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Old Jan 26, 2024 | 08:12 AM
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Default Battery tender.

My car stays outside with a cover on it. I also had shoulder surgery so I won't be driving it for awhile. I just bought a battery tender. My question is will it be ok to have the tender on while the car is under the cover.
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Old Jan 26, 2024 | 08:51 AM
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Plenty of people do it, just maybe not outdoors.
my tender plugs into the wall and the cord extends to the car. If your concern is heat or moisture, maybe throw the tender in a box first?
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Old Jan 26, 2024 | 09:10 AM
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Originally Posted by PMPerformance
Plenty of people do it, just maybe not outdoors.
my tender plugs into the wall and the cord extends to the car. If your concern is heat or moisture, maybe throw the tender in a box first?

I bought a 25 foot extension chords that goes with the Battery Tender. The tender will be plugged into the wall socket in the garage. I have my 72 vette and my 67 GTO in the garage.
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Old Jan 26, 2024 | 09:25 AM
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Yes I would do it in the same situation. I have mine hooked up 24/7, also using their 25 foot extension. Only difference is mine is inside but with a low voltage connection like this, the tight fitting B/T connections, and then under a cover on top of that, I wouldn't worry about it all. The thing I would worry about is tripping over the cord maybe after shoulder surgery.
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Old Jan 26, 2024 | 09:51 AM
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You could let the tender sit under the hood but as other have stated get a 25 ft extension . Good luck on the shoulder surgery, I've had 3 shoulder surgeries so I feel your pain.
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Old Jan 26, 2024 | 10:02 AM
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I used to keep my 07 outside all the time. Didn't have room in the garage. (I finally made the room!) During winter months, I would keep it covered and had a battery tender on it. Also, had the 25 ft cord. The tender was in the garage and the cord was only about 15 ft outside the garage. I also had the adapter that I installed on the battery terminal for a quick on & off. Close the hood and made sure the cord wan't being crimped. No issues with tender under the cover!
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Old Jan 26, 2024 | 10:31 AM
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Thanks for the answers guys. Shoulder is coming along. A couple more weeks in the sling.
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Old Jan 26, 2024 | 11:25 AM
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I hooked mine up as shown in the photo, then ran it out to the front grill, had to extend the wire a little so it was long enough to get to the grill, but it works great if you cover your car, no need to open the hood or doors to connect it.



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Old Jan 26, 2024 | 12:43 PM
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No problem, the battery tender knows when and how much charge to deliver. I would set up a quick disconnect to plug it in. You can feed the lead wires through the passenger side door lower hinge area and keep the tender out of the weather sitting in the passenger side footwell. A cigarette lighter plug may be the best way to plug it in for you. Where the tender power cord plugs into the outdoor rated extension cord should be duct taped or otherwise made watertight.
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Old Jan 26, 2024 | 12:51 PM
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I use a tender extension on all my vehicles. The Vette is covered all winter, in garage and tender on most of the time. I like a reminder when any thing is plugged in. Tender, block heater etc. I take a piece of string or shoelace an knot it in a loop. Then attach the loop to the top of the steering wheel by feeding it through itself after I plug in anything. Helps my old brain from driving away with something plugged in.
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Old Jan 27, 2024 | 08:50 AM
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I use mind in the garage with cover on it?
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Old Jan 28, 2024 | 05:01 PM
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Default Battery Tender

Originally Posted by 540 vette
My car stays outside with a cover on it. I also had shoulder surgery so I won't be driving it for awhile. I just bought a battery tender. My question is will it be ok to have the tender on while the car is under the cover.
Have 2 cars outdoors with battery tenders for years no problems.put tenders on top of tires and ran permanent hook up to battery tenders.

