Battery Tender Hookup
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,572
Likes: 486
From: Loud, Raw and Dangerous 1968 327 4S in Southern California
Extra nut on battery clamp bolts for ring lugs which are hooked to a mating connector cable for the charger. Charger plugged into wall on passenger side.
Pro
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 560
Likes: 261
From: Fountain Hills (Phoenix) AZ
I have battery tenders on all my vintage cars. Done this for many years, even though I make every effort to drive them at least once per month.
So...... with all the hassle getting to the battery behind the seat on a C3, is there any way to keep a tender on the car from under the hood? Sure would make things easier, IMHO. Any hot leads under the hood that don't energize the ignition? How about the horn relay> Just a thought.
So...... with all the hassle getting to the battery behind the seat on a C3, is there any way to keep a tender on the car from under the hood? Sure would make things easier, IMHO. Any hot leads under the hood that don't energize the ignition? How about the horn relay> Just a thought.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 301
Likes: 87
A similar query came up a little while ago. At that time I said the first 15 years of its life with me, our 1978 was kept in a "lock-up" garage in the UK (a rented garage in a block), which had no power, light etc. As there was no opportunity to use a battery tender type charger, I bought a "Savety Switch" blade-type disconnect and disconnected the battery when the car was in the garage (and even if it was parked for a full day at a show for example).
When we moved here to France the car was finally able to come home, and is now in the basement here. That meant I was able to use a battery tender, which I did successfully for almost 20 years, although I still disconnected the battery. I connected it with the supplied "crocodile clips". I ran the cable through the open drivers window and the battery tender itself was on the floor beside the car. That worked fine for 19 years.
But last year a few power cuts and "spikes" here apparently killed the charger and, it took a year old battery with it!
When I fitted the replacement battery I decided to go back to the simple solution of just disconnecting the battery.
The reality is that I actually did not notice any difference in battery performance when using a charger or not. Back in thge Lock-up the car would start fine after a month or so, just as it did here when the charger was being used. And the battery life seemed unaffected, all my batteries lasting about 9 years.
What I would say is that I always try and take the car out for a run at least once a month, even during the winter, assuming the roads are clear and dry and, I always do at least 50 miles or so each time, so the battery does get a bit of a boost. In the summer we use the car more, so I know it gets a nice charge of course.
When we moved here to France the car was finally able to come home, and is now in the basement here. That meant I was able to use a battery tender, which I did successfully for almost 20 years, although I still disconnected the battery. I connected it with the supplied "crocodile clips". I ran the cable through the open drivers window and the battery tender itself was on the floor beside the car. That worked fine for 19 years.
But last year a few power cuts and "spikes" here apparently killed the charger and, it took a year old battery with it!
When I fitted the replacement battery I decided to go back to the simple solution of just disconnecting the battery.
The reality is that I actually did not notice any difference in battery performance when using a charger or not. Back in thge Lock-up the car would start fine after a month or so, just as it did here when the charger was being used. And the battery life seemed unaffected, all my batteries lasting about 9 years.
What I would say is that I always try and take the car out for a run at least once a month, even during the winter, assuming the roads are clear and dry and, I always do at least 50 miles or so each time, so the battery does get a bit of a boost. In the summer we use the car more, so I know it gets a nice charge of course.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 312
Likes: 248
From: Sewickley PA
If you are worried about a tender shorting out:
All the more reason to plug the tender into a timer.
As stated earlier, they don't need to be activated 24 / 7.
30 mins a day is plenty for a stored car.
That leaves 23.5 hrs its less likely for something to go wrong.
I am starting to see a pattern here that I found interesting over the years about battery life.
Numerous posters repeatedly said that a battery last about five yrs.
Numerous posters repeatedly said they don't use a tender.
See the connection? Pun intended.
I take care of my batteries.
I don't do compression test without a charger on it.
I don't leave the doors open (dome light) all day long.
I do trickle charge 30 min a day.
I wonder if that's why my batteries go 12 yrs and then some?
(And that's in a cold garage)
All the more reason to plug the tender into a timer.
As stated earlier, they don't need to be activated 24 / 7.
30 mins a day is plenty for a stored car.
That leaves 23.5 hrs its less likely for something to go wrong.
I am starting to see a pattern here that I found interesting over the years about battery life.
Numerous posters repeatedly said that a battery last about five yrs.
Numerous posters repeatedly said they don't use a tender.
See the connection? Pun intended.
I take care of my batteries.
I don't do compression test without a charger on it.
I don't leave the doors open (dome light) all day long.
I do trickle charge 30 min a day.
I wonder if that's why my batteries go 12 yrs and then some?
(And that's in a cold garage)
