Battery Tender Connection
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,597
Likes: 1
From: Columbus, OH
Battery Tender Connection
this may be a dumb question, but is the C5 a positive or negative ground system?
I just bought a Battery Tender Junior and depending on the ground system, it says to hook one of the clamps to the chassis not the battery. Common sense says hook red clamp to positive battery terminal and black clamp to negative battery terminal.
how do you hook this thing up CORRECTLY?
I just bought a Battery Tender Junior and depending on the ground system, it says to hook one of the clamps to the chassis not the battery. Common sense says hook red clamp to positive battery terminal and black clamp to negative battery terminal.
how do you hook this thing up CORRECTLY?
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: The Sunshine State
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For my tender, I connect the red (positive) connection to the red terminal on the battery and then connect the black (negative) connection to any metal point on the engine frame. I then plug in the tender.
After the charge, I unplug he tender and then disconnect the battery connections.
After the charge, I unplug he tender and then disconnect the battery connections.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 573
Likes: 0
this may be a dumb question, but is the C5 a positive or negative ground system?
I just bought a Battery Tender Junior and depending on the ground system, it says to hook one of the clamps to the chassis not the battery. Common sense says hook red clamp to positive battery terminal and black clamp to negative battery terminal.
how do you hook this thing up CORRECTLY?
I just bought a Battery Tender Junior and depending on the ground system, it says to hook one of the clamps to the chassis not the battery. Common sense says hook red clamp to positive battery terminal and black clamp to negative battery terminal.
how do you hook this thing up CORRECTLY?
The c5 is a Negative ground system.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 625
Likes: 7
From: Fairfax, VA and Springfield, IL
St. Jude Donor '06
For my tender, I connect the red (positive) connection to the red terminal on the battery and then connect the black (negative) connection to any metal point on the engine frame. I then plug in the tender.
After the charge, I unplug he tender and then disconnect the battery connections.
After the charge, I unplug he tender and then disconnect the battery connections.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 35,743
Likes: 148
From: Northern NYs Adirondack Mountains,http://www.visitsacandaga.com.
I ALWAYS hook up direct to the battery with BOTH terminals. The more direct the better.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,993
Likes: 7
From: LaPine Oregon
Floating charge...........
Battery Tenders apply voltage as neccessary to maintain battery level. I alway disconnect the battery from the vehicles circuitry when charging so the charger is connected to each appropriate terminal.http://forums.corvetteforum.com/newr...1&p=1567940967
Racer
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 331
Likes: 0
From: Windham NH
It SHOULD be a negative. It's specified in the BTender directions... look for the wire running off the neg post to your chassis, which is your confirmation that it is, as it should be, a negative ground, as others have said already - meaning you clamp the positive the run the other to the chassis, at least according to the directions. I have had people with formal training tell me what one poster here has also said - you should simply connect the positive to the positive, and then the negative to the negative post. Personally? I'm leaning on the directions, because if you do your own thing, and something bad happens, I suspect you're giving up any possibility you MAY have had to seek redress from the manufacturer.
My 2 cents...
Dave
My 2 cents...
Dave
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Race Director
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From: Reno is so close to Hell you can see Sparks , State Of Confusion
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
I believe that most of the positive ground cars were in the 30's if I'm not mistaken.
I'm pretty sure that 12v became the norm in '56. At least I know that's true for Fords.
I'm pretty sure that 12v became the norm in '56. At least I know that's true for Fords.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: NW Arkansas
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
I believe there were a couple pre WWII cars with positive grounds. All modern day autos are negative.
My 31 (6 volt) stays attached to a Accumate hard wired to the terminals. The battery is under the passenger floorboard and a pain to access. I've got the leads are accessible in the trunk. Also, my 71 Olds has been hooked up to a Solar brand maintainer thru the terminals for the past 9 years, same Delco battery. of course neither have computers. I've always heard to hook up jumper or charger cables with the negative to a chassis ground and not directly to the battery
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: bolckow missouri
mine that i got from chip ( cca ) came with a cable to hook up to the battery and leave it there all the time and when you plug the tender in it just plugs to the cable , and ony goes in one way .
oak
oak
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: May 2006
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From: Fort St John B.C
A tender will bring a battery back up to full charge, but it could take a loooong time. They work on a real low charge/tend rate. Look at the thickness of the cables compaired to a full house charger.
I ALWAYS hook up direct to the battery with BOTH terminals. The more direct the better.
I ALWAYS hook up direct to the battery with BOTH terminals. The more direct the better.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: The Sunshine State
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A tender will bring a battery back up to full charge, but it could take a loooong time.** They work on a real low charge/tend rate.** Look at the thickness of the cables compaired to a full house charger.I ALWAYS hook up direct to the battery with BOTH terminals.* The more direct the better.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I remember a friend who had an old MGA which was a positive ground. And I'm not sure if the reputation of electrical systems on British cars ever recovered. Not heard of other manufacturers who have used that system for many years
I hook my tender up to the battery posts and its worked fine for me.
I hook my tender up to the battery posts and its worked fine for me.
Last edited by DeeGee; Nov 23, 2008 at 02:30 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,891
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From: North Port Fl
I use the harness that came supplied with the Battery Tender, it is connected to the positive and negative terminals on the battery. The harness stays connected to the battery and it is designed to be a quick connect/disconnect. I've been using this setup for years, and it works fine.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 924
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From: Macedon NY
Learned how to drive on a '28 Olds. 4 Dr. Sedan Pos ground there,
Last edited by vetter79; Nov 23, 2008 at 06:23 AM.
