c.w.moss

Tell me guys, can you wire up a trickel charger and just plug it into the cigarrette lighter plugin, and it keep the battery up?
I have a trickel charger on my battery, but have to open the hood to hook everything up. I was thinking of just keeping a window open just a bit to run the wire to the plug-in.
Thanks,
Daryl (cwmoss)

hotwheels57

Most of us use a float maintenance type charger like the BATTERY TENDER PLUS (by DELTRON CORP) or the newer high tech CTEK charger.

They charge the battery with little amp input, then go into sleep mode. They only come back on when the battery drops below a certain level of output. A "trickle charger" is old school and might do harm to some batteries over long term if they're high amps. Maybe we're talking about the same type of charger but with different terminology?

As to your question, there are some optional harnesses that you can plug into your cigarette lighter. Some do just exactly what you're thinking about doing for long term.

I prefer to use the quick disconnect harness permanently wired to the battery with ring terminals. I run the lead downward through the engine bay where I connect it to a BATTERY TENDER PLUS.

Timbrr

I use a cigarette lighter and run the cord out the window. Over two years with no problems.

c.w.moss

I had that setup on my previous C5, but on my Z16, my connector keeps falling down to where I can't get to it, hence, opening the hood.
So, my thought of hooking the floater to the cig plug should work? I'm thinking of doing this also to my streetrod. The battery is in the trunk on it and would be way easier to just plug it into an accesory plug.
Thanks,
Daryl (cwmoss)


Thanks Timbrr, just wanted to know if someone has done what I want to do. Didn't want to give the local VFD something to do.

charlene

Ok i have a battery tender plus i hook it up and close the hood but not all the way i put a bunch of old sheets between the top of the hood and the cowl area.before you do the sheets Now i hook the battery tender up through the engine i put a yard stick down in an open area next to the battery i get down underneath the car and attach the negative and positive hook ups to the yard stick and then i pull the yard stick up through the opening i put the yard stick down at and take the red and black hook ups off the yard stick and attach them to the battery i plug in the batter tender which now the plug is coming out the bottom of the car so now you can close your hood like i told you i do before with the sheets.If you need more information go to my web sight.Charlene

Jistari

Or, alternately . . .

You can get the Ctek, which comes with lugs and a quick disconnect. Attach the lugs to the battery terminals (they stay there all the time, it even has a little rubber cap to close on the end of the quick disconnect). Mount the charger on the cieling next to your garage door opener (or where ever if its not garaged), and put a hook to hold the cord when the car is out of the garage.

Drive in, pop hood, connect, close hood (the wire fits fine across the cowl, you can close the hood with the wire laying towards the windshield with no worry about hurting the wire or the cowl.

If you want to get real creative, straight wires off the lugs connected to the battery terminals, routed out of the battery den and into the area behind the cove openings on the side of the car, terminated with the quick connector with the rubber cap from the Ctek, and just leave it in the cove. You wouldnt even have to pop the hood then.

PierEagle

I use the Harbor Freight charger ($4.95 when on sale) with no problems. Drop the cord to the ground, and plug in to extension. Close hood. Being absent minded, I do one more thing. I loosely tie a yellow plastic sleeve, like the one newspapers are delivered in, to the steering wheel to remind me charger is plugged in. Don't want any inadvertent fireworks.

c.w.moss

Well now we know what Charleene does with her used rubber sheets. I guess that's better than putting them in the trash.
Seriously, thanks for the replies. I have a direct connection to the battery with a quick disconnect, but it keeps falling down to where I can't get to it without opening the hood, and my hood is the lightweight one and to get it to close properly, you have to slam it. I'll look into running the wires lower and maybe out of the cove on the side.
Thanks,
Daryl (cwmoss)

Randyman2002

Battery Tender cigarette lighter adapter with the cable extension and run the cord out the window. Works great for me. Three years with no problems.

Jistari

I havent forgot yet and drove out with it connected, but when I first put it in I made this up and slip it under the wiper so I see it when I get in.
Since you're using a yellow bag, might wanna print it out :-)

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(Stop ! Dummy :-) )

Silver48

I ordered one today and it's still on sale at $4.99 = shipping.