Post by: oilstain on January 17, 2022, 03:27:23 PM
But 2 parked outside on the drive I have a mains cable from a 16 amp blue outside socket, the cable run on the outside floor from the socket under the rear of the Land Rover then up into the engine compartment where the Ctex is pluged in to the cable and battery. All works well but it is a pain when I want to go out and come back to undo and redo all this :shakeinghead
I was thinking of fixing a blue input plug perhaps near the tow ball and fixing the cable to the land rover and leave the cable and ctex fixed conected to the battery so when I go out I just unplug the cable at the towball and drive off and plug it in on my return avoiding laying on the wet drive trying to thread the mains cabe up inside the engine compartment to the ctex then conecting to the battery.
From a electrical point of view is this a safe idea ???
Post by: diffwhine on January 17, 2022, 03:38:35 PM
This is what we do with blue light vehicles. Not a cheap option but stops people getting fried.
https://ludomcgurk.com/product-category/the-ludo-plug/ (https://ludomcgurk.com/product-category/the-ludo-plug/)
Post by: oilstain on January 17, 2022, 03:45:22 PM
What's to stop you forgetting about it and driving off?Yes a good point and I did have this fear after almost did it in the past, when the 2 are parked up and "pluged in" I fit a DiskLoc on the steering wheel with a big label on to say "mains cable connected" perhaps not perfect but worked so far
Post by: Craig T on January 17, 2022, 03:49:33 PM
I keep my P38 Range Rover on an Accumate charger as the P38's are well know to consume power all the time and after a week of sitting still the battery is at the point where it struggles to turn the engine over. As you say, when you need the vehicle I have to unplug it all, open the bonnet, take the charger out then open the garage to put the mains cable back indoors out the rain.
I can see what you mean I think. Keep the charger and mains power inside the garage and have a 2 pin plug through the wall that connects straight into the vehicle via a small external plug.
I don't see any reason for it not to work but yes, maybe make a remove "before flight tag" to attach to the steering wheel when you plug it in and remember to put it on the wheel when you return home and connect up again.
Craig.
Post by: oilstain on January 17, 2022, 03:59:10 PM
How long a 12v lead will a cetex charger work with, thinking about voltage drop?
I see this
auction: #165163538534 but I need more than 2.5 m
Post by: Wittsend on January 17, 2022, 04:11:42 PM
(http://www.series2club.co.uk/gallery/technical/images/battery_charger_CTEK%203-6.jpg)
My CTEK charger sits on a bracket next to the battery.
I have a standard extension lead from the garage which goes into the engine bay.
In the winter I also have a fan heater running inside the cab to stop condensation and general dampness.
Very difficult to forget and drive off.
I just undo the extension lead and push the socket end back through the cat flap in the garage side door.
I have/had 2 Landys outside each with there own extension lead.
Electrically safe ??? the leads run off a RCCB socket in the garage.
:shocking
Post by: 34058 on January 17, 2022, 06:29:29 PM
I have a similar setup on my BMW motorcycle but that uses an auxiliary DIN socket as the connection between charger and bike.
Flex connector https://www.toolstation.com/flex-connector-10a-2-core/p94584?store=E5&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=_dc&pcrid=558702669986&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=CjwKCAiAxJSPBhAoEiwAeO_fP67Lfwldln6LAcky-RSnjNf9f1pjtJHGg-PKgpWnHrl6V7DEIZ8XTBoCGGcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds (https://www.toolstation.com/flex-connector-10a-2-core/p94584?store=E5&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=_dc&pcrid=558702669986&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=CjwKCAiAxJSPBhAoEiwAeO_fP67Lfwldln6LAcky-RSnjNf9f1pjtJHGg-PKgpWnHrl6V7DEIZ8XTBoCGGcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
DIN connector https://www.carbuilder.com/us/12v-din-plug-and-socket-black
David.
Post by: GlenAnderson on January 17, 2022, 06:58:05 PM
Post by: oilstain on January 19, 2022, 02:15:58 PM
Post by: Alan Drover on January 19, 2022, 02:40:15 PM
Post by: Worf on January 19, 2022, 02:48:31 PM
I wonder if you could build your own "mini" induction pad so you can trickle charge the battery wirelessly?
Convert a toothbrush charger or something?
This ??? https://www.nutsvolts.com/magazine/article/august2013_Bates
EDIT, This could work, maybe mounted on something you park next to? https://www.dfrobot.com/product-2087.html
Post by: oilstain on January 19, 2022, 06:01:45 PM
I used a C Tek cordless charger when I was unable to drive my Land Rover after my hip replacement surgery.What is a Ctex cordless charger ???
Post by: Alan Drover on January 19, 2022, 07:36:12 PM
Go to Tayna Batteries site. They sell them. They're not cheap but there's no mains lead or worries about wet mains electrics. I have to remember that it's there that's all.
Post by: 34058 on January 19, 2022, 08:01:10 PM
Thanks for all the advice above, I still like the idea of the charger and all mains items in the house/garage and a 12v lead to the Land Rovers but as my Land Rover are up to 14m from the house and the plugs/sockets. I still wonder about voltage drop, but I'm not sure if this is a proplem or I just think it is :stars
According to this site https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Charts/VoltageDrop.html (https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Charts/VoltageDrop.html)
and using the following values: 14 meters, 12 volts, and 5 amps, you will only need 1.5mm wire, and only get a 1.8% voltage drop. I don't know if the wire is 1.5mm cross sectional area or 1.5mm diameter, but whichever it is it is not going to be very heavy duty wire. An orange caravan power lead will be more than adequate.
5 amps at 12 volts is 0.006kW according to this site https://www.inchcalculator.com/amps-to-kilowatts-calculator/ (https://www.inchcalculator.com/amps-to-kilowatts-calculator/)
David
Post by: autorover1 on January 20, 2022, 11:00:01 AM
Post by: Herald1360 on January 21, 2022, 11:13:38 PM
5 amps at 12 volts is 0.006kW according to this site https://www.inchcalculator.com/amps-to-kilowatts-calculator/ (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.
Post by: Genem on January 22, 2022, 12:46:13 AM
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...
Post by: oilstain on January 26, 2022, 02:34:54 PM
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 :bright-idea
but perhaps the
Post by: Worf on January 26, 2022, 03:01:25 PM
^^^ some very good ideas to think about :tiphat
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 :bright-idea
but perhaps theAnderson 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 !)
Post by: rosinante on January 27, 2022, 08:07:03 AM
Chris
Post by: oilstain on January 27, 2022, 08:45:41 AM
Could the dash sockets be used for low current charging , visible when in the vehicle so harder to forget ?^I would think so
Chris
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 ???
Post by: rosinante on January 27, 2022, 09:03:21 AM
Chris
Post by: gilbo on January 27, 2022, 09:24:46 AM
^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
Post by: Herald1360 on January 27, 2022, 04:17:42 PM