interesting, so you don't have a port for charging your phone or anything?

still curious if anyone else just plugs it through the center console, if there's something from a technical perspective that requires it through the trunk power port then i guess i'll be needing to back in to park.

 

I have a USB port under the carpeted panel behind the seats if I need to charge an Android phone. I have a Lightning cable for the iPod/iPhone interface that will charge one of those devices. But no 12V port in the cabin.

There's no technical reason you couldn't plug the battery tender into the cabin 12V port.

 

I am not sure, but I remember hearing that the port in the trunk can handle a higher voltage?

 

Thought I heard something like that as well, but can't understand what applications would require a higher voltage. To me, a battery tender doesn't seem like it'd qualify?

 

Both ports are 12 volts; the cabin port is on a 10 amp fuse, the trunk port is on a 15 amp fuse.

The Aston Martin battery tender puts out a maximum of 0.8 amps, far below the limit of either circuit. Looks like the common ctek models put out no more than 3.8 amps, which is also perfectly fine.

 

Perfect! this is exactly what I was looking for. In general I find it a better solution to go through the door window so you don't have to worry about warping any seals (especially considering our boots already are notorious for leaking).

 

When I use the CTEK 3300 with their cigarette lighter adapter, plugged in the rear adapter, I see 115 degree temps on the CTEK. Is this normal?
CATTMAN

 

never could figure out why Aston didnt design the cars with an outside batt conditioner connect,under the rear licence plate or somewhere else,as these cars need to be plugged in ofter.would be better than dragging cable thru windows or squashing trunk seals etc.. imagine having to do that on an electric car, lol

 

115 degree temps? not sure what you mean?

 

You can always get a lamborghini murcielago, where you have to reach under the wheel well to get access to the outside battery condition connector

 

What I mean is that the CTEK unit is getting hot while charging the battery. I have a laser thermometer, and the CTEK is hitting 115 degrees in 85 degree ambient temp. Is that OK/ normal?
CATTMAN

 

ah I see...hmmm I've never shot my 4.3 with a thermometer but I do know it gets rather hot as well, although 115 is up there, does it burn to the touch?

 

Mine gets hot as well, seems to be normal.

 

Here is the answer I got from CTEK:

"A charger can get quite hot, around 50-60 C. [122-140 F]
It feels hot as a hot tea pot, so you wouldn’t like to keep it in your hand for very long.
This happens in the bulk-phase, step number 3 and is normal when the charger is working hard – and with a too big battery.
In the following step, the absorption-phase, the charger has already started to cool off.

Keep the charger in a well ventilated (normal room is good) place, not stuffed in somewhere, while charging, as there is no fan inside and the only way to cool off is via convection.

The heat is developed in certain circumstances and is depending on the receiver (battery) and the charger does not necessarily heat up while charging another battery.

IN YOUR PARTICULAR CASE: if your battery is bigger than 32Ah, change mode to “car” instead of motorbike. That will most probably stop the heat development."

Thoughts?
CATTMAN

 

Do you have it set the car setting? If so, based on what CTEK told you, 115 degrees sounds OK. In my experience with some other low-amperage chargers, for the first few days charging a somewhat discharged battery the charger will be fairly warm to the touch. After the battery is charged and the charger enters float mode then the charge is much cooler.

I have but don't use the Aston factory charger; I use a Deltek Battery Tender instead and it never even gets slightly warm.