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So what's the consensus on how to hook up the Tender? I have connectors fitted to my bikes -- but that's the original Tender design criteria. Haven't seen a side post battery connector so far.
I have a red top battery with both side and top posts. I use my maintainer with alligator clips hook to top posts and stick connector under wiper blade. By doing it this way I don't have to open the hood every time.
Not looking to start any arguments, but plugging your car in every day is too much overkill and probably accomplishes little to nothing in the long term scheme of things. Everybody has opinions and anecdotes but no evidence to support what they do. Do any of you plug in any other car? All modern cars with radios and computers, etc. have a current draw, but nobody pays them any mind. Or are you just very and overly obsessively protective and pampering of your 'vette? I have never plugged in any car except when I lived in Iowa in really severe winters, (and that car also had an electric block heater to keep the oil warm so I could start it), never in really bad freezing winters in NJ, and the only thing I keep connected to a $4.99 cheapo HF trickle charger is my Chevy Suburban because sometimes several months goes by before I drive it. I have never had a dead battery in my 'vette even if I don't use it for 2 or 3 weeks at a time and it starts up in less than a second of turning the key. I realize that it's better for the battery to be kept at a full charge all the time, but it's overkill to plug it in if it only sits overnight or for a day or two. I also have 2 motorcycles which may sit for weeks at a time (AGM batteries) and they start and run with no problems also. I will plug them in in the winter if they will not be used, to fully charge them, and maybe do that once every few weeks, not continuously. IMHO, plugging in you car after every ride if it sits for a day or a week is a waste of time and energy, but it's your car and if it makes you feel better or that you are accomplishing something, then by all means go right ahead and do that. You can wash and detail it every day too if it makes you happy.
So what's the consensus on how to hook up the Tender? I have connectors fitted to my bikes -- but that's the original Tender design criteria. Haven't seen a side post battery connector so far.
Her ya go buddy, pics fresh from the garage -
You can get the special bolts that connect to the battery at most car audio stores.
"You can get the special bolts that connect to the battery at most car audio stores."
Aha! Exactly what I need. Had not seen these. Must be living under a rock. Will look for them today. Thanks!
As to the need for constant trickle charging, I'm betting several of us are in a similar situation, with higher than nominal parasitic loss, but more willing to plug in a charger than trouble shoot where the loss actually is.
I pretty much plug mine in everytime it goes in the garage, unless I know I'll be driving it again within the next few days. Doesn't hurt anything and it stays healthy.
"You can get the special bolts that connect to the battery at most car audio stores."
Aha! Exactly what I need. Had not seen these. Must be living under a rock. Will look for them today. Thanks!
As to the need for constant trickle charging, I'm betting several of us are in a similar situation, with higher than nominal parasitic loss, but more willing to plug in a charger than trouble shoot where the loss actually is.
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23
Originally Posted by redzg
So what's the consensus on how to hook up the Tender? I have connectors fitted to my bikes -- but that's the original Tender design criteria. Haven't seen a side post battery connector so far.
There are many good ideas on how to hook them up. One example is the attached picture giving you an idea of how I attach my Ctek to my C5. The C6 and C7 also have similar (but not identical) attachment points under the hood in the same area.
The Ctek comes with an attachment harness that has eyelets on the ends. I attached the red lead to the positive bus on the underhood fuse box, slipping the eyelet over the post and using a second nut to snug it down. For the negative side, the C5 has a bracket that attaches the hood stop bumper to the firewall area. I attached the negative black lead on the Ctek harness to the stud/nut that holds this bracket to the frame (in the picture this is just under the bracket), verifying with an ohmeter that this is a ground. When getting ready to take the car out, just disconnect the Ctek, slip the provided cover over the harness connector attached to the car, quick visual check everything is buttoned up and normal, close the hood and go.
On my cars that use the Cteks, I attach them all to the car under the hood using the eyelet harnesses, as I mount the Cteks to a wall and want them all to hook up in the same location.
There are many good ideas on how to hook them up. One example is the attached picture giving you an idea of how I attach my Ctek to my C5. The C6 and C7 also have similar (but not identical) attachment points under the hood in the same area.
The Ctek comes with an attachment harness that has eyelets on the ends. I attached the red lead to the positive bus on the underhood fuse box, slipping the eyelet over the post and using a second nut to snug it down. For the negative side, the C5 has a bracket that attaches the hood stop bumper to the firewall area. I attached the negative black lead on the Ctek harness to the stud/nut that holds this bracket to the frame (in the picture this is just under the bracket), verifying with an ohmeter that this is a ground. When getting ready to take the car out, just disconnect the Ctek, slip the provided cover over the harness connector attached to the car, quick visual check everything is buttoned up and normal, close the hood and go.
On my cars that use the Cteks, I attach them all to the car under the hood using the eyelet harnesses, as I mount the Cteks to a wall and want them all to hook up in the same location.
We all know there at least 50 battery chargers/maintainers on the market--likely some are better--YOU CANT beat a Deltran Battery Tender Plus--Its been proven by ferrari-lambo-porsche corvette ect. POINT is i think for a healthy battery is--Always keep it on charger/maintiner when not driving even if just overnight if you drive the car everyday
I have cars of my own with battery tenders hooked up continuously. I also mange a private car collection of about twenty cars, all with tenders hooked up. No issues.
Not looking to start any arguments, but plugging your car in every day is too much overkill and probably accomplishes little to nothing in the long term scheme of things. Everybody has opinions and anecdotes but no evidence to support what they do. Do any of you plug in any other car? All modern cars with radios and computers, etc. have a current draw, but nobody pays them any mind. Or are you just very and overly obsessively protective and pampering of your 'vette? I have never plugged in any car except when I lived in Iowa in really severe winters, (and that car also had an electric block heater to keep the oil warm so I could start it), never in really bad freezing winters in NJ, and the only thing I keep connected to a $4.99 cheapo HF trickle charger is my Chevy Suburban because sometimes several months goes by before I drive it. I have never had a dead battery in my 'vette even if I don't use it for 2 or 3 weeks at a time and it starts up in less than a second of turning the key. I realize that it's better for the battery to be kept at a full charge all the time, but it's overkill to plug it in if it only sits overnight or for a day or two. I also have 2 motorcycles which may sit for weeks at a time (AGM batteries) and they start and run with no problems also. I will plug them in in the winter if they will not be used, to fully charge them, and maybe do that once every few weeks, not continuously. IMHO, plugging in you car after every ride if it sits for a day or a week is a waste of time and energy, but it's your car and if it makes you feel better or that you are accomplishing something, then by all means go right ahead and do that. You can wash and detail it every day too if it makes you happy.
I have a Ctek charger plugged in every day on both my Toyota and Corvette. (But I don't drive every day)
11-16-2017, 09:18 PM
