Trickle charger installation | FerrariChat
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Trickle charger installation

Discussion in '360/430' started by Virulosity, Aug 10, 2017.

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  1. Virulosity

    Virulosity Karting

    Jun 26, 2017
    162
    Orange County CA
    Full Name:
    Rob
    #1 Virulosity, Aug 10, 2017
    My car came with a connector loom for a battery tender wired behind the drivers side seat into some large gauge wires and a ground post on the chassis. I saw some threads where people are wiring directly to the battery. I just wanted to make sure there weren't any gotchas with using this setup. I bought a C-tek 4.3A charger and intend to replace the battery tender connector in the same place.

    Thanks,
    -Rob
     
  2. I'm 360 Canuck

    I'm 360 Canuck Formula 3

    Nov 21, 2015
    1,911
    Ontario, The Real One in Canada
    Full Name:
    Lars!
    #2 I'm 360 Canuck, Aug 10, 2017
    In theory, you can charge a battery many ways, including through the cigarette lighter socket (I'd never recommend this) ... BUT it seems to make the most sense to have as direct a connection to the battery as possible.
     
  3. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    18,047
    USA
    #3 f355spider, Aug 10, 2017
    Behind the seat is absolutely fine...many FNA dealers set up cars that way. Even though my car has the connection under the passenger side dash, the dealer had set up a plug behind the drivers seat for the previous owner....I took it out, just because.. ;)
     
  4. Virulosity

    Virulosity Karting

    Jun 26, 2017
    162
    Orange County CA
    Full Name:
    Rob
    #4 Virulosity, Aug 10, 2017
    I went ahead and tried it. No smoke or snap krackle and pop. The C-tek charger gets surprisingly hot, almost too hot to touch for more than a second. I will have to make sure I don't let it rest on the leather...
     
  5. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    18,047
    USA
    #5 f355spider, Aug 10, 2017
    I don't trust any of the battery tenders, (they are all made in China ;) ). Just use a cord extension so you can have it outside the car. I have mine mounted on the wall. Granite battery tenders even come with a 12ft extension, but easy to make your own.
     
  6. mike32

    mike32 F1 Veteran

    May 13, 2016
    5,962
    Isle of man- uk
    #6 mike32, Aug 11, 2017
    They run very cool so you saying it is hot rings alarm bells. The cables behind the seat are connected directly to the battery in 1 direction and to the alternator and starter motor in the other, so no problems connenting there. CTEK do a 2.5 mtr extension cable so you can put the charger external
     
  7. Virulosity

    Virulosity Karting

    Jun 26, 2017
    162
    Orange County CA
    Full Name:
    Rob
    #7 Virulosity, Aug 11, 2017
    The thin gauge wires were cool as they should be but the aluminum housing of the unit was very warm. I have used AC/DC chargers for model airplanes before and they also get pretty hot when sending max current for more than 10 minutes, so it didn't scare me too much, but I was a little surprised that it doesn't have any heatsink fins on the case, and 4 amps doesn't seem like much.
     

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