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[Herald1360]

5 amps at 12 volts is 0.006kW according to this site  https://www.inchcalculator.com/amps-to-kilowatts-calculator/

David

I make it 60W or 0.06kW 

(So does the site linked to.....)

It's still not a lot either way.

Remember the C-Tek will only deliver up to 5A or so when bulk charging a flat battery, when the battery is up to scratch and being maintained on float, the current will only be a few 10s of mA, so a simple 5A rated cable will do. It might slow down a full charge somewhat but that's all.

You might want to consider something like two core lawnmower cable- cheap (nothing from a scrap mower), nice and visible and strong enough to take the tug of a suitable connector disconnect.

[Genem]

Slightly OT but being being fed up with having to undo the battery box ( between the seats in an ex MoD FFR) to access the battery for jump-starting other vehicles I've added an Anderson connector to the front of the battery box. Minor vandalism to the battery box - a bulge on the bottom of the box to lead the two cables out and a 1/4 in bolt to secure the connector, 4m leads with crocodile clamps at one end and the other half of the Anderson kept coiled in the tool kit "in the back".  Its been used 3-4 times over the last few months for various tasks.

I had thought of running the cable out to the vehicle wing, where there are a couple of redundant radio wiring boxes but keeping the Anderson connector in the cab seems to work.

I'm going to do similar to the 90, where the battery is under a Volvo V70 seat that needs to come out to access the battery... but that's part of a mid-life rebuild, the 90s battery box is totally rotten, repaired with an old Forestry Commission "Don't light Fires" sign...

[oilstain]

^^^ some very good ideas to think about
I was reading about wireless charging electric buses in London, it seems when parked over a pad at a bus stop the battery is charged!
It would be great if you could have a pad under the driveway surface in your parling position and it maintained the charge in the car battery, no cables to hook up. Somthing like a Ctex pad would be a great idea, but perhaps not in my lifetime


but perhaps the Anderson plug (edit) caravan mains inlet socket mounted on the tow bar and a Ctex fixed in the car might be more within my skill level...

[Worf]

^^^ some very good ideas to think about
I was reading about wireless charging electric buses in London, it seems when parked over a pad at a bus stop the battery is charged!
It would be great if you could have a pad under the driveway surface in your parling position and it maintained the charge in the car battery, no cables to hook up. Somthing like a Ctex pad would be a great idea, but perhaps not in my lifetime


but perhaps the Anderson plug (edit) caravan mains inlet socket mounted on the tow bar and a Ctex fixed in the car might be more within my skill level...

The wireless stuff I listed apparently needs to be 2cm max from the charging point, so not of much use on a Land Rover. You could mount the "land based" one on a flexible arm that you "attach" (by a magnet?) to a small pad (Receiver) on the back of the vehicle. You then just drive away without having to unplug. Im surprised that nobody has already built one.

Edit: This would be a start, you would appear to need a 24v outside supply. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000606489892.html
Any "techies" who could build one (Or just buy a starter pack !)

[rosinante]

Could the dash sockets be used for low current charging , visible when in the vehicle so harder to forget ?
Chris

[oilstain]

Could the dash sockets be used for low current charging , visible when in the vehicle so harder to forget ?
Chris

^I would think so
but a questions I was thinking about-
If the Ctex was kept permanently connected to the land rover and only the mains cable unplugged, when the Land Rover was running would any damage be done to the Ctex or alternator or other Land Rover wiring or components

[rosinante]

Fit blocking diodes in charger leads , ?.
Chris

[gilbo]

^I would think so
but a questions I was thinking about-
If the Ctex was kept permanently connected to the land rover and only the mains cable unplugged, when the Land Rover was running would any damage be done to the Ctex or alternator or other Land Rover wiring or components

Here is the reply I (eventually) got when I emailed them last October ....

HI

Yes, you can leave Ctek chargers connected to the battery while driving the vehicle. Just keep it safely apart from dangerous areas to not harm the battery nor the charger.

Med vänliga hälsningar/Best Regards,
Teresa

In the event I decided not to permanantly connect my CTEK as the 5A version is not really up to the job of a 110Ah battery (used for off grid stuff - not starting the engine). Instead I bought a proper campervan/caravan 'intelligent' charger with much greater Ah capacity which is designed to be permanantly connected and installed that.

HTH

[Herald1360]

That makes sense for any half decent charger since the instructions say to connect the charger to the battery before turning it (the charger) on in order to avoid any possibility of sparks causing a battery (hydrogen) explosion.