Silly question on battery tender hook up

coh661 · 11-08-2016, 06:17 PM

So do you guys hook up the tender directly to the battery in the hatch or to the terminals under the hood? I'm trying to figure out if it ok to hook up to the terminals under the hood and If i can run the wires under the car so I don't need to have the hood open all winter.

Last year I just hooked directly to the battery and ran the wires out the cracked open side glass. Curious how everyone else does it. I suppose I can just take the battery into the house but I'd rather just leave it in and trickle charge it in the car.

itdnwiwbp · 11-08-2016, 06:36 PM

The terminals under the hood are fine and definitely the easiest method. I run the wires out the front by the headlight so nothing gets pinched.

coh661 · 11-08-2016, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itdnwiwbp

The terminals under the hood are fine and definitely the easiest method. I run the wires out the front by the headlight so nothing gets pinched.

So underneath the car or do you keep the hood cracked open?

itdnwiwbp · 11-08-2016, 06:59 PM

I keep the hood cracked just short of being fully latched but there's enough space where the corner of the hood, fender and headlight come together that you could close it fully if you wanted to.

rockstar93 · 11-08-2016, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itdnwiwbp

I keep the hood cracked just short of being fully latched but there's enough space where the corner of the hood, fender and headlight come together that you could close it fully if you wanted to.

I do the same thing. Enough slack in the cables (on my Battery Tender Plus) to hook up to the terminals under the hood, run across the engine, through the space at the inner corner of the headlight.

If you do hook up to the battery in the trunk, I believe you need to manually "close" the trunk latch so the light turns off.

chickdr · 11-08-2016, 07:38 PM

You can easily run the power cord out the bottom of the engine and out so you can completely close the hood.

3798j · 11-09-2016, 03:16 PM

I use the under hood hookup...running the wire to the base of the windshield (just to the left of the driver's wiper arm).

inTgr8r · 11-09-2016, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockstar93

I do the same thing. Enough slack in the cables (on my Battery Tender Plus) to hook up to the terminals under the hood, run across the engine, through the space at the inner corner of the headlight.

......

^+2
With this method the cord is kept off of the paint.
I keep the tender on year round and this makes it very easy to put on and take off.

joelselman · 11-10-2016, 01:33 PM

I have a cigarette lighter end on my battery tender and use the cigarette lighter whenever the car is unused for an extended period of time. Easy hookup but it requires window/top to be open. By the way, if you leave trunk lid open, trunk light will go out by itself after about 10 minutes.

coh661 · 11-11-2016, 07:59 AM

Thanks for the tips everyone. I went with the method of running the wire out near the headlamp

inTgr8r · 11-11-2016, 08:54 AM

When I reno'd my garage I installed a wall outlet near this location so that could hookup like this with no extension cord needed.

11-08-2016, 06:17 PM	#1
coh661 Banned 191 Rep 453 Posts Drives: 2007 Z4M Coupe Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: WY iTrader: (4) Garage List 2007 Z4 M COUPE [8.00]	Silly question on battery tender hook up So do you guys hook up the tender directly to the battery in the hatch or to the terminals under the hood? I'm trying to figure out if it ok to hook up to the terminals under the hood and If i can run the wires under the car so I don't need to have the hood open all winter. Last year I just hooked directly to the battery and ran the wires out the cracked open side glass. Curious how everyone else does it. I suppose I can just take the battery into the house but I'd rather just leave it in and trickle charge it in the car.
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11-08-2016, 06:36 PM	#2
itdnwiwbp Major 78 Rep 1,443 Posts Drives: 330iZHP Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Long Beach, CA iTrader: (10)	The terminals under the hood are fine and definitely the easiest method. I run the wires out the front by the headlight so nothing gets pinched.
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11-08-2016, 06:59 PM	#4
itdnwiwbp Major 78 Rep 1,443 Posts Drives: 330iZHP Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Long Beach, CA iTrader: (10)	I keep the hood cracked just short of being fully latched but there's enough space where the corner of the hood, fender and headlight come together that you could close it fully if you wanted to.
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11-08-2016, 07:38 PM	#6
chickdr Lieutenant Colonel 140 Rep 1,990 Posts Drives: 2006 M Roadster Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buford, GA iTrader: (0)	You can easily run the power cord out the bottom of the engine and out so you can completely close the hood.
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11-09-2016, 03:16 PM	#7
3798j Lieutenant Colonel 11379 Rep 1,793 Posts Drives: E86 3.0si Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Susquehanna Valley iTrader: (0) Garage List '55 Ford F100 [0.00] '08 Z4 3.0SI [8.50] '66 Triumph TR4A [0.00] '85 Corvette [0.00] '64 Corvette [0.00] '68 Triumph GT6 [0.00] '19 VW Golf "R ... [0.00]	I use the under hood hookup...running the wire to the base of the windshield (just to the left of the driver's wiper arm).
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11-10-2016, 01:33 PM	#9
joelselman Private 5 Rep 59 Posts Drives: 2005 Z4, 2001 530 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: lake havasu city, az iTrader: (0)	I have a cigarette lighter end on my battery tender and use the cigarette lighter whenever the car is unused for an extended period of time. Easy hookup but it requires window/top to be open. By the way, if you leave trunk lid open, trunk light will go out by itself after about 10 minutes.
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11-11-2016, 07:59 AM	#10
coh661 Banned 191 Rep 453 Posts Drives: 2007 Z4M Coupe Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: WY iTrader: (4) Garage List 2007 Z4 M COUPE [8.00]	Thanks for the tips everyone. I went with the method of running the wire out near the headlamp Attached Images
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11-11-2016, 08:54 AM	#11
inTgr8r Lieutenant General 2426 Rep 11,667 Posts Drives: M2 Comp Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Toronto iTrader: (10)	When I reno'd my garage I installed a wall outlet near this location so that could hookup like this with no extension cord needed. __________________ '21 M2C Hockenheim Silver '18 718 Cayman S Lava Orange (sold) '13 E92 M3 Santorini Blue (sold) '07 Z4 M Coupe Alpine White (sold)
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