CTEK Charger
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 239
Likes: 10
From: Uxbridge Ontario
CTEK Charger
I just bought a CTEK charger 3300 and it says to connect red to (positive) terminal and connect the black (negative) terminal to the metal located somewhere on the car. Could I not just connect the positive and negative connectors directly to the positive and negative terminals on the battery?
Thanks,
New Vette owner,
Rob
Thanks,
New Vette owner,
Rob
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Homer NY
I just purchased the same unit...I believe they say that just in case of a spark when the negitive leadis hooked its away from the battery. I used the plug supplied with it to attach permanently to the battery and the just plug the charger to it...
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,592
Likes: 3
From: St Louis MO
Whether hooking up a battery charger or jump starting a car, all instructions say to hook the positive cable to the positive post of the battery and to hook the negative cable to a grounded part of the motor. This is a precaution so that an inadvertent spark, near the battery, does not ignite errant battery fumes which could cause a fire or explosion. This is especially possible, after the battery has been charging for awhile and may be gassing. Needless to say most (including me) ignore this precaution, until an ill wind blows on us.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 239
Likes: 10
From: Uxbridge Ontario
Whether hooking up a battery charger or jump starting a car, all instructions say to hook the positive cable to the positive post of the battery and to hook the negative cable to a grounded part of the motor. This is a precaution so that an inadvertent spark, near the battery, does not ignite errant battery fumes which could cause a fire or explosion. This is especially possible, after the battery has been charging for awhile and may be gassing. Needless to say most (including me) ignore this precaution, until an ill wind blows on us.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 4
From: Brookfield Wisconsin
You will not get a spark connecting it to red (POSITIVE) terminal first and then the black (NEG) terminal second. Also the directions say connect the terminals first and then plug the unit in.
I always use the battery terminals with my CTEK and havent had one spark yet! Fact I have done this with every charger I have owned and NEVER had a spark as long as the charger is NOT plugged in.
I always use the battery terminals with my CTEK and havent had one spark yet! Fact I have done this with every charger I have owned and NEVER had a spark as long as the charger is NOT plugged in.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 8,004
Likes: 250
From: Tampa Fl
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
Here's my little tale of the CTEK charger. I installed it in when the battery was charged, and it worked it's magic for months while I stored the car.
a couple months later I drove the car to tampa, and let the car sit without the charger for weeks at a time and a couple times it was dead. The battery was only a year of two old, but when I didnt have it hooked up to the charger for weeks, it would die.
I decided to leave it at a friends house when the battery was dead, and let the charger work it's magic. At that time the batter was azz dead. I reached out for chip and asked if it was normal for the charger to get hot while charger. He walked me through a couple steps and I took the leap of faith and let the charger just work its magic. The little charger was working so hard to make my battery charge, it was getting hot, but it was working normally. The charger had no issues but was working overtime to charger the battery. Now I just leave it on for weeks at a time. Thanks Chip for being right !
a couple months later I drove the car to tampa, and let the car sit without the charger for weeks at a time and a couple times it was dead. The battery was only a year of two old, but when I didnt have it hooked up to the charger for weeks, it would die.
I decided to leave it at a friends house when the battery was dead, and let the charger work it's magic. At that time the batter was azz dead. I reached out for chip and asked if it was normal for the charger to get hot while charger. He walked me through a couple steps and I took the leap of faith and let the charger just work its magic. The little charger was working so hard to make my battery charge, it was getting hot, but it was working normally. The charger had no issues but was working overtime to charger the battery. Now I just leave it on for weeks at a time. Thanks Chip for being right !
