battery tender question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 472
Likes: 12
From: Ontario
battery tender question
Is it possible to use the tender while the battery is still hooked up to the car?
I only drive my vette on weekends and would like to be able to use the tender during the week without having to unhook the battery terminals.
thanks
I only drive my vette on weekends and would like to be able to use the tender during the week without having to unhook the battery terminals.
thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Yes. Some will plug into the cigarette lighter. I hook mine right to the battery if I don't plan on driving it for a week or so. Leave the battery hooked up.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,095
Likes: 42
From: Pewaukee WI
I have a connector directly wired to my battery. when the car is not in use (most of the time) the hood is open the tender is connected to the battery via the connector. Been doing this for years no issues.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 472
Likes: 12
From: Ontario
Ok so I can just leave the battery connected. Can I also just clamp on both red and black cables of the charger to the battery terminals and plug it in? Or must I connect the black to metal part of the car frame?
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Sloatsburg NY
Oldtimer
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I use a Battery Tender Plus on my car and the battery remains in the car. I just use the clips around the bolts that hold the cables to the battery. Just be sure you remember to unhook the tender from the battery if you start to pull the car out of the garage. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
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From: Wisconsin
I almost did that once.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 5,037
Likes: 846
From: Rotonda West, FL 2015 Z51 M7 3LT
Oldtimer
Yep, like most here I have a BT Plus and it gets hooked up to my car for winter storage. Battery in the car, connected, left on from usually late Oct to April - no problem. I also put it on if the car isn't going to be driven for a week or so.
I have the "old" style I guess. I don't have a cig. lighter plug, just clip it only the battery directly. Swear by 'em - I have 6.
Vette
ZTR
2 from our travel trailer days (mega 12V batteries)
Motorcycle (sadly, no longer with me)
and I don't remember why the last one, but I obviously needed it. (At least that
must be what I told the wife).
I have the "old" style I guess. I don't have a cig. lighter plug, just clip it only the battery directly. Swear by 'em - I have 6.
Vette
ZTR
2 from our travel trailer days (mega 12V batteries)
Motorcycle (sadly, no longer with me)
and I don't remember why the last one, but I obviously needed it. (At least that
must be what I told the wife).
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,491
Likes: 315
St. Jude Donor '15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
I use a Ctek 3300 battery tender which is always plugged in when not driving. The battery is never disconnected. There are 3 ways to use the battery tender: The cigarette lighter plugin, the battery clamps or the battery eyelet connectors.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 33
From: GRAYSLAKE IL
Oldtimer
St. Jude Donor '13
I been using my CTEK 3300 on my Vette for yrs w/the clips to the battery posts. I leave the hood ajar so I don't forget to unhook the hook-up (also do my preflight b-4 closing the hood). Been using the cigarette lighter hook-up during the winter on my DD...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,509
Likes: 946
From: Western New York
I use a Battery Tender Plus and use the Ring Terminal Harness ( eyelet connector ). Ring Harness stay's connected to battery you just unplug tender from harness. No alligator clips used. When I did replaced battery a while back I purchased a Sears dual post battery and works great with Battery Tender Ring Harness.
Last edited by Borntorun04/17; Apr 20, 2015 at 09:33 PM.
Racer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 365
Likes: 19
From: Hugo MN
Mine (ctek 3300) is connected via the cigarette lighter as well. Whenever I don't expect to start the car for the next 5 days or more I connect it. Very easy and do not have to be opening and closing the hood!
Instructor
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
From: Hampton GA
Battery Tender
04silverZ06,
That's the nice convenience of a battery tender, you don't have to disconnect the terminals. Just clip the positive lead (red) to the "+" side, then the black lead to a good ground on the frame. When you want to go for a drive, disconnect the two leads and enjoy.
Carcrisis
That's the nice convenience of a battery tender, you don't have to disconnect the terminals. Just clip the positive lead (red) to the "+" side, then the black lead to a good ground on the frame. When you want to go for a drive, disconnect the two leads and enjoy.
Carcrisis
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,683
Likes: 144
From: Memphis Tennessee
That's the way I run mine.
I managed to get almost 10 years of service from my OEM battery. It was the AGM style and when it went, it WENT.
Tenders are a manditory part of our beloved C5's as the battery draw is quite high to sit uncharged for weeks at a time.
Good luck.
I managed to get almost 10 years of service from my OEM battery. It was the AGM style and when it went, it WENT.
Tenders are a manditory part of our beloved C5's as the battery draw is quite high to sit uncharged for weeks at a time.
Good luck.