Trickle charging: top tips

[Johnson]

My Emira will likely be garaged at long stints between drives, so may require battery trickle charging.

• Are there particular types of chargers required (so as not to damage the car)?
• How do you connect the charger, then close the boot (I assume you have to do this to set the alarm)?
• If in a closed boot, does the charger generate heat?

Other tips are appreciated.

 

[digilotus]

Simce, as many of you, when it will arrive my Emire won’t be my daily I’m down for a charger as well and, up to now, I’ve pointed the CTEK MXS 5.0 TEST&CHARGE; I’m new to this would you say I’m making the right choice or there is a better model (I’d stay with CTEK as, as a brand, it gives me a certain level of trust)? Are you sure Emira doesn’t have a lithium battery?

I've got the exact same CTEK MXS 5 charger already and its brilliant for my existing cars. The Emira does not have a Lithium battery so no need for a Lithium-compatible charger.

I'm going to get another CTEK for my Emira and permanently attach the fly lead adapter to the battery with the little connector plug accessible in the boot for ease of connection/disconnection.

 

[TomE]

The Emira has a standard battery not a lithium one, so you’ll be fine with a CTEK MXS 5.0 or similar. I’ve used one on my cars for a decade with no issues.

 

[Andrea]

Thank you very much for helping with tyour answers a newbie like myself!

 

[Snakes]

Can you use the 12v socket in the cabin (back of glovebox?) with the CTEK cigarette connector?

 

[Jimblob]

Can you use the 12v socket in the cabin (back of glovebox?) with the CTEK cigarette connector?

No you can’t as the socket isn’t permanently live.

 

[DaaS]

It's a AGM battery, as opposed to flooded lead acid (cheap kind) or lithium. Some trickle chargers have a specific setting/logic for them. I'm also a CTEK user.

 

[DaaS]

My Emira will likely be garaged at long stints between drives, so may require battery trickle charging.

• Are there particular types of chargers required (so as not to damage the car)?
• How do you connect the charger, then close the boot (I assume you have to do this to set the alarm)?
• If in a closed boot, does the charger generate heat?

Other tips are appreciated.

Yes, connect it and close the boot/truck. The cable will bend and that's fine. I do stick a thin microfiber towel in between the cable and the body panel to prevent any scratches.

Only the cable stays in the boot. The charger does generate a small amount of heat, but it stays outside of the boot.

 

[Pugwash]

Can you use the 12v socket in the cabin (back of glovebox?) with the CTEK cigarette connector?

for info, all the sockets on the car are usb. There is no “cigarette lighter” socket.

Turns out this is not true! Please ignore!

 

[KJD]

for info, all the sockets on the car are usb. There is no “cigarette lighter” socket.

Oops. Afraid there is. Behind the armrest.

If for nothing else, thats how you power the emergency tyre inflator.

 

[Pugwash]

Interesting. I asked the Lotus team at Bicester Heritage that exact question 2 weeks ago as I want to plug in my Garmin Zumo and they told me not. My Evora did have one exactly where you describe.
Just checked the handbook and on page 133 it confirms exactly what you said. Apologies!

 

[KJD]

Interesting. I asked the Lotus team at Bicester Heritage that exact question 2 weeks ago as I want to plug in my Garmin Zumo and they told me not. My Evora did have one exactly where you describe.
Just checked the handbook and on page 133 it confirms exactly what you said. Apologies!

That’ll teach you to listen to salesmen!

Much better informed on here.