NOCO 2-Bank on my garage ceiling keeps both cars sorted in one tidy solution.

This one

NOCO 2-Bank Battery Charger - 4A | Halfords UK

Shop the latest Noco 4A 2-Bank Battery Charger at Halfords UK

www.halfords.com

To be honest if I was buying again I'd get a 4bank for convinience.

 

[urquattrogus]

The CTEK's are OK although I have had my confidence shaken by one failing within a month of buying it.

 

[Scaf]

CTEK for me, had mine years and it has not only done the trickle charge job well, it has also allowed me to refresh and revitalise more than one battery back from the dead.

 

[Sam McGoo]

Looking for people's recommendations for a trickle charger for my '02 coupe. There's so many out there at varying prices, so interested to see what people have and recommend (and why).

Most of them are probably much of a muchness, whether its an Aldi one, Noco, Ctek unless you step up to temperature compensating ones etc..
What ever one you decide on, get a timer plug or a smart plug and have it come on for a few hours once a week or something similar. It'll be better for the battery.

Personally, I've got a Ctek mxs10 as it has an external temperature sensor, and I got it for a good price 2nd hand. I have it plugged into a Tapo smart plug with it coming on over night once a week if I'm not driving it that week. Also have the benefit of being able to turn it on with your phone if you're away from the car and wanna give it a quick boost prior to use.

 

[Ebenezer]

I think in a previous discussion we had on this topic, we came to the conclusion that the temp sensor was baloney, since you are interested in the temperature of the battery, and unless the sensor was in close proximity, then it's useless!
Eb

 

[CatmanV2]

Had C-Teks for years with no issues. I think that @Zep is the official forum industry expert?


C

 

[joered]

I have a NOCO genius 1UK from amazon,(£40) has worked ok with no problems.
Once your battery is charged it switches off. I also have the NOCO GC002x lead, that is permantly attached to the battery,all i do is connect/unplug to this lead

 

[Sd345]

I have used CTEK MXS 5 on my current car and a CTEK MXS 3.8 on my last car. The reason for the upgrade was that I used it on my classic mini and shut the boot while charging accidentally cutting the wire. Both work fine on the maserati Granturismo and have revived some older batteries too.

 

[redsonnylee]

The GS has the CTEX & I also have the AA unit which was very cheap for the other cars.
I switch the CTEX off for a few days every month.

 

[Sam McGoo]

Y

I think in a previous discussion we had on this topic, we came to the conclusion that the temp sensor was baloney, since you are interested in the temperature of the battery, and unless the sensor was in close proximity, then it's useless!
Eb

Yeah I get that. The MXS10 sensor is external and on a longish wire, so it would be possible to attach it to the battery, but I don't bother.
I'd think even if the sensor isn't on the battery itself, it must make a difference to the way it charges a battery whether ambient temperature is -5C or +35C . ?
@Zep might know ?

 

[Zep]

The principle of temperature compensation is that batteries can take and different charge or float voltage depending on their temperature. If the voltage is too high, it can cause sulfation and electrolyte loss, reducing the battery life.

The theory is that the temp compensation varies the voltage. If the battery is colder than the sensor, then it’s not really an issue. The other way round and you run the risk of doing some long term damage.

 

[mjheathcote]

Optimate 6.
Expensive but have used for 10 years now and never an issue.
Both the 360 and the GT have one permanently attached when parked in garage.

My optimate was around 10 years old when it decided to go into meltdown, literally!
I know it defeats the object, but I now turn off any maintenance chargers when away for the weekend/holiday.

 

[Brendan]

I've had cheap and expensive ones. At the end of the day they don't last. These days there is such a choice. Another thing, don't leave them on permanently.

 

[Bebs]

My optimate was around 10 years old when it decided to go into meltdown, literally!
I know it defeats the object, but I now turn off any maintenance chargers when away for the weekend/holiday.

Ok. Never a problem with any of mine. I keep them on timers, 2 hours a day.

 

[stevenccox]

Thanks all for the recommendations all. Will have a look at the CTEKs and the NOCOs (which I believe a friend has too).

 

[Nibby]

I currently have a C-Tek which has been good, prior to that I had a cheap Lidl one which was good too. What killed the cheap Lidl one was it was lying on the garage floor hooked up to the Maserati battery and some rain blew in under the garage door and finished it off. So I always sit my C-Tek on a piece of wood to avoid it ever sitting on damp floor.

 

[hashluck]

CTeks for me charging. NoCo for starting should it ever be needed