Technical CTEK Charger Earth/Negative Point Location

[Len02]

Hi all,

Could someone point me at the earth point they’re using to connect the negative connector for a CTEK charger?

My 14 reg Fiat 500 has Start-Stop, so I want to be sure of where people have been connecting.

Pictures would be ideal if you have any.

Thanks!

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

Hi all,

Could someone point me at the earth point they’re using to connect the negative connector for a CTEK charger?

My 14 reg Fiat 500 has Start-Stop, so I want to be sure of where people have been connecting.

Pictures would be ideal if you have any.

Thanks!

I bought the extension lead so I could mount the charger on the wall and run a lead over the top and not have it underfoot. The receiving socket is secured under the battery strap and attached to the battery positive with the negative bolted to a convenient threaded hole in the engine bay - worked well since 2021.

 

[Len02]

I bought the extension lead so I could mount the charger on the wall and run a lead over the top and not have it underfoot. The receiving socket is held under the battery strap and attached to the battery positive with the negative bolted to a convenient threaded hole in the engine bay - worked well sice 2021.
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Thank you very much! I was going to use the alligator clips, but may end up threading in a bolt and connecting to that in the same way you have here.

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

I think that hole is threaded to M6 but I just tried several small bolts till one fitted.

 

[Len02]

I think that hole is threaded to M6 but I just tried several small bolts till one fitted.

Ha thank you, I was just about to ask if you knew the size bolt required

Do you happen to know of a sensible location for the alligator clip rather than the permanent eyelet method? Thinking of a temp solution until I get the required bolt.

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

Ha thank you, I was just about to ask if you knew the size bolt required

Do you happen to know of a sensible location for the alligator clip rather than the permanent eyelet method? Thinking of a temp solution until I get the required bolt.

To be honest I never considered using the alligators and didn't experiment - any solid bare-metal site within reach of the cable should suffice I imagine. Being in the UK you probably would do well to check your earth strap is good too.

 

[Len02]

To be honest I never considered using the alligators and didn't experiment - any solid bare-metal site within reach of the cable should suffice I imagine. Being in the UK you probably would do well to check your earth strap is good too.

No problem, I’ll find somewhere sensible and report back.

Yeah, in my search for the earth location I’ve seen quite a few reports of the earth strap becoming a problem, might as well deal with that ahead of time.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

No problem, I’ll find somewhere sensible and report back.

Yeah, in my search for the earth location I’ve seen quite a few reports of the earth strap becoming a problem, might as well deal with that ahead of time.

Thanks for your help!

Pleasure. On reflection that galv bolt probably came from the construction of my steel shed and is actually a self-tapping type. Doesn't matter, it's secure and permanent.

Merry Christmas.

 

[A3jeroen]

Mine has the SAE connection with the eyelets on the + and - of the battery just like my motorbike and boat. No start stop though.

gr J

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I've just used the Crocodile clamps as I use the charger on any of "the family fleet" which may require it. Positive charger lead connected directly to the battery and negative charger lead to any good earth in the engine bay. This is most often a convenient metal part of the engine or gearbox or, on the VAGs, the dedicated bright metal bolt they provide for earthing purposes. Just as long as you don't connect it directly to the negative post of the battery it'll be fine - which is to say, it's worked fine connecting this way on multiple different makes of vehicle which I've tried it with so far.

Edit. I have three "smart" chargers, A Lidl/Aldi "cheapie", the CTEC (which is actually "Hors de combat" now after many years of use) and it's replacement, a Ring RSC906, all three of which I've used connected in this way without any problems.

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

My CTEK is dedicated to the FIAT and was purchased during the pandemic as the car was spending weeks unused in the garage (we used my wife's Mazda for any brief trips to the shops) and I was concerned about the battery and the Stop/Start. Nowadays the car is often idle for several days at a time so I keep it on charge.

I initially bought a NOCO brand charger but it turned out to be faulty from new and when I requested return and refund the customer service person insisted that it wasn't working because it 'must' be connected directly to both terminals of the battery! There was no way I was going to consider even briefly attaching what I knew to be a faulty unit directly to the Twinnie's battery so a stand-off of sorts ensued until I found an instruction on their own website saying the negative lead should be attached to an earth point away from the battery... To cover myself I also attached it directly to our gate battery to test their assertion and, naturally, it didn't work there either! A refund was duly forthcoming.