Facelift CTEK Chargers

[HulkRS3]

I'm looking into getting myself CTEK Charger for the car. I run a dashcam which has parking mode but as it gets to the colder months and with the constant draw on the battery from the camera, start stop doesn't work and the camera shuts down after being parked for a few hours.

I'm worried though as the car is kept outside, how can I ensure the safety of the wires with it being outside overnight, ie; are they weatherproof? Also which would you guys recommend?

I do about 300 mile a month if I'm lucky so it's fairly low mileage and needs to be kept on the trickler.

Cheers

 

[Svenedin]

I have an MXS 3.8 which is excellent. A point to note is that most of the consumer CTEK chargers don’t have a particularly high output. This makes them very safe for the battery but they are slow if the battery is completely flat. The unit is IP65 rated which means it can withstand “water directed from a nozzle” (according to the IP65 rating). You could have the actual unit out in the open if you wanted but I usually tuck it in under the bonnet. Obviously you need any mains connections adequately protected (e.g a weatherproof extension reel or if the budget allows get an electrician to fit a weatherproof exterior socket). You’re right. Winter is tough on batteries. Lots of electrical demand: lights, heater, wipers etc.

 

[jrumball]

I have used CTEK chargers for years can highly recommend them. They will save the last program that was selected so are plug and forget. There are IP rated extensions available for the battery leads 2.5m and you can get a hard wired connection for the battery that you can leave connected means you can pretty much close the bonnet without popping of the crocodile clips =) . There are also 10 and 20amp versions. They also have a recondition program that has saved batteries that I thought were dead. =)

 

[msdmjb]

^^ as above I would recommend CTEK, probably have >10 (from xs0.8 thru to msx5.0, as said a msx3.8 is is ideal) as I have a load of irregularly used engines of various types/sizes.
Keep the unit under the bonnet and don't worry about the cables being outside, should be fine. Use the hard wired connectors or plug into the cigarette socket.
CTEK also do a specific model for really cold temperatures.

 

[AudiNutta]

I’ve considered a charger for the RS, but the battery is in the boot and I don’t want to be in and out of the boot to plug it in every time I park up.

Does anybody have any idea if it would be possible to route a cable into the fuel filler flap to plug in to?

 

[DJAlix]

I’ve considered a charger for the RS, but the battery is in the boot and I don’t want to be in and out of the boot to plug it in every time I park up.

Does anybody have any idea if it would be possible to route a cable into the fuel filler flap to plug in to?

connect to the jump points in the engine bay

 

[45bvtc]

I’ve considered a charger for the RS, but the battery is in the boot and I don’t want to be in and out of the boot to plug it in every time I park up.

Does anybody have any idea if it would be possible to route a cable into the fuel filler flap to plug in to?

Please don't do that, Matthew; you've both the +TVE and -TVE connections available in the engine bay, just couple the CTEK connection permanently and connect the CTEK as and when:



Exactly the same on our RS3, TT, and A1, and no worries.

 

[Peter123]

I have also been a user of the CTEK MXS 3.8 for many years. It is worth its weight in gold. I used it through four winters with it being connected to my BMW X3 xDrive 30d M Sport for 2 months at a time. It was always outside with an extension cable and connected to the terminals under the bonnet.

 

[AudiNutta]

Please don't do that, Matthew; you've both the +TVE and -TVE connections available in the engine bay, just couple the CTEK connection permanently and connect the CTEK as and when:

View attachment 168901 View attachment 168902

Exactly the same on our RS3, TT, and A1, and no worries.

Ah right thanks for the idea, I’m just trying to think of the easiest way to access any connection. My car isn’t stored for long periods of time, 4 days when I’m in work but on my rest days regularly it is out and about unless the weather is bad which is when I try to keep it tucked up clean.

 

[Svenedin]

Unexpectedly my MXS 3.8 is in use right now. Audi did some work on my car and kindly flattened the battery for me! I got 5 miles from the garage. Stopped for 10 minutes and the car wouldn’t start. Had to call Audi Assist. Ridiculous!! Great charger although I might upgrade at some point as a model with a higher output would be useful sometimes. Having said that, the 3.8 will easily give enough charge overnight and the more powerful models are expensive.

 

[HulkRS3]

Awaiting delivery of my MXS 5.0. Quick question, anything I need to watch out for when disconnecting my battery terminals so I can hard wire the accessory leads for a simple plug and play each time I use it?

ie, anything that will reset or is it all stored in the ecu these days?

 

[Svenedin]

Awaiting delivery of my MXS 5.0. Quick question, anything I need to watch out for when disconnecting my battery terminals so I can hard wire the accessory leads for a simple plug and play each time I use it?

ie, anything that will reset or is it all stored in the ecu these days?

I found that the nuts securing the battery terminals are captive (they don’t come off all the way) so I attached the eyelets with another nut. That way you don’t have to disconnect the battery either. The eyelets can be bent carefully for a tidy installation. If you do disconnect the battery I believe it has a fit when reconnected but after a short drive all is well again. That’s just what I’ve read anyway.