My Noco Booster is what I use to start the R8 if the battery goes flat. The supplied crocodile clips are fine in normal circumstances, but not when it’s pouring with rain and the frunk is crammed with luggage that has to be pulled out before you can even reach the battery. After going through that once on a trip, I decided there had to be a better option.
I already use a CTEK charger as well as the Noco booster. The trouble is there’s no off-the-shelf lead that allows the CTEK to plug into the Noco system. To get around this, I bought the Noco GBC007. It comes with heavy-duty cables and a proper Noco plug that connects straight into the booster.
The CTEK plug and the Noco socket are similar, but just different enough to be awkward.
Apart from being upside-down to each other, the CTEK uses two raised lugs for polarity, whereas the Noco has a pentagon-shaped recess.
A bit of old school problem solving sorted it. An old screwdriver heated over a flame easily reshaped the pentagon into a simple round opening, with a small amount of extra clearance for the CTEK lugs. The CTEK plug then snaps in securely with the correct polarity.
Behind the seats is the bench panel that houses the engine fuseboard, which is fed by a substantial 12V supply cable. That makes it a handy place to pick up a constant live feed without digging into the frunk.
I wired the GBC007 straight to the main 12V post, with the ground taken to the metal bracket beside it.
The GBC007 cable is long enough to run neatly behind the cover, with plenty of spare length left so it can be pulled forward easily when needed.
Once the adapter is connected, I can plug the CTEK charger in from inside the cabin, without touching the frunk or the battery.
And when the battery does go flat, the heavy-duty Noco plug simply connects to the booster, making it possible to start the car without any drama.
Most people would just open the frunk and clip onto the battery, but after being stranded on a trip with the frunk stuffed full of luggage, I wanted something more practical. This setup is accessible in seconds, works from inside the cabin, and avoids emptying half the car in the rain.