I’m not particularly literate in this area.
I want to attach a car charger to the battery in the boot of the GR Yaris using a CYTEK or NOCO - do I just crocodile clip direct to the battery and switch on? Using the jump points in the engine bay is a faff?
I’m looking for really simple instructions....
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A Ctek MXS 5.0 will do the job either attach with crocodiles….but better to attach to battery terminals using the loops for better security and easier to plug in and take out…
Just turn on and it will charge and condition….
But always put a cloth on steering wheel to remind yourself your plugged in before just driving off attached…
Thanks - what’s the advantage of the o ring connectors, this is where I get a little nervous on attaching myself....Originally Posted by TKH
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Check the car handbook. Most have specific instructions over how to connect a charger.
I did and I was baffled - seem to use the jump connectors in engine bay which isn’t convenient as I reverse into garage so access is a pain.
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You’ll get a better more reliable connection using the eyelets , crocodiles can pop off the terminals the eyelets are attached by removing the terminal nut then securing to post clamp really easy to do then your charger just plugs in via a 2 pin connector….
If battery is in boot that is where to connect not on jump posts under bonnet. (Imho please check with mfr)..
If your socket is on backwall your in business
Last edited by TKH; 5th October 2021 at 09:09.
you can bypass the jump start points if you have easier access to the battery terminals . Most of mine are on trickle chargers ( two are all the time ) and i just clip them on and turn on and let them do their thing . A cytek fried a cosworth battery a few years ago so i stay away from them and use either the car coon guff or another brand
I use Accumate's they haven't got enough grunt to damage anything if they went wrong, they come with a Tamiya style plug as well as crocs so you can hard wire for convenience
Another vote for CTek here, I have the ring terminals attached to the 928’s battery under the boot floor as described above (though there is a hot post under the bonnet which the manual says one should use for jump-starting). Because the battery’s under the spare wheel, though, I had to use an extra extension which I just coil up out of the way in the boot when using the car.
TKH’s point about putting a cloth over the steering wheel is an excellent idea; I have (once!) driven off without unplugging and ripped the 2-pin connector off the charger. D’oh!
On my car I’ve been told that you have to use the specific jump points, if you attach directly to the battery then you risk damaging the electronics of the car, no idea how true that is. Somebody mentioned that attaching via the jump points charges via the built in battery conditioner/ maintainer?
If you want to attach directly to the battery then personally I’d take it out of the car and charge it out of the car.
My old Z4M was a connect to the charge points in the engine bay, one battery connector there & then a unpainted bolt for the second cable.
Cloth on steering wheel is a good call. I too made the mistake, you only do it the once though.
No you don't, I never learn!
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You can damage the battery if you directly connect to it. It wholly depends on manufacturer. I connect my CTEK via the two points in the engine bay and have never had an issue.
Modern car batteries and electronics are a bit more complex than just attaching a trickle charger to the +ve and -ve battery terminals, especially if the car has some sort of Intelligent Battery Sensor (e.g. BMW) attached to the battery terminals, has a Stop/Start facility, or uses an AGM or EFB battery.
You really do need to get the manufacturer's take on where best to connect the charger. I've also found that CTek's technical support are excellent (as are their chargers - I have three!), and usually respond to emailed technical queries within a day.
Rather than a towel on the steering wheel, I have a printed sheet of A4 which says "Remember to unplug the trickle charger" which is placed on the driver's seat whenever the charger is connected to the car. I also hard wire a comfort connector to the battery in each car, which makes attaching/removing the CTek very quick and easy.
I don't understand how a small charger connected correctly can damage a battery or any associated electronics, especially as they all sense the battery and it's condition prior to charging, and most alternators are kicking out 70+ amps at 3000 rpm. there is far more chance of the battery damaging the charger.
CTEK and Accumate both have cigarette lighter (12v) attachments which will work if yours is permanently live when the car is locked. Then simply close the door gently over the lead.
Not sure about new toyotas, but all of the older ones I’ve owned do not have a live feed to the lighter socket when the ignition is off🤔
Never owned a car that did.
My dads old Mk2 escort had an always love cigar lighter but yes all modern cars I’ve owned either pull the power on it straight away or with my current car it keeps it live for around 10 minutes then pulls the power.
I have the Ctek MX5.0 which I chose because it was safe to use on the ride-on mower all the way up to the wife's DB 1390 tractor. I used the supplied comfort leads to hardwire her quad and charge the RRS using an adaptor for the towing electrics and have not had any issues. As above, if you have any doubts about where to connect it, contact Ctek; better safe than sorry. I have a small bright orange laminated card which sits on the gear selector when on charge.
CTEK for me too on my Caterham. Used since 2007. I use the crocodile clips straight onto the battery terminals.
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Remind me where I suggested that the charger (especially if "correctly connected") could damage the battery or the electronics? You appear to be responding to somebody else's post.
What you also don't appear to understand is that on many newer cars, battery charging is managed by an intelligent sub-system, which takes into account the age, state and usage profile of the battery and adjusts the charging rate accordingly. This is why many cars require a new battery to be "coded" to the car - it tells the charging sub-system that it should charge the battery at the correct rate for a new one, and not for one which has degraded with age. Connecting a trickle charger - incorrectly - in such a car can fool the sub-system and lead to incorrect charging rates, which will probably reduce the life expectancy of the battery and - in extreme circumstances - could result in damage to the battery or electronics of the car.
Strange how cars managed for decades w/o an intelligent sub-system to charge the battery.
True - but that was before they had to deal with the requirements of stop/start, keyless entry, always-live infotainment systems, etc. And also before the technology moved to AGM and EFB.
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