Fed up with a flat battery after leaving the car for a few weeks...

We all know the feeling. The weather is good and we want to enjoy our TVR after a couple of weeks of cold, damp and wet weather. We get in the car and the starter doesn't turn over. The battery has gone flat or low enough to provide the hefty crank current that is needed to turn the engine over. In bad cases the battery mau even be badly discharged and even damaged as a result.

The acknowledged cure to this is to fit a trickle charger to the car so that the battery's condition can be maintained. This is not the same as connecting a battery charger as overcharging can damage a battery as well. What is needed is a conditioner that can maintain the battery and where needed, gently charge the battery to maintain its condition.

We recommend the OptiMate for this function. It can either be clipped onto the battery, or using the supplied connector wired directly to the battery terminals. With Griffiths and Chimaeras. the cigarette lighter can be used with a suitable plug as a very convenient alternative. It can provide upto 2.5 amps charging current to maintain the battery and can be left connected without worry. It monitors the battery voltage and load and prevent the battery from suffering by charging the battery when its voltage drops sufficiently. It provides visual indication of the battery's health and current operation. It can cope with many types of batteries including GEL types used on many competion and race cars. £40-95 + VAT.