I'd like to hear of any experiences with charging the battery via the cigar lighter socket using a Ctek smart charger which is connected to the mains. The battery obviously remains in the car. The charger goes thru a cycle of decreasing charge rates depending on the state of the battery, it even reconditions it! Anyone used such a charger - all comments will be useful!
Your 12v "lighter" receptacles are disconnected when the car is off, therefore the charger won't work. If you made a more direct connection, a good charger might be useful for long storage periods.
Did it on a Porsche for years with perfect success. The Ctec is a not charger but a maintainer which means the battery must be pretty well charged to start with. The Ctec can be connected for months at a time. Only works of the lighter socket is live when the car is off. I also had a set of clips that plugged into the Ctec that clipped to a "normal" battery. BTW, you posted in the Prius v section, the Station Wagon or CUV of the Prius line. There are clusters of forums for each submodel of Prius here and you may get an answer specific to your model if you post within that model's forums.
Thanks for the advice guys. Apologies if I've posted incorrectly, it's my first time here. I suppose I can connect the Ctek's crocodile clips direct to the battery and charge it that way? I've only recently bought the car and it is brilliant! Just a bit worried about the battery deteriorating in the winter months from very cold spells/ short runs/non use etc.
As fitted to the summer-only sports car, CTEK makes a quick-connect plug that can be hard-wired to the battery via ring connectors. They also make a quick-connect with LED battery condition indicator. On the Prius, the ring connectors could be wired to the 12V battery with the quick-connector left exposed in the cargo compartment or beneath the rear seat for easy access and use.
As a precaution, having only had the car for a couple of weeks and with winter here, I have got rid of the old 12volt battery. It's been replaced with a new Bosch that has a 4 yr guarantee. I have also attached the CTEK eylets direct to the terminals and left the connector (which is capped off) poking up from the compartment ready for the charger just in case it's needed. Another precaution, I am getting more paranoid in my old age!!
