StormRune

You are fine hooking the ground to the battery if you find this more convenient. There is no safety reason to do otherwise, even if you didn't have the safer AGM battery. Assuming that the charger isn't plugged in and active while you are hooking up the battery connection (and it isn't), there is no chance of a spark at the battery since the wiring circuit is open ended during the connection of the harness to the battery.

I believe those recommending the chassis are confusing this with proper technique when hooking up a live jump start where a significant spark can occur. In this case it cannot. But whichever way makes you feel better is fine... they'll both work.

feh

I use the passenger footwell cigarette socket and it works very well. I wish my other cars could do that,

RONGLOS

I observed a guy helping a couple of ladies by jumping their car. When he connected the ground to the battery he ignited the fumes from the battery an burned his eyes. A cop happened by at that time and being in a fast food parking lot took him in to clear his eyes. Long story I know. Don't know the out come for him but what I say made me a believer, don't use the negative post. Ground away from the battery.

orclean1

Porsche_nuts

This as it relates to battery maintainers. Jumping a car is a different story.

S S

Here's what I went with...



I've been a cigarette adapter in the foot well/under the door guy before, so we'll see how this works out.

ẞ

goldduster

I got a CTEK 3300 (Battery Tender was half the price at Costco) and did it the same way S S did, only hung it from a rafter. Didn't think to hook into the garage opener or tie it down to the battery. Good idea and cleaner than the way I did it!

991.two

Yes I understand the safety cautions about Jump Starting, but we are talking about connecting a permanent mounted Trickle Charger. But your right about Safety First.

GKGEIGER

StormRune

There is a 12v accessory port (without the lighter insert) up high in the passenger footwell adjacent to the PCM on the center console hump.

saundebn

Interestingly enough, my SBA asked me about my intended use of the car when I picked it up … was I going to daily drive it or not. If not, he recommended a direct battery connection for using a battery conditioner and to not use the 12V port within the car's passenger compartment. Since I was planning to daily the car, I didn't ask more about it but I'm guessing that he was making that recommendation due to some quirks about the 12V socket function depending on such factors as which socket is used and whether the car is locked or not.

If I were to add a battery conditioner set up, I would definitely go with the direct connect option as described here in this thread.

GKGEIGER

This doesn't make sense, since the factory Charge O Mat plugs into a 12V cig type port.

saundebn

I hear you but alas, that is what he recommended … I've read in other threads about there being issues with socket behavior although I don't recall the details … it is also what they clearly do in the showroom although that could be simply to keep the cord from being in the way of customers.

Sidvicious7

go.illini

OBD port charging connector is the way to go in my opinion.