[autoxal]

Have not seen anything mentioned about this more 'utilitarian' option available for the C7.

Paying $100 for an automatic battery maintainer (ERI)... specifically designed (?) to plug into the rear accessory power port on a C7 seemed like a good idea. That would mean to me, that it's been well thought out and ready to go (that's why I ordered it, while I already had two battery tenders in the garage). My suspicion is, that no one tried hooking the thing up (prior to production), in the fashion that most Corvette owners would use it. The power unit has two holes in it's base, obviously designed to fasten the unit to a wall next to your pride and joy. Thought this was a great idea! Made a one foot long wooden mounting pad to put onto studs in the garage, so I could attach to the wall next to the hatch. Power cord was of sufficient length... but the cord from the charger to the car was not quite thought though. They must have forgotten that owners who 'rest' their cars during sloppy winter weather (all of you in the northern states and provinces know who you are)... use a CAR COVER (mine is a 'dust proof', from California Covers). That cord, when plugged into the car, and draped out from under the bottom of the cover, means that the charger body has to be within about two feet of the car... this had me mounting the unit about ten inches from the floor, with a loop of wire about six inches off the floor. If that sounds like a tripping hazard to you... you are right. After snagging myself three times walking around the car, I remedied the problem by splicing in about five and a half feet of additional wire. Now I've got the unit up at around four feet (where I can easily see the charge status over the car) and have the cord to the car laying flat on the garage floor (no longer a tripping hazard).

Used 16 gauge stranded wire, wrapped, soldered connections, and used shrink tube on the joints and then larger tube over the whole thing. NOTE TO GM: Increase the length of the charging cord by at least five feet.

I could pass as an electrician (although worked in mechanical/piping system design for about 42 years), but not as an electrical designer... so I'm just assuming I've not affected the operation of the charger (in some crazy 'impedence' kind of way, or something).

 

[Dusty]

Al, I think your assumptions are correct about the added wiring but I am merely speculating. I would love to see some photographs of what you've done if you have a moment and the inclination. I'm sure my fellow 'vette fanatics would feel the same. Great post imo and good work on this new mod (new to me as I've never heard yet of anyone doing this).

 

[autoxal]

Here are photos... with one to show how short the cord would be without my added 'extension'. As a reminder, if you plan on doing this yourself, two important things: Use at least the same gauge wire (my charger wire was stamped as being 18 gauge, so I used 16 to be on the safe side) and make sure you keep the 'polarity' of the wiring the same... connect the red wire at the charger, connected to the red wire at the accessory jack end (use polarity marked wire... with a stripe or ridge identifying one of the conductors).

Photo of jack in car (in case you don't have the option, and were curious what it looked like):

Photo of what the wire would look like with the wire in the length it first was (clamped original end joints together).

Detail of charger on wall and one of the new 'extension' joints.

Photo of lengthened wire, with cover on the car. You can see, where the red/white wire ends at the new joint with the brown wire, after coming out from under the cover... that's where the charger itself would be sitting if the wire hadn't been lengthened (photo take from opposite direction).

 

[Dasyatis]

That clears up my question about how the wire routes out of the vehicle..

 

[autoxal]

I was a little disappointed that it just pressed past the rubber weather seal. When the battery was in the front of my C5, the maintainer cable easily came out at a headlight bucket, or at the hood edge. Would have liked to have seen a dedicated jack (not an accessory outlet) somewhere on the outside of the car... like under the rear, or in a wheel well (even under hood would have been okay). Don't like having the rubber possibly taking a set... from the wire pressing on it... potentially causing a whistle at highway speeds(?).

 

[Chip]

Just in case you want to wire your charger to the front of your car (under the hood) this will help: http://www.stingrayforums.com/forum/stingray-corvette-discussions/1645-under-hood-charging-points.html

 

[scottsdaledave]

I bought this through Ecklers I believe, it was $88. Love it. Using between my 2 corvettes now.