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Old Jan 29, 2024 | 10:48 AM
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Originally Posted by cmonkey713
No problem, the battery tender knows when and how much charge to deliver. I would set up a quick disconnect to plug it in. You can feed the lead wires through the passenger side door lower hinge area and keep the tender out of the weather sitting in the passenger side footwell. A cigarette lighter plug may be the best way to plug it in for you. Where the tender power cord plugs into the outdoor rated extension cord should be duct taped or otherwise made watertight.
I've found this to be the easiest way, Tender extension wire to the cigarette lighter, with an SAE\tender plug to cigarette lighter adapter, and charge it through there. There's a notch in the door sill of the C6 that allows you to shut the door with the tender wire sticking out the door, it doesn't pinch. I leave it charging this way in my garage.
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Old Jan 29, 2024 | 01:32 PM
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It depends on both the type of battery and the type of battery tender. The main concern is venting hydrogen gasses
If your battery is an AGM, no worries about gasses, some concern for float voltage.
Not all battery tenders are created equal. Look at the brand you have and try to determine it's float voltage off the company's website or take your dvm and measure the battery voltage when the charger hits the float stage.
Some of these battery tenders will "float" at too high of a voltage. What that means for the flooded, traditional lead acid battery is there will be more hydrogen gas constantly emitted by the battery and you should keep the battery topped up with distilled water. The gas may collect under your car cover. Does the Z06 have a vented battery box? I suspect it does but I don't know for sure.
The ideal float voltage is anywhere between 13.02 - 13.2 vdc.In both types of batteries, this voltage range will use minimal water and minimal sulfation which causes a loss of battery capacity. Of the inexpensive battery chargers or battery tenders, DelTran is the only one I know of that floats in this range and you could go 6 months or more before having to check the water in the battery. The more water your battery consumes, the more hydrogen is being produced. Most of the others I've seen float much higher.
A couple of side notes - even a small battery tender putting out less than an amp, has enough power to bring back a discharged battery and float it. These are primarily motorcycle battery tenders but I've revived Group 24 batteries with it, it just takes longer. I have three of them in different sizes and they all float at the same level.
The other side note, watch those AGM batteries! I had an AC Delco AGM battery for my Yukon go bad in less than its warranty period. I had just driven 10 hours on the freeway, parked the Yukon for 2 hours, and it refused to start...just that dreaded clicking sound. AAA came out to try to jump it and it could NOT be jumped. I didn't have my DVM with me as I was on a road trip, so I could not tell what was going on with it. The tow truck driver had some measurement device a cave man could use, claimed the battery sitting at 11.5 volts was good enough to start the Yukon but that was not possible. Maybe if we are talking about 1970's technology it would have been possible, but not with our computerized vehicles. Since the tow truck driver was "out of his jurisdiction" and couldn't tow me to the nearest dealer 3.4 miles away, I had to catch a ride from a neighbor to the nearest auto parts store and buy a replacement. AAA was absolutely useless. So on a snowy, 34 degree day, I was outside dressed in nothing more than a shirt, changing the battery in the Yukon which is not a 5 minute job. You have to remove the air box and the coolant reservoir to be able to remove the battery which sits behind both. At the angle the battery has to be removed from it's mount, an AGM makes sense because there is no electrolyte to spill - otherwise it will!
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Old Jan 30, 2024 | 05:31 PM
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Newbie owner here , the car is always on a tender when not in use , last time we had it out was New Year's Eve and day , how long can it sit until we should run it again ? Weather here in PA has not been good to take it out .
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Old Jan 30, 2024 | 06:05 PM
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I leave mine on a tender for up to six months as the weather here in the Reno area has lots of snow and brime on the road. Been doing it for six years with a red top Optima. Never had an issue.

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Old Jan 30, 2024 | 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Zeke2A
Newbie owner here , the car is always on a tender when not in use , last time we had it out was New Year's Eve and day , how long can it sit until we should run it again ? Weather here in PA has not been good to take it out .
Re-read post 14, you will learn you can leave a battery tender connected for as long as you like, just check the electrolyte and keep it topped up.
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Old Jan 30, 2024 | 07:47 PM
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Originally Posted by 540 vette
My car stays outside with a cover on it. I also had shoulder surgery so I won't be driving it for awhile. I just bought a battery tender. My question is will it be ok to have the tender on while the car is under the cover.

Battery maintainer connected 24/7 when the car's not running. No problem at all with the cover on.


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Old Jan 30, 2024 | 10:04 PM
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Originally Posted by wjnjr
Battery maintainer connected 24/7 when the car's not running. No problem at all with the cover on.

I love that mag mount, I can’t seem to find them anywhere. Do you know if they are still available? I need at least three of them!
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Old Jan 31, 2024 | 02:10 AM
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This website has a complete kit with everything you need other than the charger:

https://www.hethelsport.com./tools/c...onnection-kit/
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