Folks ~ I have an auto battery maintenance charger that will charge/maintain all 12V SLA (Wet, MF, GEL and VRLA), 12V AGM (Flooded and EFB), LiON (12V LiFePO4) batteries;

Once battery cover is fitted to the S Type it restricts easy terminal access, My preferred charging would be via the underbonnet/hood accessory socket.

Is there any good reason why this would not be sensible? Advice gratefully accepted.

 

Looks like a perfectly good solution, the only obvious comment is to ensure that the charger cannot supply more than the current that these terminals can carry, fit an inline fuse between the socket and the battery just for safety, and I would chuck in a diode just to ensure incorrect polarity connection is avoided (just in case someone else thinks they can jump start the car from there)

 

Thanks ~ as I will be the only one touching the car & the plug pins are different diameter I intend butchering the clamp lead & installing a permanent plug (I have spares. Charger is only 4 amp max.) Charger auto senses reverse polarity.

 

It looks good and largely period correct. I think the in-line fuse idea is a good one.

JR

 

The socket is standard on S Type & 420. ~ agree in-line fuse is an excellent idea.

 

Glyn I have seen (in England) folks using this socket to brew their tea on the side of the road. I have no Idea how much one of those tea pots pull but it must be significant or at least as a cigar lighter.

 

Yes ~ Those 12V immersion heaters draw a fair bit. For those that are interested the socket fitted to the S Type LHS wing was wrinkle black as above & the socket fitted to the 420 was fitted to the scuttle and wrinkle primrose yellow as below.

 

I like the yellow better. Mine is black.

 

Glyn, 4mm banana plugs are usually rated at around 30A , 3mm plugs are 20A and 2mm banana plugs are rated at 10A so size your cables and fuse according to the smallest plug, hopefully that gives you some idea

 

Jose I think that is one that has its coating removed (brass). On a 420G I have only seen a white coating.

 

George the one in my '65 S type is black. It has a strange paint finish, like paint mixed with particles, I know I have seen that finish elsewhere but can't remember where. It's almost like a truck bed or undercoating paint.

 

The standard Lucas finish is the wrinkle as I have shown. Both black & yellow (that yellow one is NOS but aged ~ never fitted ~ certainly not brass). The yellow deteriorates to a light cream with engine compartment exposure. The primrose yellow is correct for some models like 420 below (that started as primrose yellow & has faded). They were also fitted by AC Cars to the Cobra, Ace etc. in black & other makes. Rover had their own but similar.










This is the finish under the paint.

 

Not sure how many decades that part was made. Certainly the black crinkle version is the most seen but I do have a couple stamped from brass. Thanks for the yellow to cream. Will search for some period factory pics.

 

Yes ~ I am talking S Type/420 era. Lucas could well have made brass bodied sockets in the 50's. Never seen one. Here is a friend's S Type with the paint removed from the socket.