Trickle Charging
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 973
Likes: 0
From: Chico California
Trickle Charging
I have several Battery Tenders for my motorcycles and was thinking about using one this winter on my Vette. A friend mentioned charging the battery through the cigarette lighter. I recall seeing such things in magazines. I could wire a plug onto the charger to go into the cigarette lighter but not so sure I like the idea of an electrical current "finding" it's way to my battery. I like a direct connection best.
Any opinions on the cigarette lighter hook-up?
Any opinions on the cigarette lighter hook-up?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,470
Likes: 2
From: levittown pa. usa Even a bad day with my `Vette, is better than a good day at work
St. Jude Donor '10
I don`t know if I would trust a cigarette lighter hookup, but I can say that I use a battery tender on both the `87, & the harley when Im not driving them, & so far I`ve had zero battery problems since I started using them 
PS they are both hooked up directly to the batteries, with the hookups that came with the tenders
PS they are both hooked up directly to the batteries, with the hookups that came with the tenders
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
There is nothing wrong with charging your battery with a low current charger through the cigarette lighter socket. One, it is fused and a direct connection is not. Two, if you disconnect the charger, any spark that occurs is not near the battery and cannot set off the hydrogen and oxygen gas that comes off a battery during charging. Disconnecting a direct connection could cause an explosion. BTW, if you decide to make a direct connection, connect the negative wire AWAY from the battery and connect it last when starting and disconnect it first when finishing charging! Also, disconnect the 120 v power to the charger before connecting or disconnecting. Do not charge through your cigarette lighter socket if your charger is capable of delivering more than 5 amps or you will blow out the fuse that supplies power to the cigarette lighter socket.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 973
Likes: 0
From: Chico California
Originally Posted by PAINTER MAN
I also ride a BMW motorcycle. The Battery Tender is made to connect to an ***. outlet similar to a cigarette lighter. Works great on the bike and makes it eazy to do.
