Trickle charger question

[Gus Strakes]

When using a trickle charger on my '06 coupe, where is the best place to attach the negative to get a good ground? A quick search turned up nothing.

Thanks in advance.

 

[2snakes4us]

Your operators manual will show you where, but there should be a grounding bolt on top of the sill on the drivers side.

 

[FangZ]

My trickle charger came with a "hook up" connector cable that I installed directly to the battery. I just reach through the car's "backside", grab the cable and hook the charger up when I park my Viper.

 

[Art 138]

Look at harbor freight (harborfreight.com) for item 42292-RXB- it is the size of a silver dollar and weights nothing: you can affix their float charger to the battery box with emblem tape. I cut off the grip connectors and attached the red/ black wires permanently to the Pos/neg posts of the battery respectively. I bought a modular connector at radio shack and installed between the wall transformer and the float charger. I have used for over a year with no issues.....It goes for 7.49 with a built in shut off........best thing I did.... To answer your specific question, I hooked the negative previously to one of the fuel rail bolts.

 

[MikeR]

My trickle charger came with a "hook up" connector cable that I installed directly to the battery. I just reach through the car's "backside", grab the cable and hook the charger up when I park my Viper.

I do the same thing. If my car is going to be parked for awhile, I reach thru back bumper and hook up to the connector i have on battery. Its very easy and cant be noticed when driving around. Its so simple to just plug in , walk away and know when you come back to your car it will start. Nothing worse then finding a dead battery when your gtting ready to go for a drive. Since most Vipers are not daily drivers, I think everyone should have one.

 

[big-n-italian]

i finally went out and bought a trickle charger the other day, and was suprised to find out how inexpensive they were. i should have done that a long time ago.

 

[silversrt]

I have a dual charger for my SRT and 911 TT. I bolted the O clips to the positive and negative. There is a quickconnect to plug to the trickle charger. I drilled about a 1/2" hole in the metal battery access panel in trunk and fed the connector wires thru this and under trunk carpet. To charge, I pop trunk, move carpet aside and plug in quick connect. Works great. Someone let me know if Im doing something wrong.

 

[Kenneth Krieger]

Just use the clips that are already on the battery tender. I changed the "cover" on the positive pole (to a piece of old fuel line that covers the bolt), that threads on and off easily, and clip the neg on a fuel rail bolt as previously suggested. I "always" open my hood after driving to vent the heat away from the engine compartment anyway, so I just hook up the tender at that point. Easy....schmeezy!

 

[ulllose]

To answer your question,,,,,,,,,,there are 3 studs with bolts on them right under the master cylinder........great ground and right next to the 12v jump start stud..........

 

[Shandon]

I just used the bolt on the headers to clamp onto.
If you are worried it's not charging you can always stand barefoot in a pool of water and clip it to your tounge. You know just like testing a 9volt battery Sorry Im just hacked i cann't drive right now because it's cold out!

 

[Viper X]

I attach the negative "clip" to the thermostat housing bolt.

The positive goes to the battery terminal cover under the hood.

Simple, fast and effective. Just don't back out of the garage with it hooked up.

Dan

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

I do the same thing. If my car is going to be parked for awhile, I reach thru back bumper and hook up to the connector i have on battery. Its very easy and cant be noticed when driving around. Its so simple to just plug in , walk away and know when you come back to your car it will start. Nothing worse then finding a dead battery when your gtting ready to go for a drive. Since most Vipers are not daily drivers, I think everyone should have one.

I did the same thing, it works great, its never seen until you need it.

 

[SF Final 286]

This is probably a dumb question but do you have to connect the ground (black) lead to a grounded part of the car or can you just clip the black lead to the negative battery terminal?
What's wrong with red to positive terminal and black to negative terminal on the battery?
This is in reference to cars where the battery is easily accessible (not the vipers).
Thanks

 

[bluesrt]

This is probably a dumb question but do you have to connect the ground (black) lead to a grounded part of the car or can you just clip the black lead to the negative battery terminal?
What's wrong with red to positive terminal and black to negative terminal on the battery?
This is in reference to cars where the battery is easily accessible (not the vipers).
Thanks

nothing-u have it right-u can do it a few ways

 

[VIPER R]

Why not use the cigarette lighter, most chargers come with that adapter.

 

[Peter Nielsen]

When using a trickle charger on my '06 coupe, where is the best place to attach the negative to get a good ground?

One of the generator hex head bolts. They're shiny clean metal and will give you perfect contact.

 

[kennyhemi]

One of the generator hex head bolts. They're shiny clean metal and will give you perfect contact.

That's where I hook it up. and have no issues!

 

[Peter Nielsen]

I just checked the manual, and it says:

In the picture, the arrow clearly points to the the hex bolt of the generator housing, or am I missing something


(BTW, this is in regards where to hook up starter cables. The manual does not mention where to hook up charger cables, but if it's good enough for starting you'd figure it's good enough for charging...)

 

[Art 138]

The alternator is on the passenger side; the arrow is pointing to the thermostat housing (driver side).......the ear they refer to is the housing edge.... however, hook-up a permanent trickle charger arrangement as discussed earlier in the thread and you will not have the hassles.....

 

[fireball]

I have a dual charger for my SRT and 911 TT. I bolted the O clips to the positive and negative. There is a quickconnect to plug to the trickle charger. I drilled about a 1/2" hole in the metal battery access panel in trunk and fed the connector wires thru this and under trunk carpet. To charge, I pop trunk, move carpet aside and plug in quick connect. Works great. Someone let me know if Im doing something wrong.

Just make sure you use a grommet in the hole. If the wires chafe there'll be a direct short with no fuse.

 

[Steve17]

Why not use the cigarette lighter, most chargers come with that adapter.

I was wandering the same thing. I have been using a 1 amp $25 Black and Decker Battery Maintainer from Walmart plugged into the lighter for over a year and thru the winter where I did not start the car. I have not had any problems. It is also impossible to drive off with car still plugged in.

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Do not use a trickle charger, use an auto float with reverse.

Full write up in the How To's section of installing the Harbor Freight unit.

Been using it for years, works perfectly.