Trickle charging outside
#1
Trickle charging outside
Hi everyone.
I picked up my 2007 4.2 XK yesterday and as I'm only going to be driving it 2 or 3 times a week I want to hardwire a CTEK charger just to be safe. The problem is the car is parked outside on my driveway and I'm not sure how I would leave it to charge locked outside especially when it rains. I saw they have a 2.5m extension cable but that would barely or not even make it to the door and I'm guessing the main unit should be kept inside dry. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.
I picked up my 2007 4.2 XK yesterday and as I'm only going to be driving it 2 or 3 times a week I want to hardwire a CTEK charger just to be safe. The problem is the car is parked outside on my driveway and I'm not sure how I would leave it to charge locked outside especially when it rains. I saw they have a 2.5m extension cable but that would barely or not even make it to the door and I'm guessing the main unit should be kept inside dry. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.
#2
My F-Type lives outside, due to the ‘07 XK, and 78 MGB taking up the garage bays. I use a CTEK on the F-Type in all weather with no problems. I tuck the extension cord connection under the passenger door, and the unit under the rear wheel. Just have to remember to remove it when I unleash the beast!
#3
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VroomForTwo (02-12-2024)
#4
You can get extension cables, for example:
I’m sure you can find varying lengths. I have 3 extra 25’ SAE style cables that I can use to reach just about anywhere on the driveway if needed for my Deltran battery tenders, and you can get Ctek to SAE adapters for a few bucks (which I use with my XK, so I don’t have to swap out the old SAE to eyelets cable, with the new Ctek to eyelets cable).
I’m sure you can find varying lengths. I have 3 extra 25’ SAE style cables that I can use to reach just about anywhere on the driveway if needed for my Deltran battery tenders, and you can get Ctek to SAE adapters for a few bucks (which I use with my XK, so I don’t have to swap out the old SAE to eyelets cable, with the new Ctek to eyelets cable).
#5
Hi everyone.
I picked up my 2007 4.2 XK yesterday and as I'm only going to be driving it 2 or 3 times a week I want to hardwire a CTEK charger just to be safe. The problem is the car is parked outside on my driveway and I'm not sure how I would leave it to charge locked outside especially when it rains. I saw they have a 2.5m extension cable but that would barely or not even make it to the door and I'm guessing the main unit should be kept inside dry. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.
I picked up my 2007 4.2 XK yesterday and as I'm only going to be driving it 2 or 3 times a week I want to hardwire a CTEK charger just to be safe. The problem is the car is parked outside on my driveway and I'm not sure how I would leave it to charge locked outside especially when it rains. I saw they have a 2.5m extension cable but that would barely or not even make it to the door and I'm guessing the main unit should be kept inside dry. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.
I recommend that you use a single, outdoor-rated extension cord that is long enough to reach from the wall to your CTEK. You don't have to hardwire your CTEK directly to the battery terminals. It's much easier to use the remote battery terminals in the boot. I attached my CTEK to those terminals using the alligator clips supplied with my CTEK. The wire fits under the boot when closed, and you can put your CTEK on top of the passenger side rear tire to keep it dry. I replaced my old maintainer with a CTEK when I replaced my battery with an AGM. See:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...s-ctek-229005/
Good luck!
Stuart
#6
We use a standard mains extension cable. The business end and the CTEK both live in the boot and, if you route the cable in the lower corner of the boot, you can easily lock the boot without damaging the cable. We use the remove +ve terminal in the boot provided by Jaguar so you don't have to remove any of the boot lining.
Richard
Richard
#7
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#8
So, just saying that running main power outside can sometimes trip house breakers in wet conditions. I’d rather run the low voltage maintainer wire outside, and keep the actual maintainer sheltered indoors. Plus, I’d really hate to catch a mains power cord in the snowblower!
#9
Last year I replaced the circuit breaker panel in the house (read that the original one was a fire hazard), and thought I’d be more safety conscious and use an AFGF (combined arc and ground fault) breaker for the outside outlets. Every time it rained, the Christmas lights would trip the breaker. Taped all the plug connections, but still tripped it when it rained. Finally replaced the AFGF breaker with a regular one, and put several standalone GF breakers on the Christmas light runs. Never tripped any of them on subsequent rainfalls.
So, just saying that running main power outside can sometimes trip house breakers in wet conditions. I’d rather run the low voltage maintainer wire outside, and keep the actual maintainer sheltered indoors. Plus, I’d really hate to catch a mains power cord in the snowblower!
