battery tender hook up
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 568
Likes: 65
From: Pittsburgh
battery tender hook up
Just picked up a leftover 2011 GS and wanted to hook up a battery tender for the winter. The owners manual and DVD shows when jumping the car to use a positive post in the fuse box area and hooking up the negative to what looks like a bolt on the engine block.
Do you do the tender the same way or can you just attach to the battery terminals like anyother car?
it also talks about for extended "tendering" to disconnect the negaitve terminal. I had a 2006 and when I did that it was a pain because you would loose all your presets etc.... Any problem just leaving the battery hooked up and the tender on it all winter?
Do you do the tender the same way or can you just attach to the battery terminals like anyother car?
it also talks about for extended "tendering" to disconnect the negaitve terminal. I had a 2006 and when I did that it was a pain because you would loose all your presets etc.... Any problem just leaving the battery hooked up and the tender on it all winter?
Pro
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 623
Likes: 4
From: Stuart Florida
Get the Ctek 3300 they sell them on this forum, best there is! Hook directly to battery
and don't disconnect the battery. Leave on all winter, set it and forget it.
You can go in the car during the winter if you want and run things and the charger will
charge, then go tender/ pulse mode.
I have 2 one for my wifes mustang.
PS: It's not just for winter anymore, use it if the C6 is going to sit for more than 3 days.
...jerry
and don't disconnect the battery. Leave on all winter, set it and forget it.
You can go in the car during the winter if you want and run things and the charger will
charge, then go tender/ pulse mode.
I have 2 one for my wifes mustang.
PS: It's not just for winter anymore, use it if the C6 is going to sit for more than 3 days.
...jerry
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,491
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From: Arkansas
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '17,'22 thru '25
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,075
Likes: 6
From: Wilmington NC
Been doing it this way for over 20 years, convenient and quick.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,504
Likes: 66
From: Louisville, KY
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,024
Likes: 13
From: Loveland CO to Central Coast CA
As others have said, it's easy to hook-up the CTEK with their cig adapter:
http://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-263-Co...=pd_sim_auto_1
Either outlet works fine. And you can run the cord thru a notch in the door:
Just make sure you don't crimp the cord -- it should move easily when the door is closed.
If you really want to: The CTEK 3300 comes with two adapters that you can connect directly to the battery.
If you want to attach the eyelet adapter to the battery, leave the original cone-shaped nuts alone and attach the eyelets with another regular 10mm nut on top of them.
I like the Ace Hardware "M6 nylon hex nut"... it's a 10mm nut that fits nicely and attaches securely.
If you put the eyelets under the original cone-shaped nuts, you'll deform the eyelets... the nuts won't tighten properly & could come loose. That's what I did when I first got my CTEK:
When I recognized my mistake, I attached it with Ace's M6 nuts. Then I bought the cig adapter and have been using it ever since -- almost 3 years, continuously during winter storage, regularly during driving seasons. No problems, works great.
http://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-263-Co...=pd_sim_auto_1
Either outlet works fine. And you can run the cord thru a notch in the door:
Just make sure you don't crimp the cord -- it should move easily when the door is closed.
If you really want to: The CTEK 3300 comes with two adapters that you can connect directly to the battery.
If you want to attach the eyelet adapter to the battery, leave the original cone-shaped nuts alone and attach the eyelets with another regular 10mm nut on top of them.
I like the Ace Hardware "M6 nylon hex nut"... it's a 10mm nut that fits nicely and attaches securely.
If you put the eyelets under the original cone-shaped nuts, you'll deform the eyelets... the nuts won't tighten properly & could come loose. That's what I did when I first got my CTEK:
When I recognized my mistake, I attached it with Ace's M6 nuts. Then I bought the cig adapter and have been using it ever since -- almost 3 years, continuously during winter storage, regularly during driving seasons. No problems, works great.
Last edited by CO Lightfoot; Dec 30, 2011 at 11:11 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,083
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From: Carrollton GA
W. GA Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14-'15
I just use the alligator clips and hook directly to the battery posts. I don’t use the plug in quick connects and find it just as easy to unhook and clip back on when I take my car out.
There is a tread on various battery maintainers here….http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...sign-flaw.html
I have been using the Schumacher Maintainers for years with no issues, but the tread above notes some potential challanges with the newer $20 dollar version on a Vette...You can read the tread and determine your self what is best for you.
Here is a pic of what I use, $20 at Wal-Mart
I also have this model...got it at Auto Zone last year.
There is a tread on various battery maintainers here….http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...sign-flaw.html
I have been using the Schumacher Maintainers for years with no issues, but the tread above notes some potential challanges with the newer $20 dollar version on a Vette...You can read the tread and determine your self what is best for you.
Here is a pic of what I use, $20 at Wal-Mart
I also have this model...got it at Auto Zone last year.
Last edited by JKbride; Dec 30, 2011 at 11:32 AM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 568
Likes: 65
From: Pittsburgh
OPPS! already went under the existing nuts. At this point leave it like it is AND put the nuts you suggested on top to "lock them down" or remove them from under the original nuts adn do it the way you suggested?
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,024
Likes: 13
From: Loveland CO to Central Coast CA
It's extra work. But you might as well do it the best way.
And again, don't lose the cone-shaped nuts! Difficult-to-impossible to find a replacement without buying the entire harness from GM ($150?). I got lucky and scored a couple of these special nuts on ebay for $5/each -- but that was a leap of faith because I didn't know if they were the right size.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 535
Likes: 20
From: TX
Battery Tender
I hooked mine directly to the battery, then ran the wires down behind the battery and through the grill so that I can just plug and unplug at the grill. If you do a good job, you won't even notice the wires. My tender is always hooked up when I am not driving my Corvette. Five years, no problems.
