Cigar Lighter Car Battery Chargers
 

Seen these in halfords, they plug into the cigar socket, and then charge your car battery. Once the battery is at peak level, it then keeps it 'topped up'.

Ideal if your not using the car everyday.

Do you think these would be OK to use, or would it bugger up the ECU's / Tracker / Anything else?

**Danger.....Contravention of laws of thermodynamics imminent** LOL. :D

Its not April 1st is it? ;)
Myself id stick to the standard way and pop the bonnet, connect leads and trickle charge, no hazzards involved then but plugging into the car lighter socket from the mains sounds a bit dodgy to me!

Tony:D

Here's the link

http://www.halfords.com/opd_product_...&type=0&cat=28

bttt

I guess the fag lighter area is going to get a little hot with this trick.
Don't think I'll be doing it on my car.

It must pluh into the mains :confused:

I'm interested in this - since the car gets left in the garage all week and the battery goes flat quickly :(

I reckon it may be OK for a short time (5 mins) - after all the cigar lighter will probably need 15A or so to make it work.

I may gave it a go.

i can't figure this out, you mean it uses the power from the battery to charge the battery?

Weird! Looks like you're supposed to connect one end to *your* fag lighter socket, and the other end to another car's fag lighter socket - maybe a way of jump starting?

I've got one of these, had it for a couple of years now, it's meant to replace jump leads. You plug one end into your cigarette lighter when your battery is flat and the other end into the cigarette lighter of the donor car. Its so you don't get grubby hands/risk of electrocuting yourself, it's not too bad but it came in a hell of a lot handier the other day when i had to tie the bootlid down cos of some carpet rolls in the car:D

Am I right to say the ignition has to be switched on to use the fag lighter?

(I can't remember - I drive too many cars :rolleyes: )

If it does, in order to allow the battery to charge - you have to leave the ignition on....unless you rewire the fag lighter to run with the ignition off.

Autofarm (Porsche specialist) do a charger for cars that are left standing alot. You hard wire a jack to the battery and then just plug it into the adapter while the car is left standing - the charger charges the battery as and when it needs it and you can leave it connected indefinatley - just like charging a big mobile phone:) think they are about £35. If you do a search on Google you will find their site - think you can order online.

I use an Optimate on my bike, they do them for cars too (Accumate)

http://www.accumate.co.uk/index2.htm

They do accessories including a fag lighter adapter, but certainly on my car (Import) the ignition needs to be on to power it.

These will work, Trouble is you have to leave the keys in the car because the cig lighter is only live when the key is turned to the firts click. I use this type of thing to run cars from when alternators have gone down just to get people home.IE:conect a batery to a lead and plug it in the cig lighter and the car will run. But never try to start the car through theese the wiring will burn up

Accumate charger
 

I took a good look at the accumate charger as a result of this thread.
I have a MY02STI Type UK which I don't drive all the time, and if it gets left for more than about 7 days it will not start, God bless Subaru Assist!

All I can say is problem solved, this is one excellent battery charger and maintainer. It initially saturates the battery, which takes a day or two first time you use it, but from then on, it floats at a maintenance voltage and trickle charges. As it says on the box, it can be left connected for months.

It comes with a lead which connects directly to the battery and a weatherproof socket for easy connection.

No sparks, Its voltage and current regulated to safe limits, so no risk of harming your car.

I'm starting to sound like a salesman! which I'm not btw.

There arn't many available as good as this one, at least I didn't find one after afew hours of surfing. The link earlier in this thread points you to the place I bought mine from, don't waste your money in Halfords, I don't think they sell anything nearly as good as this.