Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Tue 27 Apr 2010 18:06
Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed - gord115

I've taken my wife's car off the road for a few months and taken off the battery.

What I want to know is if i connect a 12 volt 500ma transformer to the battery will it keep it topped up ok? or will I need a proper trickle charger?

I will be checking it every week with a volt meter

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 27 Apr 2010 19:16
Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed - Peter D

The transformer will output AC not DC. Either use a battery keeper or just charge the battery for 10 to 15 minutes once a week. Your transformer and a bridge rectifier would do this but charge for a couple of hours each time. Regards Peter

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 28 Apr 2010 10:21
Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed - Fernando P

A CTEK Multi XS 3600 charger ( or equivalent) is highly recommended as it can charge the battery very effectively whilst it is connected to the electrics in the car and can be left on continually.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 28 Apr 2010 17:05
Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed - gord115

The transformer is definately DC. I was thinking of using it on a timer for say an hour per day...

Edited by gord115 on 28/04/2010 at 17:06

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 28 Apr 2010 17:21
Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed - Peter D

A transformer is an AC device. Do you mean you have a plug in power adaptor with DC output. If that is the case then you would need an output of 13.75 to 14 volts to charge the battery. Tell me what you have. Regards Peter

Edited by Peter D on 28/04/2010 at 17:29

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 28 Apr 2010 20:30
Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed - gord115

Yeah, it must be a power adapter, my mistake.

It says output 12v DC 500ma. I also have one 16v DC 800ma, could this be used?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 28 Apr 2010 21:46
Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed - Peter D

Is that 12v regulated or unregulated. and 16 volts regulated or unregulated. Regards Peter

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 29 Apr 2010 17:41
Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed - gord115

Doesn't say- so I assume unregulated

Edited by gord115 on 29/04/2010 at 17:42

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 29 Apr 2010 20:01
Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed - Peter D

Do you have a volt meter. Regards Peter

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 May 2010 09:12
Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed - gord115

I've borrowed a battery charger and set it on "low"

I've also set it on a timer to come on for a short while every day.

I'm going to keep checking it with a volt meter.

What voltage do I want? around 12.5 perhaps?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 May 2010 10:44
Suzuki Ignis I - Battery trickle charging-advice needed - Peter D

13.75 to 14 volts on charge. 12.6 to 12.8 volts 1 hour after being charged. Regards Peter

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide