[tulsalfa]

A friend gave me a BMW Advanced Battery Charging System. In looking it up, it seems that you plug one end into 120 volts and the other into your cigarette lighter. That sounds quite well and good (the charger looks identical to the same charger by Battery Tender), but we all know how temperamental our Alfas can be and I really do not want to go to the aggravation of having to trouble shoot my ECU if it gets fried again - or worse!

There is also a model of this same charger that hooks directly to the battery posts. Could I just cut off the cigarette lighter end and crimp on some alligator clips?

Does anyone have any thoughts - other than to try it and let everyone know???

Thanks for your responses,
Dean

 

[86spider]

should be able to. there is only wire and a fuse between the lighter socket and the battery. You may want to add a fuse if you trim the socket for clips.

I had a solar charger with a lighter plug. The lighter socket was dead when the ignition was off. I already had a lighter socket with alligator clips that I connected it to the battery with. worked fine.

 

[Elio Comello]

dEan, yes you can...just remember the polarity of the aligator clips. And Don't inadvertently short them when connected to the battery. there is a lot of energy in the battery.

TTFN, Elio BASc (EE) PE

 

[tulsalfa]

Thanks for the responses. In the wire going into the cigarette lighter insert are two wires. One is plain and one has ridges. Which would be + and which would be the - ?

Thanks again,
Dean

 

[86spider]

one side has ridges

You will have to measure. The cordage is lamp cord. The ridged side of the cord is the "identified" conductor which would be the neutral conductor (not the hot conductor).

As far as I know it has no meaning in DC electrics.

the wire to the center tip should be +

 

[Spider77rebuild]

Yes the wire in the center should be +