Battery Protection package

8369 Views 34 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Buzzardz_vette, Dec 27, 2013

autoxal

Discussion Starter · Nov 29, 2013

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).

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jsvette

· #8 · Nov 29, 2013

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.

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jsvette

· #10 · Nov 30, 2013

mjw930 said:
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.

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jsvette

· #12 · Dec 1, 2013

autoxal said:
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

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jsvette

· #14 · Dec 5, 2013

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.

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jsvette

· #17 · Dec 5, 2013

John V said:
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).

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jsvette

· #19 · Dec 6, 2013

John V said:
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.

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jsvette

· #24 · Dec 7, 2013

Fdxpilot said:
I'll have to ask one of our mechanics if he can find a spare red "Remove before Flight" tag from the shop.

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Wish I had that option, instead I made up bright yellow arrows about 8 inches long that I stick in between the driver window and frame when I have the CTEK attached. I use it on my and my wife's cars. It's worked every time

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jsvette

· #27 · Dec 20, 2013

Carl said:
Not completely convinced the CTEK is necessary for my Stingray. Need comments from you other owners.

Carl there has been a good discussion already here on the forum. If you would like further information I suggest you do some internet reading on CTEK and other chip driven maintainer systems. You are the only person who knows how you drive- frequent short trips versus longer runs, how long you park your car without driving, your experience with longevity in other modern car batteries, etc.

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jsvette

· #32 · Dec 25, 2013

zimm888 said:
Do all C7s have a rear accessory port? Can I use my existing battery tender or do you need to buy the $100 option for it to work?

Yes all C7s have the accessory port at the rear right of the trunk. It is live when the car is off (unlike the front accessory port which is only live while the car or accessory setting is on, but will go off once the door is opened ).

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