Battery Tender?

[Time2Fly]

@skydude And then did they have you release the trunk latch from the lever in the trunk?

 

[virtualmacho]

@skydude And then did they have you release the trunk latch from the lever in the trunk?

FOB or button on the dash works.

 

[silent cilantro]

What they did at the dealership was this: Using a finger or screwdriver, push down on the latch as if the trunk was closing. This will close the latch, preventing the trunk from closing completely. This leaves enough room for the wire while it appears that the trunk is closed. They had to do this as my dealer had 20+ Emiras sitting, waiting for CARB approval.

I didn’t want to be fumbling with the hatch every time so I got this.

I modified a bracket someone made for an Evora so that it could be attached using one of the diffuser mounting holes.

 

[NigeT]

As a few others do, I position the mains cable to the CTEK at the side of the rear hatch and balance the charger on the supercharger cover. When the rear hatch is fully closed it still does not pinch the cable - you can even move the cable with the hatch closed.

 

[scc.131.fe]

I didn’t want to be fumbling with the hatch every time so I got this.

I've thought of the same for several cars. Do you live in a wet/dry/winter climate? Curious how this would hold up in the Northeast.

 

[silent cilantro]

I live in Houston. So hot and humid but when it rains it pours. I just made sure the wires are insulated properly and then added silicone for good measure.

Bracket could be modified as to protect better from the elements but for my use case this will do

 

[JimH]

There’s plenty of give in the boot (trunk) seal to simply close it on the (low voltage side) Ctek cable. Just run it to one side and avoid the latch. Car can then be fully locked and alarm set to comply with insurance requirements. I use a Ctek extension cable to run to an indoor location where the charger “lives” and connects to the mains electricity supply. I’ve been doing this for years with my Evora and now with my Emira….

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

What they did at the dealership was this: Using a finger or screwdriver, push down on the latch as if the trunk was closing. This will close the latch, preventing the trunk from closing completely. This leaves enough room for the wire while it appears that the trunk is closed. They had to do this as my dealer had 20+ Emiras sitting, waiting for CARB approval.

Catching up on this thread as I'm now to the point of attaching the leads to the battery for my Lotus tender. Some questions for you who have already been down this path:

1. Where did you connect the negative lead to? Directly to the battery? Or some alternative earth ground? If so, where? Most references seem to strongly encourage not connecting directly to the negative battery post and some forum posts suggest other not so nice things happening maybe as a result such as error messages that can only be cleared by the dealer.
2. When reconnecting the battery, did you have any issues (errors, alarm going off, etc?)
3. With the method of closing the hatch without pinching the wires described above, how do you get the hatch reopened (since it's not really closed, but "fake" closed)? Can anyone/you just pull open the hatch?

Thanks!

 

[silent cilantro]

I didn't disconnect anything when installing the tender. Just connected the ground first, removed the inline fuse from the + lead, connected it to the positive terminal, then re-installed the fuse, no issues or codes. I've had it for over 3 months.

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

Thanks! So I can see that those two nuts you removed to install the lugs is not the same as the battery post collars, but is removing these nuts NOT disconnecting anything?

 

[silent cilantro]

When I removed the nuts everything stayed in place and maintained contact, but yes with the nuts removed it is possible to disconnect things if you wanted or if you are wiggling stuff around.

The nut on the positive side is mostly just holding down the little metal bracket that you'd use to connect an alligator clamp to.

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

When I removed the nuts everything stayed in place and maintained contact, but yes with the nuts removed it is possible to disconnect things if you wanted or if you are wiggling stuff around.

The nut on the positive side is mostly just holding down the little metal bracket that you'd use to connect an alligator clamp to.

Thanks much! It is done, easy peasy. As usual, I was overthinking this. And yes, I tried as best as I could to not disturb things on the negative post side when I removed the nut. The leads are now attached, everything is buttoned back up, and I've restarted the car, no error codes or other anomalies, so first test done. In a abundance of caution, I'll wait at least another 30 minutes before I attach the tender and plug it in. Thanks for your help @silent cilantro!

