Bought a Battery Tender, where to mount quick connect?

[alee]

Bought a Battery Tender Plus (http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0128-Plus-Charger/dp/B00068XCQU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1245653459&sr=8-1) tonight.

I know I can use the charging clamps, but would like to use the quick connect/disconnect cable. Should I be mounting this on the battery in the trunk, or should I put the connects under the hood? Anything I should know about hooking up my E46?

-Al

[vexed]

Under the hood. that's where I would have put them on the E60.

[Andrew*Debbie]

You don't want to be doing anything that will make sparks near the battery.

[jesimmons]

Hopefully this will help: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3978039&postcount=2

[alee]

Hopefully this will help: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3978039&postcount=2
Thanks that does help. Any reason you decide to clamp the eyelet vs. loop it onto the post?

[jesimmons]

Thanks that does help. Any reason you decide to clamp the eyelet vs. loop it onto the post?

Yes... 2 reasons.

1) The eyelet on the Tender wire was too small for the bolt to go through. I could (and may still) have cut the eyelet off and installed a bigger one to accomodate the bolt. It would be a cleaner (more reliable) installation. I haven't had any issues though, and its been installed for 6 months.

2) If the eyelet fits on the bolt, then there is no easy path for the tender wire without altering the plastic housing that covers the positive jumper connector. My approach required no alrerations.

[alee]

Thanks jesimmons! When my tender gets in tomorrow, I'll give it a go!

[jesimmons]

You're welcome. The good news - I find the BT+ works really well. :thumbup:

The bad news - I have to use it at all. :thumbdwn:

BTW... I purchased mine at exactly the same place (Yahoo seller). :) But the price has gone up a few bucks since then.

[djfitter]

Yes... 2 reasons.

1) The eyelet on the Tender wire was too small for the bolt to go through. I could (and may still) have cut the eyelet off and installed a bigger one to accomodate the bolt. It would be a cleaner (more reliable) installation. I haven't had any issues though, and its been installed for 6 months.

2) If the eyelet fits on the bolt, then there is no easy path for the tender wire without altering the plastic housing that covers the positive jumper connector. My approach required no alrerations.

My eyelet fits on the bolt, exiting to the right, and with a little kink of the wire, the red plastic cover closes without alteration. :dunno:
Also, for my ground lead, I unscrewed the provided ground bolt (the one with the dimpled top) and placed the eye there. :)
Any way ya do it, it solves the battery issues. :D

dj

[jesimmons]

My eyelet fits on the bolt, exiting to the right, and with a little kink of the wire, the red plastic cover closes without alteration. :dunno:
Also, for my ground lead, I unscrewed the provided ground bolt (the one with the dimpled top) and placed the eye there. :)
Any way ya do it, it solves the battery issues. :D

dj

Hmmm. We got our cars about the same time as I recall so they should be identical at the jumper posts. Maybe I'll give your approach a try. When I first tried it, I didn't remove the + bolt all the way because it looked too big for the eyelet to fit. So I just wedged the eyelet underneath and to the left. Seems to work fine that way too.

[alee]

The eyelet fits nicely over the bolt on the E46 and the cover snaps down fine (although a little tight)... 15 min and the car is now happily charging away. Thanks for everyone's help here.

[Thunder Dump]

Has anyone installed the Battery Tender leads on the under-hood posts on an E93? The negative post looks pretty straight forward but the positive clamp post is an all in one design with no bolts to speak of, so no way to attach the positive lead.

[kashrahman]

a little late reply, but I just got a Battery Tender for my E93 -- I used the clamps to attach to the positive clamp post and the negative bolt -- couldn't find any way to install it using the eyelets. hope this helps, Kash

[Mech_Man]

Kind of makes me wonder when the gadget-freaks in BMW's research and development will replace the sun roof shade panel with a photo-voltaic solar panel, and use that to trickle-charge the ever increasing complex electronics. <LOL>

That small an area, under the clear sun roof glass, probably won't get much more than a couple of D-Cell battery's worth of power, but for a trickle, that's not too bad.

[sno_duc]

Most cars with computers use between 2 milliamps and 20 milliamps with the key off. Not a problem for short periods in warm weather, a week at -10*f could be a problem. A small photocell that put out 30 milliamps would make all the difference. I've heard that some Fords will drain the battery in about a week in cold weather.

[robj213]

Did you guys disconnect the battery while installing the quick disconnect under the hood? I'm thinking about picking up one of the Battery Tender Plus as well...