Trickle Chargers and Condo Boards

Go the other way and work out or find out the consumption of the charger (way less than a lightbulb) and if they have to be so petty offer them (in pennies) the couple of bucks a month it costs !

I stand corrected one guy here reckoned 2 c per month http://www.triumphrat.net/hinckley-classic-triples/96828-cost-of-running-trickle-charger.html

 

Our Condo Board didn't bat an eye. They quoted the cost to install the electrical plumbing and an upper estimate of $30 a year for juice. They've installed a meter to measure the usage and will adjust the cost accordingly. But as Jimmie stated, it will be on the order of pennies per month.

 

You can leave a 488 sitting for at least 1-2 months and still be fine. Just remember to start the car up, rev the engine a bit to charge the battery and drive around for 15-30 minutes to allow for the battery to charge again. Make sure you don't have anything plugged in to drain the battery.

Trickle charger is for when the car sits for 4-6 months at a time.

 

Heck I would just offer them something around $24 a year for using it and send them the ~ figures and see what they say. I would think $2.00 a month is fair.

 

Nonsense ! (imo )

If you have followed the many threads here, you would have read quite the opposite Boobernackle, sorry !

Lot's of unexpected faults occur with cars that have been off the charger for more than one week.

 

My 488 cannot last longer than 5-6 days without being plugged into the charger. there were a lot of faults when i had the car jumped by Ferrari roadside service after being away for ten days. the driver told me that it should always be plugged in if the car will not be used for at least 48 hours to be safe.

 

Then there's something fundamentally wrong with your car. I have left my 488 sitting for weeks without being on the trickle charger without issue, same thing with my Cali T and others.

Yes, it is a Ferrari, but it still relies on the same technology to start the car as a Honda...

 

Every time I return home from a drive, I connect the trickle charger. Became a habit like brushing my teeth. Never had a problem.

In HK I have the same issue with the incorporated owners management board, unwillingness to install a socket and meter...and my cars are dead after sitting 2 months in summer, replace my batteries basically once a year. Guess the immense humidity we have here adds to it, too.

I tried solar panels which plug into the 12v socket of the car, but they didn't do the job either. Maybe not enough light.

Try to get your own socket and meter installed and use the trickle charger all the time - I think that's best!

 

I know few Ferrari's no Merc's, Jag's that can be left for weeks untended and not expect the electronics gremlins to get ugly. I hear a few owners that say it's fine, FAR more that have issues that were quickly resolved by getting a new battery then maintaining it. You bought your ticket, you take your chances

 

I’m in the same position , no outlet , high rise. What I do is cover the car without locking it because the alarm system will drain your battery after 2 weeks. Trust me I’ve learned the hard way. My car is driven every 7-10 days with no problems. I’ve not had an issue for the last 2 years doing it this way. Best , Kirk.

 

The 488 seems to be more sensitive to non-use than previous models. Not sure if the upgraded anti-theft system (which seems to monitor every aspect of the car) has something to do with this.

I live in a condo as well and we don't have any plugs. I've gotten in the habit of starting the car at least every 3 days and letting it run for 10 minutes. Usually I'm able to take it for a morning coffee run down the street every other day or so. But, I'd play it safe and start the engine at least once a week and let it run.

You'll get weird notice lights coming on if your battery charge drops even a little bit (like check engine, etc.) that will freak you out. Most of the time if you let the engine run and then restart the car those lights disappear.

Bigger issue is to let your detailer know to turn off all lights while car is being cleaned. That tends to drain battery pretty quick.

Cheers!

 

A $200 solution?

An obvious solution seems to be a battery powered portable AC power bank. e.g.: https://www.amazon.com/Generator-Portable-39600mAh-Rechargeable-Inverter/dp/B071LHL43X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1506530143&sr=8-3&keywords=portable+120v+power+supply

You can plug in your OEM charger into the 120v AC outlet. This solution works well for the 458 whose connector is inside the car; and therefore both the power units are placed inside the car. The 488 may require some creative origami in order to conceal the power bank and the charger inside the engine bay. It may still be a more practical solution than overcoming bureaucracy and/or physical limitation of wiring an AC outlet in a public garage. Even if you can get an AC outlet wired in the garage, your charger will still have to secured in order to prevent theft. Since the charger uses little power, the power bank itself will last for quite a while before needed charging. My experience with my fully charged 458 battery (1 year old) shows that 10 days (temperature < 45F) or 15 days (temperature >45F and <90F) is the longest you can start without issues. The 458's parasitic power drain is the highest of the 50+ cars my family has ever owned. This is not unique to modern Ferrari's but it is worse than many other exotic brands.

I also wish Ctek would make a li-ion portable charger specifically for this application.

 

Tell them it's a hybrid. They will probably bend over backwards to get outlets installed if they think they're being "green."

 

Has anyone ever used a power bank before for a trickle charger? Do you think it would last for weeks?

 

Are there powerbanks of 12 volt ? You mean an extra (big) car battery ?

 

I was referencing a previous posters suggestion of... I didn't think it was feasible to use something like for a trickle charger

https://www.amazon.com/Generator-Portable-39600mAh-Rechargeable-Inverter/dp/B071LHL43X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1506530143&sr=8-3&keywords=portable+120v+power+supply


I currently own this jump box. But it can only charge the car for 7 minutes https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MU1CPOE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Why not an extre car battery (portable) ... only if nessesary .... or as precaution if nothing els is available ...

 

Love it!

Regards

Michael

 

Read.

 

Can anyone else chime in and say if this will be a good solution or not? Looks like it could be a better solution than buying an extra car battery to swap in once your original battery dies

 

That's not what was mentionned imo ...

We thought about an extra battery, connected to your 12 volt carbattery during storage, like a trickle charger.