Can you recommend a battery charge plug? | FerrariChat

Can you recommend a battery charge plug?

Discussion in '308/328' started by TGF, Aug 12, 2008.

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  1. TGF

    TGF Formula Junior

    May 1, 2007
    319
    North Central, MA
    Full Name:
    Tom
    I'd like to be able to put some kind of plug just inside the front grill so I can put my 308 on trickle charge without opening the front bonnet, etc. Anyone done this and have a recommendation?

    Thanks,
    -Tom
     
  2. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
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    May 4, 2001
    35,278
    Birmingham, AL
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    Tommy
    I have a Schumacher in all my cars (no NOT because of the name, either) It is small and thin. In the 308 I took the left front wheel off so I could reach in and mount it in front of the battery in an upright position. It comes with a little clamp for that. The cord sticks out of the grill just like you want. Perfect.
     
  3. dave80gtsi

    dave80gtsi Formula 3
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    Nov 3, 2003
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    Ohio
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    Dave Meredith
    If all that you want is a trickle charge, use a Battery Tender with a cigarette lighter plug adaptor. Just remove the lighter and plug the charger into the receptacle.

    I've done this for decades. Quick and easy.

    Cheers - DM
     
  4. WaltP

    WaltP Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
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    Walt P
    +1, quick and easy

     
  5. Jeff328

    Jeff328 Formula 3
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    Sep 5, 2006
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    WI
    What he said.
     
  6. FasterIsBetter

    FasterIsBetter F1 Veteran

    Jul 22, 2004
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    Steve W.
    I have a Sears trickle charger. It came with clip on leads as well as a plug with eye hooks that can be permanently installed on the battery. The pigtail on the plug lead is about a foot long. From where the battery sits on the 308, it would probably make it to the grill and could be attached there to the sheet metal with a small tab. I believe that Sears sells a little accessory kit for the charges that provides a plug lead like that, but not sure (seem to remember seeing that). It's worth a shot.
     
  7. stephenofkanza

    stephenofkanza Formula Junior

    Mar 5, 2005
    542
    Kansas
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    Stephen LeRoy Sherma
    #7 stephenofkanza, Aug 12, 2008
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2008
    Left over from my RC car days. I put a sermco connector on my battery tender and one on wires running to the battery soldered to washers on the bolts for the termnals on the battery. I wiretied to the towing hook hole on the passenger side of the car. Put a dummy sermco plug init to keep it clean.

    So I don't have to leave the top off or a window to use the lighter.

    Stephen
     
  8. davebdave

    davebdave Formula 3
    Owner

    Mar 18, 2007
    2,379
    Northern VA
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    Dave W
    I use a battery tender and I extended the included plug wire so that I could mount it underneath the fiberglass air dam just forward of the front wheel. It is my hope that this way I will see the wire before I drive off with it plugged in.

    This winter I am going to buy the four terminal unit and connect to two cars and two motorcycles. Would anyone worry abour hydrogen gas building up in the garage? What are the odds that when I hit my opener the garage explode?

    Dave
     
  9. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
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    May 29, 2001
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    #9 f355spider, Aug 12, 2008
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2008


    +3...this is the easiest solution. And the 18 gauge cord is thin enough that you can safely close the door on it, as the door seals are quite thick. I used this method on my 308 and later on my 328. Also on my BMW for the past 5 years. No problems, and door seals are fine.

    BTW Tom, if you buy the Black and Decker battery tender, it even comes with a cigarette light adapter, and the whole thing costs less than $20 at WalMart!
     
  10. Paul_308

    Paul_308 Formula 3

    Mar 12, 2004
    2,345
    #10 Paul_308, Aug 12, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I've used Molex 2 pin nylon 0.093" male female polarized connectors for years on all my 12v power systems.
    And being a ham, there are hundreds all over my house garage and cars.
    They used to be available at RadioShack but RS has changed so very much.
    Power input = female

    http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=092-552
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  11. TGF

    TGF Formula Junior

    May 1, 2007
    319
    North Central, MA
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    Tom
    Wow, this thread is a wealth of knowledge. Thanks gents. I already have a nice Sears tender so I am more interested in a set-up that let's me use it. I'll have to head over and see if they have the cigarette lighter adapter or make a plug like some of you have done.

    Thanks again.

    -Tom
     
  12. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
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    #12 f355spider, Aug 12, 2008
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2008
    Tom,
    Go to Radio Scrap...er Shack.

    http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062275&cp=2032056.2032136.2032154&pg=2&parentPage=search&y=13&origkw=cigarette&kw=cigarette&x=7&numProdsPerPage=20&parentPage=family

    This is the one I use, has an 8 foot cord, and 18 gauge wire, so slim enough to close the door on, without pinching on the rubber gaskets. Works great! :) I currently have it rigged up on a Griots Garage 1.5 amp battery tender. BTW, the internal fuse in the adapter was a 10 amp, since that seemed unnecessarily high, I swapped it out for a 5 amp one.

    While there are some excellent recommendations for electrical connectors, I would recommend you stick with the traditional "2 way flat electrical connenctor" only because it has become the standard that most, if not all battery tender companies now use, so if you ever need to use your adapter on another tender, or vice versa, you will be compatible. Some of the companies I am aware of that use this standard are: Yuasa, Griots Garage, Deltran, Black and Decker

    http://www.hitchesforless.com/electrical/electrical_connectors.htm This is what it looks like. You can find these plug adapters at most electronic supply stores, auto parts stores, or trailer stores.
     
  13. DGS

    DGS Six Time F1 World Champ
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    May 27, 2003
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    Shady O'Rack still has those, as of a month ago.
    And they're rated for high enough current to run a full 10A charger. (They have both the thinner 8A connectors, and the heavier connectors.)

    I've had a set lying around, thinking that I wanted to hard wire a connector to the battery side of the disconnect, if I wanted to leave the battery on a tender over the winter with the car unplugged from the battery.

    But I generally just use the lighter plug when I'm not unplugging the battery disconnect.
    It makes it less likely for me to forget to disconnect before driving off. ;)
     
  14. F&M racing

    F&M racing Formula Junior

    Feb 26, 2006
    668
    Michigan
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    JimF
    Look into Summit or Jegs web site and check out what the Drag racers use. They have their cars setup to charge from the outside. Most drag cars have the batteries in the trunk and the female connectors are located in the rear sheet metal between the tail lights or the bumper.
     
  15. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
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    welcome to FChat
     
  16. FasterIsBetter

    FasterIsBetter F1 Veteran

    Jul 22, 2004
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    Steve W.
    I'd be careful using the Sears unit in the cigarette lighter. If it's like the one that I have, it is an automatic tender, stops charging when the battery is fully charged. Maybe it will still work the same through the cigarette lighter, but I'd be a little concerned. You don't want to overcharge the battery. I would not connect it other than directly to the battery, as intended. Maybe I'm wrong, but I prefer to err on the side of caution on things like that.
     

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