cyber996

Where do you run the cord? Is there a grove or gap to allow space for the cord?

also if storing outdoors removal of the battery may be necessary.
is that recommended?
will it erase all data? Doors remain unlocked?

LexVan

I close the door on the thin little cord. Cord is 10 years old. Looks/works great.

CSK 911 C4S

Could hard wire is and bring it up right above the battery.

Bemo

Am I the only dumb *** who runs it through the passenger side window, cracked open ever so slightly so that the cord gets in? I have a "sad" 1 car garage, which gets the job done though.

Said "sad" garage will be featured in a separate thread, soon!

LexVan

Could be. there's one in every group.

Dangelus

Just close door on cord and all will be fine in Spring. Been doing it for 8 years with no issues.

GTOWN83

Good thread, thank you. I was wondering what others did. I shut the door on the cord.

Bemo

Good to know!

Still going to stick with my approach...

cyber996

The ctek is not suppose to be covered.
putting the charger in the trunk should be fine right?

is the porsche charger a rebranded ctek 3300?

I used a motomaster eliminator ($50 cheapo) in the past on other cars but it isn't advanced like the ctek. It did the job but I guess it's not worth the risk on a high end car.

StormRune

I hang the CTEK charger from a hook hanging down from the garage door opener base (it was a planting pot hanger). When I'm not using the charger, I can coil the cord on the hook like you see in the photo so it is out of the way but convenient for next time. The charger controls are head-level and easy to access, but enough to one side of the pathway between cars that it isn't in the way. Most importantly, I can't accidentally get in the car and try to move it with the charger plugged in since the cord drops into the driver's window to the cigarette lighter so I can't fail to notice it is plugged in. I do the same as Bemo and leave the window open enough for the cord to drop through although I doubt it does any harm the other way... but this way I am 100% positive.

kayjh

My 5 series has a plug in port in the front air dam area. I plug it in when not being used for long periods put post it note on the steering wheel. Driving off once with it still attached was all I needed to learn that lesson.

MJG911

my buddy had a 2004 C4S with a battery tender on it. He went to start the car and the battery exploded. minimal damage fortunately, it was all contained.

LexVan

Your buddy had a very old, poorly maintained, car battery. This has nothing to do with the battery tender.

StormRune

In addition, it is also be likely that he wasn't using a modern smart-charging maintainer. Most likely it kept charging the battery beyond what was needed for its good health. This causes excessive amount of hydrogen gas to be generated while the water/acid mix dwindles away.

But even this wouldn't have caused an explosion without a spark. That lends credence to LexVan's comment about the battery not being properly maintained (and this extra maintenance may have been needed due to a questionable charger in the first place). Most often this spark for a battery explosion comes from someone jump-starting the car, but this was only from starting it. That leaves the only place a spark near the battery would likely have come from was within the battery itself. This occurs when a battery's water/acid level is allowed to become dangerously low and the internal lead plates are exposed and overheat since they are no longer bathed in fluid. They warp and a spark can then jump between them as soon as voltage from the alternator appears. Add that to the excess gas from over-charging just before starting and Kaboom!

I don't think anyone using a modern high-quality smart charger needs to worry about his.

porsche42

Use the batttery maintainer and shut the door on the cord. Being doing it for years. I have a Sears battery maintainer works fine.