Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
Hi again folks and as long as you use a multi stage charger, it doesn’t matter how small or large it is.
Long term, for the battery’s sake, a low current charger is much better than a high current charger, BUT, you need to be able to leave the charger connected for many hours at a time for a low current charger to be able to do it’s job properly and this is not always convenient so the use of a high current charge is often the only option.
High current charging won’t destroy the battery it’s just that low current charging is better absorbed by the battery.
As to the brand of charger, do a Google and see whats available, I personally think the Cteks are grossly over priced and there are heaps of good chargers on the market for a lot less, just make sure it’s a multi stage charger with at least 3 stages.
There are still a few single stage chargers on the market and these are to be avoided at all cost and if you have an older type single stage charger I would strongly advise against using it on any vehicle.
The over voltage problem is what occurs when you use a single stage charger and once the battery is fully charged, many single stage chargers just keep rising the voltage to the point where, if they are not disconnected manually, they cook the battery.
Simplifying this, but a multi stage charger usually charges at a higher current level until the battery gets to about 85% charged and then these charges start reducing the way they charge and eventually, once the battery charger determines the battery is either fully charged or very nearly fully charged, they go into the trickle charge mode which is a low voltage mode, that literally keeps the battery active without actually charging it.
This is why you can leave a multi stage charger connected all the time, without the need to disconnect the battery from the vehicle.2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
17th Jan 2010 7:56 pm
J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
drivesafe wrote:
As to the brand of charger, do a Google and see whats available, I personally think the Cteks are grossly over priced and there are heaps of good chargers on the market for a lot less, just make sure it’s a multi stage charger with at least 3 stages.
I agree, the optimate 4 is a three stage battery charger, conditioner and recovery system from a well established company (Accumate) and can be had for as little as £35 on ebay.
Used it on my evo (which I drover once a month and used a battery from a Micra) and my Disco which obviously has a massive battery and is driven once/ twice a week.
2014 D4 XS
2005 D3 SE - Gone
17th Jan 2010 8:11 pm
Halge
Member Since: 27 Jul 2008
Location: Horst
Posts: 16
I have a Accumate for my motorcycle. It brokedown once and last year it drained the battery because the powerplug was pulled out with the battery still connected. New battery (for the bike) costs about 75 euro.
While Googling I came across the CTEK XS 4003. More or less the same as the 3600 but it gives more information about the state of the battery. Besides a manual, I can't find any info on their website.
The XS 4003 will cost 66,00 Euros overhere.
17th Jan 2010 10:30 pm
cobblers
Member Since: 06 Dec 2008
Location: Chester
Posts: 175
I have an Optimate 3 which I use on my motorcycle during winter. If possible I'd like to give my D3 battery a boost, but I had thought that being a Gel battery that this device was not compatible. Reading this thread it seems there is a chance that it may be ok. Which specs on this would I need to check before hooking up to the D3?
Cheers
20th Jan 2010 9:47 am
drivesafe
Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
Hi cobblers, while you won’t harm your cranking battery, I don’t think the charger will take it as it’s designed to charge batteries of a maximum size of less than half that of your cranking battery.2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
20th Jan 2010 11:25 am
cobblers
Member Since: 06 Dec 2008
Location: Chester
Posts: 175
Many thanks drivesafe. Not the news I wanted , but pretty much what I had thought.
Cheers
20th Jan 2010 2:56 pm
Halge
Member Since: 27 Jul 2008
Location: Horst
Posts: 16
Bougth the XS 4003 and hooked it up. After 2 day's there is a green led telling that the battery is holding the charge. So it looks like this will spare me a new battery allready!
According to the manual I should connect the black wire not directly on the negative pole of the battery but to the chassis. Something simmular is mentioned in the D3 userguide about jumpstarting with an other car.
Does anyone has a good idea where to connect the negative/black wire to?
I now used the fender (under the bonnet), it works despite the painted surface, but it doen't feel right...
Thanx!
Jelle
22nd Jan 2010 10:39 pm
drivesafe
Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
Hi Halge, the reason for first connecting the positive at the battery and then the negative elsewhere is to lessen the chance of a spark igniting any hydrogen gas that may be in and around your battery.
If you are only going to use the battery charger every now, then you need to connect the negative to a paint free surface to get a good negative path to the battery.
A suggestion for you, if you are going use the battery charger on a regular basis, to simplify the connection, you can run a length of twin cable from the battery to somewhere near the front grill.
You fit a plug on the end of this twin cable and a socket on the battery charger’s lead and then you don’t even need to open the bonnet to hook up the battery charger.
If you opt for the permanent cable fitting, both the positive and negative connections can be made at the battery’s terminals.2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
22nd Jan 2010 11:45 pm
J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
As there is no termination point on the -Ve battery connection, I put a ring crimp on the battery tie down bar bolt and used that. I use Tamiya model connections for quick connection under the bonnet between the battery and charger lead.2014 D4 XS
2005 D3 SE - Gone
22nd Jan 2010 11:50 pm
drivesafe
Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
You can also use 30 amp Anderson PowerPoles.2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
23rd Jan 2010 12:23 am
Pinello
Member Since: 01 May 2019
Location: Italy
Posts: 39
Hello great forumists, I have a curiosity but I can not find explanations or maybe I am not good at looking for them, the question is: having to disconnect the battery for work on disoco 3 which involve the disassembly of the central fuse on the passenger side (cars with driving left), when I reassemble it, what could happen to the various electronic parts left without power for a long time?
Thank you
Pinello
19th Mar 2022 7:02 pm
aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2462
Nothing everything will fineAndrew
D3 2.7tdv6 2005
D4 3.0 SDV6 Commercial died and gone to LR heaven
D5 3.0 SDV6 HSE
19th Mar 2022 8:37 pm
drivesafe
Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
Pinello wrote:
what could happen to the various electronic parts left without power for a long time?
Thank you
Pinello
Hi Pinllo, you should be fine, just make sure you connect the Positive ( + ) terminal first, then the Negative ( - ) terminal.
Also note, some times, after having the cranking battery disconnected for while, when you reconnect the cranking battery, you may get some warning lights on the dash, or error messages.
Don’t worry, just start your motor and run it for a few minutes, then turn the motor off and lock your D3.
After you lock your D3 you will see that your Park Brake Light is still ON.
It will remain on for up to 3 minutes and this indicates the D3’s computers are still going through their SHUTDOWN routine.
When the Park Brake Light goes out, unlock your D3 and start the motor again.
All the warning lights should now be off and all is well.2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
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, but pretty much what I had thought.