 

[jsvette]

I bring it out of the rear right of RedHot's trunk, so that the line is across the rubber seal. With the CTEK 3300 you have approximately 6 foot from the unit to wall via its power cord, and more than 6 foot from the unit to the accessory end- plenty of room to put it where you would prefer.

 

[mjw930]

At what point in closing the rear hatch does the dome light go off? I ask because if the light goes off when the hatch is lowered but not fully latched rather than pinch the wire in the seal just lower the hatch to where it rests on the latch. That way it's not pinching the wires.


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[jsvette]

At what point in closing the rear hatch does the dome light go off? I ask because if the light goes off when the hatch is lowered but not fully latched rather than pinch the wire in the seal just lower the hatch to where it rests on the latch. That way it's not pinching the wires.


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I fully close the hatch on RedHot and have checked the wires to ensure they are not pinched or crimped. You can gently slide them a bit when the hatch is fully closed and my wires (CTEK) show no issues.

 

[autoxal]

I bring it out of the rear right of RedHot's trunk, so that the line is across the rubber seal. With the CTEK 3300 you have approximately 6 foot from the unit to wall via its power cord, and more than 6 foot from the unit to the accessory end- plenty of room to put it where you would prefer.

This is okay, if you don't mind the 'unit' sitting on the floor next to your car (if you use a car cover in the garage)... I could have done this... but I wanted the 'unit' permanently mounted on the wall at about four feet off the floor, and not have a cord to trip or high line me. Since this is the 'far side' of the garage in my set up, I can easily look over the car and see the status of the charge indicator lights.

 

[jsvette]

This is okay, if you don't mind the 'unit' sitting on the floor next to your car (if you use a car cover in the garage)... I could have done this... but I wanted the 'unit' permanently mounted on the wall at about four feet off the floor, and not have a cord to trip or high line me. Since this is the 'far side' of the garage in my set up, I can easily look over the car and see the status of the charge indicator lights.

Good point. I just put mine on four 8x8 tiles and leave it on the garage floor where I can see the charge status lights. But then again I don't winter over my cars here in Vegas

 

[John V]

Does anyone know if an extension cord is commercially available that would adapt to charger port?

John V

 

[jsvette]

Why don't you contact the manufacturer of the version you are going after? They should be able to tell you if it will be OK with their unit. Any extension may impact the draw/amps/impedance the charger is reading and affect its cycles. It may make more sense to get an extension for the power cord end instead as that would have no impact (unless you went to too small a line rating/gauge) on the system.

 

[mjw930]

Don't over think it guys, the voltage drop for a 13.5v system over 12' at 1.5A is less than .24 volts. There are no issues.

This extension cord would do the trick nicely: http://www.amazon.com/RoadPro-RP-20...386214399&sr=1-1&keywords=12v+extension+cable




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[John V]

Thanks for input. I will probably try the one listed on Amazon.

John V

 

[jsvette]

Thanks for input. I will probably try the one listed on Amazon.

John V

John, just a thought: The extension from Amazon has a round cord, while the cord on the CTEK 3300 (and CTEK made for GM) are flat. My guess is that the flat cord sits better with the trunk seal than the round one might. You might want to consider using a regular extension if you need the length at the plug end of the unit instead. The total reach of the CTEK 3300 is over 13 feet (6 feet from the unit to the accessory end, the unit itself, and then a bit more than 6 feet from the unit to the end of its power cord).

 

[John V]

Thanks again for input. I went ahead and ordered the extension. I will check it out when it arrives.

John V

 

[jsvette]

Thanks again for input. I went ahead and ordered the extension. I will check it out when it arrives.

John V

Let us know the outcome please. Thanks.

 

[John V]

I had a thought after all of your input. I am considering leaving window down slightly and running cord out over drivers window. This will be a safegaurd for me to keep me from getting in and driving off with charger connected. I will make decision once the extension arrives and I hook it up.

John V