So, just saying that running main power outside can sometimes trip house breakers in wet conditions. I’d rather run the low voltage maintainer wire outside, and keep the actual maintainer sheltered indoors. Plus, I’d really hate to catch a mains power cord in the snowblower!
Grab any AC cord, cut the ends off, and attach them inline with the 12V wires. AC cords are marked Hot and Neutral with ridges along the Neutral insulation. That'd be for the DC negative side. Of course, I'm not sure about Brit stuff.
#10
Hi everyone.
I picked up my 2007 4.2 XK yesterday and as I'm only going to be driving it 2 or 3 times a week I want to hardwire a CTEK charger just to be safe. The problem is the car is parked outside on my driveway and I'm not sure how I would leave it to charge locked outside especially when it rains. I saw they have a 2.5m extension cable but that would barely or not even make it to the door and I'm guessing the main unit should be kept inside dry. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.
I picked up my 2007 4.2 XK yesterday and as I'm only going to be driving it 2 or 3 times a week I want to hardwire a CTEK charger just to be safe. The problem is the car is parked outside on my driveway and I'm not sure how I would leave it to charge locked outside especially when it rains. I saw they have a 2.5m extension cable but that would barely or not even make it to the door and I'm guessing the main unit should be kept inside dry. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.
I do have the same config as yours when in the countryside.
And as we do have an electric car that require to be plugged if parked to maintain the battery, I let it plugged outside.
And in fact there's no risk at all as... the trunk seal allows for an extension cord to fo through with the car fully closed.
I have the Ctek plug on the trunk carpet walls and so I just plug the Ctek that stays in my trunk permanently, and plug it to the garden extension cord whenever I need to charge.
#11
I am in the UK and have had my XK for over 10 years.
I use it 2 to 3 times a week mostly for a 12 mile journey each time and then back again.
Its parked on my drive.
I never have had any power issues and I have just left it for 3 weeks as I was on holiday.
No issues when starting on my return. I have left it for 5 weeks before.
Battery is now around 4 years old
If I feel the battery needs a top up I do put a charger on it for a few hours but that is quite rare
if you need to give yourself peace of mind then put a new battery on for around £85
I use it 2 to 3 times a week mostly for a 12 mile journey each time and then back again.
Its parked on my drive.
I never have had any power issues and I have just left it for 3 weeks as I was on holiday.
No issues when starting on my return. I have left it for 5 weeks before.
Battery is now around 4 years old
If I feel the battery needs a top up I do put a charger on it for a few hours but that is quite rare
if you need to give yourself peace of mind then put a new battery on for around £85
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guy (02-07-2024)
#12
#13
I am in the UK and have had my XK for over 10 years.
I use it 2 to 3 times a week mostly for a 12 mile journey each time and then back again.
Its parked on my drive.
I never have had any power issues and I have just left it for 3 weeks as I was on holiday.
No issues when starting on my return. I have left it for 5 weeks before.
Battery is now around 4 years old
If I feel the battery needs a top up I do put a charger on it for a few hours but that is quite rare
if you need to give yourself peace of mind then put a new battery on for around £85
I use it 2 to 3 times a week mostly for a 12 mile journey each time and then back again.
Its parked on my drive.
I never have had any power issues and I have just left it for 3 weeks as I was on holiday.
No issues when starting on my return. I have left it for 5 weeks before.
Battery is now around 4 years old
If I feel the battery needs a top up I do put a charger on it for a few hours but that is quite rare
if you need to give yourself peace of mind then put a new battery on for around £85
I for example, just bought a new top quality battery... Yet the drain is still there with around 0,2V lost every day.. (from 12.85V fully charged plugged battery to 12,48V 2 days later).
Until I find a friend that's free to check each and every fuse in the car while checking the Amperage in the trunk at same time,I had to install a battery cutt-off switch.
And we are more than a few with that same trouble... Denying what we are living won't help us.
Now if you have a tip on where precisely we should check to find the drain, let us know.
#14
Play the BMW game and permanently mount the charger in the car. Install a mains receptacle behind the rear wheel well.
But I sit firmly in the camp with @Woo5ie . With a proper battery and car maintenance, there should be no issue with not using the maintainer.
But I sit firmly in the camp with @Woo5ie . With a proper battery and car maintenance, there should be no issue with not using the maintainer.
Haven't done it yet as it's time consuming for 2 people and requires to be parked inside...But once found, if ever, not even sure we would be able to solve the problem..
We are A LOT to have drains in ou XKs worldwide... that's obviously a construction defect from jaguar...There's no coincidence.
#16
There's dozens of subjects about battery drains here.
