Best battery tender location?

[Big Al]

I have a 04 and want to permanently install my CTEK battery tender under the hood or by the battery. Which is the best location and does anybody have a picture of their install? I did a search and did not find any pictures.

 

[BlknBlu]

MIne is velcro'd to the metal strip beloe the battery and just at the end of the rear difuser. I then ran the cord thru a circular hole in the fram and secured it there with a zip tie.

Bruce

 

[Paul Hawker]

Most mount the battery tender externally and simply run the pig tail wiring out through the engine gills.

Most important thing is to implement a warning system to keep you from driving away while still attached. (I use a yellow post it note on the steering wheel)

 

[vancouver-gts]

I have the CTEK pig tail connected where the computer is.I can plug/unplug it through the side gill without opening the clamshell.

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Blk n Blu is correct & he got the idea from Crazy Jorgensen who came up with this method about 4+ years ago. It sits back in the back, is unnoticable , and just plug it in through the slats in the rear fascia. Not unsightly , easy to get to and perfect for those hibernating States.

Agree with Paul too, probably a good idea to put a note on the steering wheel, regardless of the set-up so you don't wander out of your garage all hooked up.

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

No notes needed or worries about driveing away while plugged in by doing what I do. I bought the optional cigarrette plug for the tender and simply plug it into the 12v adapter in the side box between the seats. You only have to leave one window down just enough for the cord to clear and hang out. I leave it on the drivers side and works great.

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

Blk n Blu is correct & he got the idea from Crazy Jorgensen who came up with this method about 4+ years ago. It sits back in the back, is unnoticable , and just plug it in through the slats in the rear fascia. Not unsightly , easy to get to and perfect for those hibernating States.

Agree with Paul too, probably a good idea to put a note on the steering wheel, regardless of the set-up so you don't wander out of your garage all hooked up.

This is how I did mine, works great, backed the Viper in the garage, and always unplugged the tender before any spirited driving.

 

[vancouver-gts]

Why would anyone want to attach the charger to the car? I would have to be blind driving away with the cord attached, especially being plugged in at the driver's side gill.Some people don't like simple solutions obviouslyWith only the pig tail on the car, I can use the charger on other vehicles during summer.

 

[Darbgnik]

Blk n Blu is correct & he got the idea from Crazy Jorgensen who came up with this method about 4+ years ago. It sits back in the back, is unnoticable , and just plug it in through the slats in the rear fascia. Not unsightly , easy to get to and perfect for those hibernating States.

Agree with Paul too, probably a good idea to put a note on the steering wheel, regardless of the set-up so you don't wander out of your garage all hooked up.

Same method here, pigtail hardwired to the battery then tucked just inside the rear facia, only long enough to hang out 6 inches.

And when I back the car into the garage, I clip onto it ever so gently, just enough for the tender to show contact, that way when I forget the unplug it, it unplugs itself harmlessly.

 

[past ohio]

Should be a lot of smart people on this site...if you put the charger permanently on the car, doesn't this affect its safety and longevity, such as water splashes up under the car, bumps and jars ?? some severe weather changes ?? Just put a simple plug (like you buy for a small trailer, I think it is called a blade plug) and plug the charger into this plug, and when I have used an extension cord around the car, I run the cord through the driver's door, to make sure I disconnect before "flight" ...my $.02

 

[steve911]

Should be a lot of smart people on this site...if you put the charger permanently on the car, doesn't this affect its safety and longevity, such as water splashes up under the car, bumps and jars ?? some severe weather changes ?? Just put a simple plug (like you buy for a small trailer, I think it is called a blade plug) and plug the charger into this plug, and when I have used an extension cord around the car, I run the cord through the driver's door, to make sure I disconnect before "flight" ...my $.02

My tender is waterproof, and before I finally hard wired mine into the front of my car, my son drove over the tender I had with my Bobcat Skidloader. It broke obviously, but what I learned was that all of the electronics were sealed in epoxy. I could have thrown it in a lake and not had a problem. Mine hangs from the round crossbar between the radiator and the grill and is hard wired to the fuse box.

 

[Big Al]

Thank you all for your input. I am going to hard wire to the battery and run wires to rear grill and plug in there. That is plug the tender wire into the tender lead with the tender on my wall.

 

[Flexx91]

Should be a lot of smart people on this site...if you put the charger permanently on the car, doesn't this affect its safety and longevity, such as water splashes up under the car, bumps and jars ?? some severe weather changes ??

You mean to tell me there are people out there who would attach and hardwire the actual Battery Tender unit to their cars? Unbelieveable!!!

 

[AviP]

No notes needed or worries about driveing away while plugged in by doing what I do. I bought the optional cigarrette plug for the tender and simply plug it into the 12v adapter in the side box between the seats. You only have to leave one window down just enough for the cord to clear and hang out. I leave it on the drivers side and works great.

+1. I don't understand the reason for having any other method.

 

[vancouver-gts]

I'd rather take weight out of the car than adding some .Pigtail only for me.

 

[trojewski]

+1: that's the only way to do it!