Any recommendations for a high quality trickle charger for a car?

[spidermike007]

I travel a lot and I have a late model Mazda which has a lot of internal electronics and computer systems which seem to draw a lot of battery power. So I'm looking for a trickle charger that I can use when I'm away for a week or longer. Any recommendations for one that's high quality? I don't mind spending a little extra for a good one. 

[JBChiangRai]

This is the gold standard

 

CTEK Intelligent Battery Charger XS 0.8 | Lazada.co.th

 

CTEK also do more powerful versions, i,e. there's a 2.8 amp version available but for trickle charging the 0.8 amp is all you need.

[Ralf001]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I travel a lot and I have a late model Mazda which has a lot of internal electronics and computer systems which seem to draw a lot of battery power. So I'm looking for a trickle charger that I can use when I'm away for a week or longer. Any recommendations for one that's high quality? I don't mind spending a little extra for a good one. 

 

If the car cannot stand for a week without draining the battery then there is an issue with the car.

[Jeff the Chef]

I'd get the battery checked first, sounds like a dodgy cell.

Then check the vehicles electrical system with a volt meter after 24/48hrs, if there is still a voltage drop you have a problem.

[JAS21]

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

This is the gold standard

 

CTEK Intelligent Battery Charger XS 0.8 | Lazada.co.th

 

CTEK also do more powerful versions, i,e. there's a 2.8 amp version available but for trickle charging the 0.8 amp is all you need.

Absolutely ...  We have the MXS 5.0 ...five or six years old now and still going strong. Bought direct from CTEK but as above you could probably save a little by buying from Lazada.  You might find the XS 0.8 too small as it meant for motorbike batteries, and it will take a long time, if at all, to charge a car battery.  

 

AS mentioned above your battery should not drop any voltage in a week. If you have a decent multimeter you could check the parasitic draw. If you don't know how ...google.

[vinny41]

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

This is the gold standard

 

CTEK Intelligent Battery Charger XS 0.8 | Lazada.co.th

 

CTEK also do more powerful versions, i,e. there's a 2.8 amp version available but for trickle charging the 0.8 amp is all you need.

I used the ctek MXS 5.0 i have the extension cables so the battery is permanently wired and I just use the extension cables to extend the cable by 2.0 metres

In the UK I used this one AA Car Battery Solar Charger which was brilliant as it had the option to be powered via the cigarette lighter socket ( not always on ) or the OBD2 socket which is always on

I looked everywhere but couldn't find similar AA Car Battery Solar Charger

I would sometimes leave my car parked for up to 100 days and normally the security alarm system would drain the battery over a long period of time 3 weeks or more

 

[DaRoadrunner]

A lot depends on how old your battery is. Their lifespan is shorter if the car is not used regularly. Heat does not help either. If you get 2-3 years out of a Thai battery that is about par for the course. No charger will help when the battery is past it as it will not hold the charge long.