[gtfoxy]

Looking to put the factory tender on for winter. I’d like to be able to have the hood & trunk shut.

I was originally thinking under the hood at the fuse box, & routing the wire down & out under the front, but that looks like it would require taking off the splash guard.

Then there is in the back that would require removing the pass side trunk panel & having to have the wires run out of the trunk.

Is there an easier way I’m not seeing?

[KingLT1]

You could possibly get a battery tender brand that has the quick disconnect and hard wire it up front then run the connector out through the grill or maybe underneath the car?

[Jaxcam02]

Originally Posted by gtfoxy

Looking to put the factory tender on for winter. I’d like to be able to have the hood & trunk shut.

I was originally thinking under the hood at the fuse box, & routing the wire down & out under the front, but that looks like it would require taking off the splash guard.

Then there is in the back that would require removing the pass side trunk panel & having to have the wires run out of the trunk.

Is there an easier way I’m not seeing?

you could route the wires from the underhood terminal out the hood near the passenger mirror

[az4783054]

I connected mine to the terminals on the battery. No need to even remove the battery cables, use the ring terminals on top of the battery terminals, secure with 6mm (?) nuts to the studs.

Route the quick connect harness through the removable panel, no need to modify it. Place a soft micro fiber towel over the bottom of the trunk opening with the Battery Tender wire going into the trunk, connect the two quick connects. Close the trunk lid, no harm will be done to the trunk rubber seal or Battery Tender wire.

[DC4]

I have mine connected under the hood to the positive terminal and the ground, the wire from myBattery Tender isn’t a large gage wire so fits in the small gap between the fender and the hood. I double checked when I was closing the hood that it didn’t harm the wires.I have do this for the past 2 years with no issues. I hope this helps you.

[gtfoxy]

I think I got it figured out.

I ran the 120v side down through the latch opening & out the lower front grill. Placed the box behind the pass headlight & ran the wires under the front brace beam & to the terminals.

Hood shuts fine. I may look for a bushing for the positive post as it’s pretty small & the clamp, while staying put when I shut the hood, is on the loose side.

Now all I have to do is lift the car cover up a little on the pass side to plug it in every other week or so.

[Emoto]

Originally Posted by az4783054

I connected mine to the terminals on the battery. No need to even remove the battery cables, use the ring terminals on top of the battery terminals, secure with 6mm (?) nuts to the studs.

Route the quick connect harness through the removable panel, no need to modify it. Place a soft micro fiber towel over the bottom of the trunk opening with the Battery Tender wire going into the trunk, connect the two quick connects. Close the trunk lid, no harm will be done to the trunk rubber seal or Battery Tender wire.

This is also what I did. To clarify, the power cord from the charger just goes out of the trunk laying on top of the big rubber seal that the trunk lid closes against and you can gently close the trunk on it, and it is fine.

[zaimer]

Great thread, OP! I have been pondering the same, but haven't gotten around to asking the questions.. haha.

Side question - do I purchase another one of these for the Camaro or buy something entirely different? I currently have this model for my bike..

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tende...f_=nav_signin&

[KirkH]

Lots of threads with ways to do this. Use the search to find them.

[az4783054]

Originally Posted by zaimer

Great thread, OP! I have been pondering the same, but haven't gotten around to asking the questions.. haha.

Side question - do I purchase another one of these for the Camaro or buy something entirely different? I currently have this model for my bike..

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tende...f_=nav_signin&

The motorcycle Battery Tender charges at .75amp vs the Battery Tender Plus at 1.25amp. Yours will work ok, but take much longer to bring the battery up to full charge.

[gtfoxy]

Originally Posted by az4783054

The motorcycle Battery Tender charges at .75amp vs the Battery Tender Plus at 1.25amp. Yours will work ok, but take much longer to bring the battery up to full charge.

I checked mine & it says 12v/ 3.3A.

https://www.gmpartsstore.com/oem-par...YtMmwtdjgtZ2Fz

[az4783054]

Originally Posted by gtfoxy

I checked mine & it says 12v/ 3.3A.

https://www.gmpartsstore.com/oem-par...YtMmwtdjgtZ2Fz

Yours is probably manufactured by CTEK. They've been available for a few years now, thought to be more 'high tech', partly because some of their models have optional amp input rates. The 3.3amp should charge slightly faster.

The Battery Tender Plus by Deltran is more 'old school', in appearance and versatility. I have used the Battery Tender Plus chargers since the 1990's with never a failure. Some of my former OPTIMA batteries lasted 10-12 years in my tri five Chevy cars (a lot less parasitic draw electrics). Modern cars have so many modules which draw down the battery.

https://smartercharger.com/

https://www.deltran-global.com/battery-tender/

A lot of people call their chargers "battery tenders" but they may not be manufactured by DELTRAN.

[wjones14]

Originally Posted by gtfoxy

I checked mine & it says 12v/ 3.3A.

https://www.gmpartsstore.com/oem-par...YtMmwtdjgtZ2Fz

That seems more like a charger than a tender. Typical tender amps are between 0.75 and 1.3. You’re not looking for a quick charge, but rather battery maintenance over a period of months.

[Emoto]

Originally Posted by wjones14

That seems more like a charger than a tender. Typical tender amps are between 0.75 and 1.3. You’re not looking for a quick charge, but rather battery maintenance over a period of months.

The GM-labeled CTEK chargers are supposed to be "smart" and will allegedly only supply a trickle during most of the storage time. I have a non-GM one that I got through Amazon that I have been using each winter since 2016, without ill effect.

Here is some of the text about mine:

"The CTEK MULTI US 3300 is a versatile battery charger in a compact format that makes it convenient and easy to charge and maintain all household vehicles. The special cold mode means that you can charge during the extreme winter months without problem. It is perfect for everyday vehicles as wells as vintage vehicles, RV's, boats, motorcycles, ATV's, lawnmowers and tractors. This charger specifically developed for different needs, vehicles and batteries.

It is a fully automatic (connect and forget) 4 step charger. Once switched to the preferred mode, the charger takes its own readings and then begins to charge the battery. Once the battery is charged, it will automatically switch to its maintenance phase. The patented pulse charging process is arguably the most caring mode for a battery connected for a long time.

Unused batteries lose their power and their life is shortened through sulphation. It is more difficult to charge sulfated batteries. The US 3300 has a patented method for reconditioning sulfated batteries. The charger analyzes the state of the battery and , if possible, recovers the battery and its power.

All CTEK chargers are designed to consider the safety of the user. They are spark free, making the connection much easier and safer. They are also protected from reverse polarity connections and short circuit proof protecting the sensitive electronic systems in vehicles today. If the battery is connected backwards the charger will show a red light and not charge until it is properly connected to the battery.

The Multi US 3300 battery charger has a 5 year Limited warranty"