 

[silent cilantro]

Awesome!

 

[seriously]

When do you all use the battery tender? If you drive once a week you don’t need to hook up right? What’s the time duration where you think this is necessary?

 

[Aero]

I connected my negative tender lead to the lower mounting bracket bolt into the body. Have a good continuity there as well. Have seen it connected to the negative terminal too and should be ok that way with the lows amps current from the battery tender. Either way is fine.
I connect my tender after every drive (unless going back out same or next day). Just habit really and if drive every week prob not required (but Lotus). Have done same thing in our 911 and the battery is almost 11 years old.
I just close the hatch fully and its not pinched. Just dont lightly press it as it can be hard to reopen it if its in half closed position.

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

I connected my negative tender lead to the lower mounting bracket bolt into the body. Have a good continuity there as well. Have seen it connected to the negative terminal too and should be ok that way with the lows amps current from the battery tender. Either way is fine.
I connect my tender after every drive (unless going back out same or next day). Just habit really and if drive every week prob not required (but Lotus). Have done same thing in our 911 and the battery is almost 11 years old.
I just close the hatch fully and its not pinched. Just dont lightly press it as it can be hard to reopen it if its in half closed position.

Yep, which I've now just learned Wound up going to the nut next to the little box thingy next to the positive post. Good so far, tender blinking green indicating 80% charged now. One thing I noticed in the process though. My taillights go on when I pop the rear hatch and seem to stay on as long as the hatch is open. I contemplated leaving the hatch open in the garage last night while experimenting with the tender, waited a good long while, at least 5 min but the taillights would not turn off unless I closed the hatch. Is that supposed to be the case? Seems like a potential battery drain issue if so. Is there anyway to turn off the tail lights while the hatch is open?

 

[JimH]

Yep, which I've now just learned Wound up going to the nut next to the little box thingy next to the positive post. Good so far, tender blinking green indicating 80% charged now. One thing I noticed in the process though. My taillights go on when I pop the rear hatch and seem to stay on as long as the hatch is open. I contemplated leaving the hatch open in the garage last night while experimenting with the tender, waited a good long while, at least 5 min but the taillights would not turn off unless I closed the hatch. Is that supposed to be the case? Seems like a potential battery drain issue if so. Is there anyway to turn off the tail lights while the hatch is open?

In true Lotus terminology, "They all do that, Sir".....

 

[luciddaydream]

When do you all use the battery tender? If you drive once a week you don’t need to hook up right? What’s the time duration where you think this is necessary?

Yeah I dont get it either.
I have a parking garage and I dont want to mess with trying to trickle charge it.

 

[scc.131.fe]

When do you all use the battery tender? If you drive once a week you don’t need to hook up right? What’s the time duration where you think this is necessary?

After each drive for me, to re-enforce the habit. I already had the habit with my wife's car, so the Emira "fits the lifestyle". I don't know that anyone has really catalogued what modules wake up and sleep when. If I unlock the car to get sunglasses out, seems like the whole shootin' match wakes up. If I close the door and walk away (but don't lock the car) everything seems to stay online. How long does everything keep running for?

I also can't see a build month/year sticker on the battery while it's installed, so I don't know if it's 6 months old or 2 years old.

That being said, would I take a 5-day trip with the car given no charge capability? Yes I would. When the car was new to me in April we still had some near freezing nights. I drove the car on a short (20 mile) drive and then parked it. Left it for two days without the tender and then it started right up on a 35-degree morning. But, I wasn't in and out of the car during that time.

 

[seriously]

I feel like there is too much stress on this. The emira is a modern car and should work like a modern car- as in you can drive it around, park and drive again.

I think the trickle charger is there because it’s clear that the emira is mostly a 2nd 3rd or 4th car so may not be driven much in which case trickle charger makes sense. Also given Lotus you don’t want the battery to go wonky since the electronics are finicky as is. But there must be some reasonable guideline on when to use the trickle charger, winter hibernation? Yes. Maybe not driving for at least 2 weeks?