When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
What's everyone's setup for the battery tender? And please don't respond, "I don't use one". If you don't use one, lucky you, thats great, but irrelevant.
Mine is shown below, but i'm looking to do something where I don't have to open and close the hood every single time. Feel like i'm gonna wear it out. Does anyone attach the accesory cable with the rings, permanently? and can you position the cable to access the little plug with out opening hood. It would have to be up near the passenger wiper.
I permanently installed the cable in the battery compartment using some terminals on the top of my optima battery. There is a plug at the end of a pigtail to make it easy to connect. It is not my DD so I plug it in nearly every time I park it (no need for a tender on a DD anyway). I thought about running the cable into the duct on the side but figured having the hood open would remind me the cable is plugged in and I would not drive off with it connected and damage it. About a year in with this setup and it's working great.
It's mounted on a retractable plug strip in the ceiling so it can easily be pulled down for use, the ouput cord loops over the plug strip before lifting when not used. BNC connectors were used to connect the charger output to the wiper arm, when plugged in it looks like a hospital IV.
A closeup of the wiper arm, the cord BNC has the outer shell removed so it can detach just by pulling it out in case the wipers are turned by accident when plugged in.
to answer your question yes you can attach the leads to your battery. and then you can run it anyway youd like. for the c5z i just crack the hood like youre doing. on the c6z's, i run the lead out through the rear bumper just above the license plate lights. after i back in i just plug in. but thats cause their batteries are in the trunk. just run it anywhere you feel is most convenient for you and your parking situation.
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
When I had my C5, I just opened the hood and connected the clips to the battery terminals. I doubt you will wear out the hood by opening/closing it to connect the tender.
I have heard of others besides I'm Z one (posted above) running the wires through the cove area and connecting the power in that area.
I mounted the right side end of one of these in the passenger side fog light cove, wired to the battery. I plug the maintainer in with the plain end cut from the left side and wired to the maintainer when parked.
I simply leave the hood up on my cars that are on the charger. I do this so I don't forget I have one plugged in. If the hood is down (in my house) it means you can drive off. Hood up means check the car or it's being worked on. Since it's not just me in the house, wife and kids and mother-in-law, it's an easy visual they all get.
I mounted the right side end of one of these in the passenger side fog light cove, wired to the battery. I plug the maintainer in with the plain end cut from the left side and wired to the maintainer when parked.
Where did you get this plug?Tried searching but couldn't find one.
Battery Tender set up
