Charge F-Type battery

[Jaguandy]

When my mum used to leave her little car for weeks at a time, we rigged up a solar charger panel propped up behind the windscreen. Seemed to work OK.

 

[Anonymous]

1) a regular battery charger produces voltage and current at a specific level whereas a CTEK (aka "battery maintainer" not trickle charger) goes through a series of stages to check and then charge the battery in a hopefully optimum way. When it deems the charge is complete it monitors the battery and tops it up when it thinks it's necessary. I charge mine on my drive with a 10m extension out of my kitchen window - the mains lead fits until the boot lid without (so far, after 7 years!) any noticeable issue. The extension socket and the charger all sit in the boot. I generally plug it in in the evening and found that an overnght charge has always resulted in a fully charged battery.

A CTEK won't supply any volts if it isn't attached to a battery whereas a regular charger should.

2) Not sure if the early F-Types are AGM but they definitely are at MY18.

Thanks, ...in (1) above is that you describing your own use of a battery maintainer, or just a regular charger ?

 

[Anonymous]

When my mum used to leave her little car for weeks at a time, we rigged up a solar charger panel propped up behind the windscreen. Seemed to work OK.

Plugged in where ?

 

[Jaguandy]

On her car the fag lighter stayed live so in there. The Jag one isolates when locked so simplest way would be a wire out to either the battery or the posts under the bonnet.

 

[scm]

1) a regular battery charger produces voltage and current at a specific level whereas a CTEK (aka "battery maintainer" not trickle charger) goes through a series of stages to check and then charge the battery in a hopefully optimum way. When it deems the charge is complete it monitors the battery and tops it up when it thinks it's necessary. I charge mine on my drive with a 10m extension out of my kitchen window - the mains lead fits until the boot lid without (so far, after 7 years!) any noticeable issue. The extension socket and the charger all sit in the boot. I generally plug it in in the evening and found that an overnght charge has always resulted in a fully charged battery.

A CTEK won't supply any volts if it isn't attached to a battery whereas a regular charger should.

2) Not sure if the early F-Types are AGM but they definitely are at MY18.

Thanks, ...in (1) above is that you describing your own use of a battery maintainer, or just a regular charger ?

I use a CTEK MXS 5.0.

 

[Snoopy]

Hi..
Sorry for hijacking and old post, but have just seen some fairly recent comments on it.

Is there any issue with ventilation when charging the battery in the boot?
Always seemed off to me that it's placed there. Under the bonnet gave all the ventilation that may be required.
I've had a battery on a regular charger in my kitchen before and it eventually set off a carbon monoxide detector.

Am looking to top up my Sport 400 Coupe while hunting down a battery just in case. It's turning over slower all of a sudden.
It's my daily drive for roughly 30 mins each way 5 days a week, but it's started to struggle.

Car is on a driveway in the elements, so can't leave anything open, but also really don't want the hassle of removing the battery to then have to re-fit at 5am. Neighbours hate me enough already lol..

 

[scm]

I charge mine on my driveway in the elements and have never had any issues. Usually overnight. I use a 10A extension cable and put the charger and socket of the extension in the boot, and close the lid on the mains cable (avoiding the latch of course). No problems in 6 years.

 

[Snoopy]

Many Thanks scm..
Just looking for the extension.

 

[MikeM]

Charge mine with a CTEK in the driveway with boot closed and locked. No issues at all.

 

[RPSN]

Charge mine with a CTEK in the driveway with boot closed and locked. No issues at all.

If your pic (first one below) was taken when charging your F-Type battery the CTEK charger is on the incorrect setting. Only the car symbol is illuminated whereas the car and AGM symbols should both be illuminated.

Once per year I also use the ‘Recond’ setting where the car, AGM and Recond symbols are all illuminated as per the CTEK MXS 5.0 instructions which include....“Recond your battery once per year and after deep discharge to maximise lifetime and capacity.”

The attached pics (second and third below) were taken purely to show the correct settings for charging my F-Type battery and the CTEK charger wasn’t connected to the car at the time.

 

[MikeM]

Well spotted