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CTEK battery charger Q & A !

F

Fuchs

Baku
Joined
22 Dec 2004
Messages
4,998
i bought a XS 3600 and have so far sucessfully changed over the Brit plug to a Swiss plug :)
, but when i have come to attach the eyelet connectors onto the battery i have come accross a problem - a. thre eyelet holes are too small for my batery terminal bolts (no problem i can cut off the too smal ones and reatach some bigger holed ones) b. the desturction booklet starts talking about positivly earthed cars and negatively eartherd cars.

my questions are thus -

Can i just attach the eyelet connectors directly onto the pos and neg battery terminal or do i need to faff about and start connecting one of them to the battery and one elsewhere?

Is my 993 pos earthed or neg earthed ?

I`ll probably be using the CTEK on my Golf and possibly Mrs Fuchs Merc , so are they pos earthed or neg earthed?

TIA








Migration info. Legacy thread was 94640
 
The 911-993 is negative earth - most modern cars are - usually the big chunky copper braided one with no insulation is the earth!

Don't attach the charger if you don't know what you are doing - batteries are DANGEROUS - get a service man to show you how to do it!

You can cause a short circuit and explode the battery or fry your electrics if you get things wrong.

SEE HERE! THIS IS FOR YOUR EYESIGHT!

Battery info link

http://www.whscc.nb.ca/docs/HA-Battery_e.pdf

==================================================

Get professional advice if you are unsure!

==================================================

From the Automobile Association web site

AA ADVICE LINK

http://www.aatrust.com/index.asp?pageid=85&advice=carbattery

BATTERY SAFETY

A car battery is a very dangerous box of tricks. Most things can hurt you if you do something wrong, but a battery has got more ways of damaging people than you might expect.
Don't go near them unless you know what you are doing and take proper precautions.

Batteries can:

* Explode.
Charging a battery releases hydrogen – this gas is explosive and the slightest spark can cause the battery to explode, given the right mixture of gas and air. Ventilate well.

* Burn.
Metal jewellery, watchstraps, rings, hand tools or wires can get red hot instantly if batteries short-circuit. Be very careful around the terminals, and disconnect the earthed (negative) lead first. Note security codes before disconnecting.

* Corrode.
The sulphuric acid will severely injure eyes or any skin it contacts with. Never tip or drain a battery; take great care to avoid contact with the acid.

* Poison.
Both the acid and the lead are toxic and a battery must be treated as hazardous waste. Dispose only at an approved battery disposal site.

* Injure in lifting.
They are heavy and often awkwardly positioned and difficult to grip. Take great care lifting and putting down – dropping one is a serious hazard.

* Damage the vehicle.
Make sure the battery and the leads are never fitted the wrong way round. Secure the battery properly, without over-tightening the clamps.

If you ever need to jump-start a car, follow the instructions precisely – these will normally be printed on the jump lead bag.

CONCLUSIONS

* Look after your battery, it’s important.
* Buy a good one.

Get a lead-calcium/lead-antimony "hybrid" type, with a long guarantee period, and make sure the capacity and cold-start current are right for your car.
* Check its age when you are purchasing – we (AA) are calling for all car batteries to be marked with the date of manufacture, and preferably a "sell-by" date.

* Take care near batteries.

Migration info. Legacy thread was 94664
 
the ctek chargers have 2 sizes of the round terminals, take a look at the vertar website and you'll see them both listed

Migration info. Legacy thread was 94681
 
hmm they supply the larger eyelet holes with the charger (8.4) and as mark says do another size (6.4).........guess i can just cut off the too smal ones and crimp on some bigger size ones ?

So has anyone fitted the eyelet leads onto the battery ? as my car is neg earthered (thanks Stevo) i can just connect the red wire to this pos term and the blakc wire to the neg terminal ? or do i need to connect the red to pos terminal and then connect blk to the chassis ?

Answers as always on a postcard please..........

maybe Phil (Mr Vertar) will chip in at any moment ?????????


Migration info. Legacy thread was 94748
 
As they say in the battery trade READ THE MANUAL!

A PDF file copy of the CTEK manual is here...

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Documents/CTEK_xs3600.pdf

BY the way,, "-" is negative and "+" is positive.

I would seriously suggest that you get a local garage to connect the cables for you and show you how to avoid short circuits.

This will cost a few euros and save you the cost of a damaged car or worse.

Just my genuine concern for you !!

Migration info. Legacy thread was 94766
 
thanks Stevo for your concern :wink:

however its becasue i´ve read the manual that im confused - i understand the instructions about charging the battery using the clip on leads, but it doesnt mention what to do with the eyelet leads that they supply for bolting directly onto the battery, therefore thats why im asking and hoping that someone else who has the same unit and used the eyelet leads will advise

RobertB - you won 2 of the damn things, surely you used at least one of them ??


