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Battery tender hookup

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Old 12-12-2019, 11:35 AM
  #21  
Bigblue77
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Originally Posted by cadyshac
My battery is in the rear.

Do you just crack the trunk and snake the battery tender in there?
Old 12-12-2019, 12:41 PM
  #22  
03BlkZ
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My car has a notice at the battery area not to hook directly to the battery. The proper place to hook up a tender is under the hood at the fuse block terminal
Old 12-12-2019, 02:34 PM
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C6z06man
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I’ve been hooking my battery tender directly to the battery for 7 years. Nothing is going to happen. Just hook it up and walk away.
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Old 12-12-2019, 02:43 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by 03BlkZ
My car has a notice at the battery area not to hook directly to the battery. The proper place to hook up a tender is under the hood at the fuse block terminal
Actually that is NOT what the sticker under the hood says. The sticker shows you where to connect to jump start your car. The sticker makes no mention of not connecting directly to the battery. The sticker makes no mention of where or how to connect a battery tender period. And to take it one step further the battery tender sold buy GM connects to the cigarette lighter.

This isn't rocket science. You can hook your tender to any hot wire and ground. In my 1970 I connect to the hot wire at the alternator and alternator bolt because the battery is behind the drivers seat and is a pain in the *** to reach.

Last edited by Iceaxe; 12-12-2019 at 02:47 PM.
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Old 12-12-2019, 02:53 PM
  #25  
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I keep the Synner on an Optima maintainer. Have it connected right to the battery terminals with the supplied pig tails.
I have the connector hidden behind the battery held up by the cabin air filter thingy LOL. When not in use it hides neatly away sight unseen.






Old 12-12-2019, 03:58 PM
  #26  
06vettevert
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Originally Posted by C6z06man
I’ve been hooking my battery tender directly to the battery for 7 years. Nothing is going to happen. Just hook it up and walk away.
I've been doing this same thing for 7 years without issue
Old 12-12-2019, 06:51 PM
  #27  
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I just put the alligator clamps on the battery posts and plug the battery maintainer in. Done.
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Old 12-12-2019, 08:20 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Iceaxe
Actually that is NOT what the sticker under the hood says. The sticker shows you where to connect to jump start your car. The sticker makes no mention of not connecting directly to the battery. The sticker makes no mention of where or how to connect a battery tender period. And to take it one step further the battery tender sold buy GM connects to the cigarette lighter.

This isn't rocket science. You can hook your tender to any hot wire and ground. In my 1970 I connect to the hot wire at the alternator and alternator bolt because the battery is behind the drivers seat and is a pain in the *** to reach.
My battery is in the rear AND the access door is covered by my sub-woofer box---definitely do not want to connect/disconnect my CTEK there! So I connected my leads to the + and - jump start connections under the hood and ran the connector out through the front grill.
Problem is, after several days the CTEK's Red "not charging" light comes on and the battery runs down. When I then move the connections to the battery in the back the CTEK starts charging like it should. Thought I might have a dying battery, but the new Delco I bought changed nothing. I'll try connecting the + to the alternator and leave the - on the block jumper stud, but I sure would like to know why connecting to the jumper locations doesn't work!
Any rocket, or other type, scientists out there who can explain this to a simple Liberal Arts guy?
Thanks!
Old 12-12-2019, 08:25 PM
  #29  
03BlkZ
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Originally Posted by Cardinal Flyer
My battery is in the rear AND the access door is covered by my sub-woofer box---definitely do not want to connect/disconnect my CTEK there! So I connected my leads to the + and - jump start connections under the hood and ran the connector out through the front grill.
Problem is, after several days the CTEK's Red "not charging" light comes on and the battery runs down. When I then move the connections to the battery in the back the CTEK starts charging like it should. Thought I might have a dying battery, but the new Delco I bought changed nothing. I'll try connecting the + to the alternator and leave the - on the block jumper stud, but I sure would like to know why connecting to the jumper locations doesn't work!
Any rocket, or other type, scientists out there who can explain this to a simple Liberal Arts guy?
Thanks!
My CTEK charges just fine from the under hood connection. Maybe there is a bad connection somewhere in you under hood configuration.
Old 12-12-2019, 08:31 PM
  #30  
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^^^I'm guessing a bad battery tender. Sounds like when the tender switches from charging to "floating" something bad is happening and shutting the tender down.

Try the tender on another car or vehicle and see what it does? Or try another tender on the Vette.... but the tender has to be the problem if the battery is good.

YMMV
Old 12-12-2019, 10:58 PM
  #31  
Patsgarage
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Originally Posted by Cardinal Flyer
My battery is in the rear AND the access door is covered by my sub-woofer box---definitely do not want to connect/disconnect my CTEK there! So I connected my leads to the + and - jump start connections under the hood and ran the connector out through the front grill.
Problem is, after several days the CTEK's Red "not charging" light comes on and the battery runs down. When I then move the connections to the battery in the back the CTEK starts charging like it should. Thought I might have a dying battery, but the new Delco I bought changed nothing. I'll try connecting the + to the alternator and leave the - on the block jumper stud, but I sure would like to know why connecting to the jumper locations doesn't work!
Any rocket, or other type, scientists out there who can explain this to a simple Liberal Arts guy?
Thanks!
I could be wrong about this, but IIRC the BCM "shuts off" certain circuits, which is why you cannot charge the battery through the ashtray lighter plug, but you can through the console one.
Old 12-13-2019, 06:29 AM
  #32  
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I have been using the hot plug in the console for 7 years. Seems to work for me.
Old 12-13-2019, 06:56 AM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by Cardinal Flyer
My battery is in the rear AND the access door is covered by my sub-woofer box---definitely do not want to connect/disconnect my CTEK there! So I connected my leads to the + and - jump start connections under the hood and ran the connector out through the front grill.
Problem is, after several days the CTEK's Red "not charging" light comes on and the battery runs down. When I then move the connections to the battery in the back the CTEK starts charging like it should. Thought I might have a dying battery, but the new Delco I bought changed nothing. I'll try connecting the + to the alternator and leave the - on the block jumper stud, but I sure would like to know why connecting to the jumper locations doesn't work!
Any rocket, or other type, scientists out there who can explain this to a simple Liberal Arts guy?
Thanks!
I have had mine under the hood for over 10 years with no issue so it's not the location of the hookup, it must be your CTEK
Old 12-13-2019, 08:27 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by Bigblue77
Do you just crack the trunk and snake the battery tender in there?
No, I connect it under the hood + to hot post on fuse block, - to any ground.
Old 12-13-2019, 09:29 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Bigblue77
Why are you guys all worrying about the hood when the battery is in the trunk? lol
Cuz you hook the maintainer to the fuse box and block.
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Old 12-13-2019, 12:08 PM
  #36  
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Thanks for all the above input guys!
I'm kind of leaning toward the BCM explanation, but I will try the CTEK on another vehicle to confirm it's OK. If it is, I'll try routing the + to the fuse box or alternator.
Thanks again, and Happy Holidays to all!
Old 12-13-2019, 01:20 PM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by Cardinal Flyer
I'm kind of leaning toward the BCM explanation
The BCM doesn't shut down the continually hot wires like the console plug or battery jump.
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Old 12-13-2019, 01:30 PM
  #38  
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I never thought a thread on hooking up a battery tender would go longer and be more confusing than a thread on "what oil should I use".
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Old 12-13-2019, 02:01 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by dkpnkc
I never thought a thread on hooking up a battery tender would go longer and be more confusing than a thread on "what oil should I use".
what are you confused about? Maybe we can help.
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