I for example, just bought a new top quality battery... Yet the drain is still there with around 0,2V lost every day.. (from 12.85V fully charged plugged battery to 12,48V 2 days later).
Until I find a friend that's free to check each and every fuse in the car while checking the Amperage in the trunk at same time,I had to install a battery cutt-off switch.
And we are more than a few with that same trouble... Denying what we are living won't help us.
Now if you have a tip on where precisely we should check to find the drain, let us know.
I for example, just bought a new top quality battery... Yet the drain is still there with around 0,2V lost every day.. (from 12.85V fully charged plugged battery to 12,48V 2 days later).
Until I find a friend that's free to check each and every fuse in the car while checking the Amperage in the trunk at same time,I had to install a battery cutt-off switch.
And we are more than a few with that same trouble... Denying what we are living won't help us.
Now if you have a tip on where precisely we should check to find the drain, let us know.
You need to take care not to overload the multimeter as you need a low current setting to get an accurate reading so set up a cable which bypasses the meter which you can then disconnect when you are sure the vehicle is starting its shut down procedure.
Richard
#17
Guy, there's one way to try to find the drain. It's checking the Amperage in the trunk while someone else unplugged each fuse one after the other in the 3 fuse boxes.
Haven't done it yet as it's time consuming for 2 people and requires to be parked inside...But once found, if ever, not even sure we would be able to solve the problem..
We are A LOT to have drains in ou XKs worldwide... that's obviously a construction defect from jaguar...There's no coincidence.
Haven't done it yet as it's time consuming for 2 people and requires to be parked inside...But once found, if ever, not even sure we would be able to solve the problem..
We are A LOT to have drains in ou XKs worldwide... that's obviously a construction defect from jaguar...There's no coincidence.
Cheers All.
#18
Welcome to the Forum, Adam! I see that you're in GB, and hope you enjoy your XK as much as I've enjoyed mine!
I recommend that you use a single, outdoor-rated extension cord that is long enough to reach from the wall to your CTEK. You don't have to hardwire your CTEK directly to the battery terminals. It's much easier to use the remote battery terminals in the boot. I attached my CTEK to those terminals using the alligator clips supplied with my CTEK. The wire fits under the boot when closed, and you can put your CTEK on top of the passenger side rear tire to keep it dry. I replaced my old maintainer with a CTEK when I replaced my battery with an AGM. See:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...s-ctek-229005/
Good luck!
Stuart
I recommend that you use a single, outdoor-rated extension cord that is long enough to reach from the wall to your CTEK. You don't have to hardwire your CTEK directly to the battery terminals. It's much easier to use the remote battery terminals in the boot. I attached my CTEK to those terminals using the alligator clips supplied with my CTEK. The wire fits under the boot when closed, and you can put your CTEK on top of the passenger side rear tire to keep it dry. I replaced my old maintainer with a CTEK when I replaced my battery with an AGM. See:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...s-ctek-229005/
Good luck!
Stuart
#19
I would only bother with a permanent charger connected if the car was not being used at all for at least a month unless it were being stored in a garage with mains power and leaving it connected was simply achieved.
Richard
#20
Depends on how long the drives are. If 5 mins then possibly yes but if 20 mins or more then probably not if your battery is OK.
As I previously said I don’t and I never had any issues .
The guys over the pond seem to have more battery related issues than the Uk but that could be my perception.
Their normal weekly usage may be different, different batteries, extremes of temp etc.
Battery issues on the UK forum aren’t mentioned nearly as much.
If the battery does get a bit low due to lack of use it doesn’t appear to give a complete non start .
You may get a couple of spurious faults on the dash which quickly disappear. It’s normally the starting point if this is the case.
The most common suggestion on here is check the battery . You will get used to it being mentioned.
check out the UK version of this Forum. Same address but leave the S off the end.
Enjoy the car as everybody seems to . They are great cars unlikely ever to be repeated
As I previously said I don’t and I never had any issues .
The guys over the pond seem to have more battery related issues than the Uk but that could be my perception.
Their normal weekly usage may be different, different batteries, extremes of temp etc.
Battery issues on the UK forum aren’t mentioned nearly as much.
If the battery does get a bit low due to lack of use it doesn’t appear to give a complete non start .
You may get a couple of spurious faults on the dash which quickly disappear. It’s normally the starting point if this is the case.
The most common suggestion on here is check the battery . You will get used to it being mentioned.
check out the UK version of this Forum. Same address but leave the S off the end.
Enjoy the car as everybody seems to . They are great cars unlikely ever to be repeated