Migration info. Legacy thread was 94839
 
You can bolt them directly to the battery terminals using the clamp bolts that hold the original + and - cables to the battery posts - but of course the eyelet attachments provided are too small to fit - so the only option is to go to an electrical or motor accessory shop and buy the replacements that fit the clamp bolts. Its a simple matter to cut off the too small ones and attach the larger ones with a pair of pliers to squeeze the new ones tight onto the charger cables. You can then leave this stub cable permanently attached to the car ready to connect to the charger.

Personally I didn't bother - the crocodile clamps provided are fine and you can still shut the bonnet by running the charger lead out of the lower corner of the bonnet where the bonnet meets the front of the car.

Migration info. Legacy thread was 94847
 
I bought two CTEK chargers - the smaller 3600 model and the next size up the 7000. The eyelet lead with the latter fits the bolts on the 993 battery just fine. I find this 'stub cable' easier than using the croc clips. I use the 3600 model on the Beemer and the eyelet lead that came with it happens to fit it's battery as supplied. Usaing the stub cable on the Beemer is essential as the battery is hidden beneath a plastic cover that is fiddly to remove. So far i'm very happy with both CTEK models and I no longer worry about flat batteries.

cheers to all

Migration info. Legacy thread was 94888
 
Thanks for the replies, but just as a side question (im trying to learn something here), why is it ok to attach the eyelets directly onto the battery, but the instructions say that when you use the crocodile clips only one goes onto the batt and one must be attached to the chassis ? why the difference ?


Migration info. Legacy thread was 94971
 
Just so I'm absolutely clear about this - do I understand from what's been said above that the standard eyelets that ship with the CTEK 3600 (the 8.4mm ones) won't fit a 993 battery at all? Mine currently has a Bosch Silver fitted.

(I'm sure it's not that hard to replace them with bigger ones if need be, but it's a hassle I could do without before I'm able to charge my currently flat-as-a-pancake battery.)

Is it possible to leave the crocodile clips connected to charge it AND close the boot lid? Not sure whether the cable will be too thick to stop it closing. I ordered a 3600 today from Vertar - it has been despatched so should arrive tomorrow - but was just wondering whether I could get an answer on here before it actually arrives!


Migration info. Legacy thread was 95804
 
I think there are two sizes - 6.4mm and 8.4mm. When I purchased my 3600 it came with the samller size eyelet stub cable with rubber covered plug. Per the Vertar website, this model comes with the larger size 8.4mm lead - which i think will fit a 993 battery. So it will depend which yours comes with - sorry I cannot be more helpful. If it turns out not to, then it is easy to correct as Stevo says.

good luck!

Migration info. Legacy thread was 95842
 
You can easily close the lid because the cable is very small - just route it through the bottom corner of the bonnet and the rubber seals are soft enough to not even deform on a permanent basis.

The biggest problem is forgetting you have it attached and driving away.... :)

SAFETY NOTE
There is a negative effect here - shutting the bonnet reduces ventilation - this could build up the gas discharge as the battery is charged to cause a fire or explosion hazard....

Migration info. Legacy thread was 95866
 
Previous poster said:
Quote: Originally posted by Fuchs on 29 November 2006

Thanks for the replies, but just as a side question (im trying to learn something here), why is it ok to attach the eyelets directly onto the battery, but the instructions say that when you use the crocodile clips only one goes onto the batt and one must be attached to the chassis ? why the difference ?
Click to expand...
Can any of you lecy types answer my question above? :?

Migration info. Legacy thread was 95881
 
One CROCODILE CLIP to each battery post. IF THE BATTERY IS OFF THE VEHICLE.
+ cable to + post (positive), - cable to - post (negative earth)
-------------------------------
The "chassis" is another way of saying (negative) earth BUT IF THE BATTERY IS ON THE VEHICLE IT IS SAFER TO CONNECT THE NEGATIVE EARTH TERMINAL CROCODILE CLIP AWAY FROM THE BATTERY SO THAT A SPARK DOES NOT IGNITE THE BATTERY GAS and CAUSE AN EXPLOSION.

---------------------------------------------------------

IF YOU HAVE PERMANENTLY ATTACHED THE STUB CABLE WITH EYELETS TO THE BATTERY CABLE BOLTS on THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE POSTS, THERE IS INSULATION ON THE CONNECTOR and THE CONNECTION IS MADE AWAY FROM THE BATTERY WITH A REDUCED CHANCE OF A SPARK.

Migration info. Legacy thread was 95909
 
Thanks Stevo - i thought that maybe by going through the chassis, somehow it protected any delicate electronics etc?

Migration info. Legacy thread was 95919
 
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