just a heads up... have the Ctek Battery conditioner... using the cigarette lighter adapter... found that the plug often doesn't seat properly into the rear outlet... had been plugged in for a week ana voltage was still just 12 volts...

fiddled around with it and plugged in in and out a few times until I'd finally made contact...

i installed a voltage meter in the rear compartment to check voltage easily... glad I did...

 

I’m not too thrilled with charging through there either and am contemplating running two charging lines directly from the battery to the trunk and behind the grill.

Please share more information on your small voltmeter and where you tapped into the electrical system.

 

Sometimes I have had to jiggle the connector to make good contact. The conditioner will tell you if not making good contact - but the battery meter is a good idea.

 

Fwiw... I ran a pig tail in the engine bay. I always leave it up to cool off the engine... I bought a 6 dollar lighter adapter with USB and digital voltmeter from amazon...

 

Part ot the problem is that the bracket that holds the cigarette lighter outlet is so flimsy when you push the cord in it bends to easily .
I use the Genius trickle chargers on all my cars and they come with a fused pigtail that can be hard wired direct to the battery or under the hood to the jump start terminals etc and just left there .The Genius chargers also flash a code at you if it’s not connected properly, incorrect polarity , overly discharged , shorted cell etc etc .
The pigtail has a small socket on the end and the charger wire has a mating plug .
So if you decide to wire it in the engine bay you can run the charger wire through the grill or out of the corner of the hood etc when the car is plugged in .

 

My 12 dollar black and Decker has similar features and comes with three different adapters. Very handy!

 

This might be a better solution.



https://bernardembden.com/am/battender/index.htm

 

Nice setup EMBDENB and thank you for posting your link.

I recently purchased a CTEK through Amazon that was obviously a previously returned item. Charger and cord were haphazardly stuffed in the box but I tried it anyway. The CTEK kept getting stuck on mode 5 for hours when the limit is 30 minutes max and no error light appeared. It soon became apparent why it was previously returned and I did the same.

I now have a TECMATE OptiMate 6 which works great and was recommended by a fellow forum member.

The issue is that even if I drive the car for 1.5 hours nonstop and immediately plug in the charger, the charger indicates that the battery is only ~80% full. Alternator is working fine and Interstate battery is only two (2) years old. I’m not sure if this is because the battery is considerably larger that the average car battery or if the battery is somehow compromised. During the PPI it was tested with a Snap On Battery analyzer and it tested ok.

According to some battery websites, they suggest waiting 12 hours before testing voltage so that the surface charge has dissipated and you are getting a more accurate reading.

What voltage do do you guys show after a long drive?

Thanks in advance.

 

Generally I don’t plug mine in in the summer as I do use the car usually once a week and it starts fine .
If I haven’t driven the car due to weather I just plug it in , never checked the voltage .
my cars stay plugged in all winter Nov to May when they are tucked away .

 

I bought a cheap volt meter on amazon and tapped a large 12v wire going to the rear fuse compartment.

I also have a socket under the front grill, just for emergency... In case I cant get into the car. The one in the rear is convenient and works well. I can press a button any time to check the voltage and it doesnt modify the car in any way.

 

I followed EMBDENB’s link above and found some stellar tutorials on his website.

Thank you EMBDENB for taking the time and effort to document your projects.

Of particular interest is his very detailed Battery replacement page with fantastic pictures.

Here is a link to his very helpful website.

https://bernardembden.com/am/index.htm

 

The plug to the CTEK unit I use is a little loose as well in the connection in the rear outlet, so sometime have to wiggle it to to ensure it engages when I plug it in. The CTEK cable has an inline power level indicator (red, orange, green) so as long as it flashes I know the connection is good + the status lights on the CTEK unit itself change light when it is properly connected.

~~
I read through the procedure in the link from EMBDENB covering the battery replacement and I did the same thing that Bernard did to get the sliding anchors out at base of the battery. I cut off a little of the trim so the anchors would slid further to left. It's all hidden once everything is buttoned backup.

 

mine is the same...I usually check to make sure the led lights are on...

not sure if something got bumped, etc... I'm thinking of perhaps a different polarized connector detail for the tender

 

I plug mine into the cig lighter in the cabin, works fine and it is easier to run the cable thru the door window than it is thru the trunk.

 

The receptacle in the trunk is not deep enough to fully secure the plug of the charger unless you seat it perfectly and hopefully won't pop out. It's a crappy fit