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Battery Charger Adapter DIY

Discussion in '612/599' started by Skidkid, May 30, 2019.

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  1. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
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    #1 Skidkid, May 30, 2019
    The adapters are VERY expensive for no obvious reason. The parts total about $30. There are a few different pins that will work but I used the 16 awg pins because you need to include the sense wire.

    How to:
    https://www.kumari.net/index.php/cars/ferrari-battery-charger-cable

    Parts:
    Strain Relief - https://www.newark.com/souriau/mbg4s1/strain-relief-4way-thermoplastic/dp/16F5846
    Connector - https://www.newark.com/souriau/mbg4p1/circular-connector-receptacle/dp/16F5838
    Pins - https://www.newark.com/souriau/sc16ml1s6/contact-female-18-16awg-crimp/dp/88K2675

    You can get the adapter for whatever charger you have on Amazon. Be sure you go with the smaller wire sizes. Two reasons: it doesn't draw much current and the pins are small.

    I can post some pics later tonight for the ones I made.
     
  2. TrojanFan

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    #2 TrojanFan, Jun 6, 2019
    superdoug and brogenville like this.
  3. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
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    #3 Skidkid, Jun 7, 2019
    That looks like a 3 pin DIN. It is a mil spec locking connector. Out of town with the wife but will find a link and post one for you.


    Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat
     
  4. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
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    #4 Skidkid, Jun 7, 2019
  5. TrojanFan

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    #5 TrojanFan, Jun 8, 2019
    Ill see if i can get a better photo of the plug. I know several owners looking for a connector that fits. Ive purchased a few that were close but no cigar yet.
     
  6. TrojanFan

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    #6 TrojanFan, Jun 12, 2019
  7. greyboxer

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    #7 greyboxer, Jun 12, 2019
    Given the plug is so hard to obtain surely you are better off accepting that socket is obsolete and just wiring in the leads that come with any replacement charger ?
     
  8. Skidkid

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    #8 Skidkid, Jun 12, 2019
    I have no idea what you are talking about Jimmie. I am more certain than ever that is the amp connector I posted. It isn't obsolete, it just isn't generally used in consumer applications. Look at the placement & size of the keys; look at the pin placement relative to the keys; look at the locking mechanism.
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  9. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
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    #9 Skidkid, Jun 12, 2019
    For wiring I am going to guess that a, b, c = 1, 2, 3 but you can easily identify the power and gnd with a multimeter. The remaining pin will be the sense for indicating that it is connected to power. Take a look at the link on how to make one for the 599.
     
  10. TrojanFan

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    #10 TrojanFan, Jun 15, 2019
    Jimmie, I'm running with a CTEK pigtail off the battery now and it works fine, but if I can match the plug and wire something up, I gain the other functions and a cleaner application.
     
  11. TrojanFan

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    #11 TrojanFan, Jun 15, 2019
    It sure looks like the plug and im game to give it a try. Since the minimum order is only 1, ill order one on Monday.
     
  12. TrojanFan

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    #12 TrojanFan, Jun 15, 2019
    Just placed an order for the plug. Will.have it in a week and will share if it fits. If so, this is a great find for the early 612. My CTEK pigtail off the battery works fine but this would be cleaner and enable more functions.
     
  13. Skidkid

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    #13 Skidkid, Jun 16, 2019
    Let me know if you need any help, I have made a couple of adaptors already just not with that plug. Amp has a pin insertion tool and a pin removal tool but you can get by without them pretty easily. Insertion is easy, removal takes a piece of tightly rolled aluminum can.
     
  14. TrojanFan

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    #14 TrojanFan, Jun 16, 2019
    Thanks. Ill let you know how this goes.
     
  15. TrojanFan

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    #15 TrojanFan, Jun 21, 2019
    Ok, so far so good. The plug arrived and fits the early '05 - '06 612 original charger plug. This may be a great find. Now I need to see if can wire it to a CTEK plug.

    Not to crazy about the military olive green color that it comes in but i can paint it black.
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  16. Skidkid

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    #16 Skidkid, Jun 21, 2019
    Yea, they are a mil spec type high reliability connector and I have never seen them in anything but that green. Paint is your friend. You can verify pins this way using a multi meter:
    GND to the frame should equal zero ohms or very nearly. Yes, use resistance to verify this.
    +12 to frame should equal 12V and be a steady solid value.
    Sense will likely appear like a floating pin so voltage will be something in the middle and it will not be a solid value; it could be a solid something like .7 or 1.5V but I would expect floating. If you measure resistance it won't be zero but could look like infinite depending on the direction you have the probes. Either way, after you have the first two set you are just verifying that this isn't like the other two.

    Best guess is:
    • PIN_1: +12V (charge)
    • PIN_2: +12V (sense)
    • PIN_3: Ground

    Keep us updated and post what pins are what.
     
  17. TrojanFan

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    #17 TrojanFan, Jun 21, 2019
    Trouble is that I didn't know that the plug required pins to connect. I could simply solder the wires but prefer to go the pin route. Spent most of my afternoon running to 7 stores trying to source locally and none of which sell pins of this size. I have one more place to try otherwise I'm back to an online order and additional delays.
     
  18. TrojanFan

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    #18 TrojanFan, Jun 22, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2019
    Image Unavailable, Please Login First item, at the last electrical parts shop, the guy there swears that these are solder connections not pins, so thats resolved. Once i figure the right spots, i can solder together, but on to the more pressing problem.

    On the voltage, I'm reading 0 volts on pins A, B & C. I haven't had the chance to dig much deeper to see if its disconnected somewhere as the wires disappear as part of the harness. The charge port shows a red/white, red and black wires. Goes into a heavy plastic connector that i need to figure out how to take apart without breaking. Anyone have the trick on the connector shown?
     
  19. brogenville

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    #19 brogenville, Jun 23, 2019
    Can I ask the really dumb question? What does the “sense” wire do? Or rather, what does it give you? I only have ground and 12v leads on my “smart” charger, so I guess the answer is lot a lot for me.

    Curious to see how this goes- i have the same charger preparation for my car, but I just wired in a separate fly-off lead for the battery tender.
     
  20. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
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    #20 Skidkid, Jun 23, 2019
    Red = +12
    Black = gnd
    Red/White = Sense

    Robin, the sense makes the system illuminate the indicator in the dash that shows the charger is connected. That way you don't forget it is connected and drive off.
     
  21. brogenville

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    #21 brogenville, Jun 24, 2019
    Ahhh... that makes sense! (Excuse the pun).

    I’ve definitely never done that before. Definitely.
     
  22. brogenville

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    #22 brogenville, Jun 24, 2019
    So does the “sense” wire just need to see ground to illuminate the dash?
     
  23. Skidkid

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    #23 Skidkid, Jun 24, 2019
    Sense needs to see power to illuminate the dash.
     
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  24. TrojanFan

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    #24 TrojanFan, Jun 24, 2019
    Red = +12
    Black = gnd
    Red/White = Sense

    Is this a guess or are you fairly certain on the wires? I understand that a red wire is more typical for the +12 V however as red/white is a heaver gauge and the same as the black gauge, to me it that makes more sense to me to be the "positive" charge wire. If the "sense" wire carries less, wouldn't the lighter gauge wire (the red one) would be more appropriate? I'm by no means an expert, just guessing based on the power usage of the wires. I would think that the +12 wire would be the same gauge as the ground wire.
     
  25. Skidkid

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    #25 Skidkid, Jun 24, 2019
    It is a guess and your logic is solid. To test it, you can apply power to what you think is the sense and see if the dash indicator illuminates. If you put +12 on the power it wouldn't matter so pretty much no harm no foul.
     

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