Trickle Charger Quick Connect Cables

[Madlock]

I'm hoping someone already may have solved this dilemma.

Many who don't drive their cars daily and especially those who store them for the winter often do so with a trickle charger attached to keep the battery topped up and the car always usable rather than allowing the battery to go flat over time.

Most popular battery maintainers include offer as accessories a quick connect pigtail one may content directly to the battery terminals which are much more clean and convenient than clamps and so forth. Even the hood needn't be open while being maintained over long periods.

In the process of affixing quick connect pigtails to my stored S550s, I noticed how the ground lead's eyelet conveniently slips atop the battery's original grounding cable beneath the 10mm nut. But no such equivalent exits at the positive terminal, except the 10mm nut atop the compression fitting which just doesn't seem nearly as ideal.

I'd be grateful to know what others have done. Do you use the compression fitting bolt as a connection point for the positive quick connect lead or do you do something else which involves a different pigtail or adapter?

Thanks in advance for any relevant guidance.

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[Ultrakla$$ic]

I've attached my quick connect to the (2) 10mm nuts(one on negative and one on positive terminal) and have done it this way through 4 Mustangs in the last 3 years and it keeps the battery fully charged.

 

[Madlock]

I've attached my quick connect to the (2) 10mm nuts(one on negative and one on positive terminal) and have done it this way through 4 Mustangs in the last 3 years and it keeps the battery fully charged.

Thanks!

Didn't know if the positive one on the compression fitting would be sufficiently conductive. I sure wish Ford would offer these as an ASE-compatible accessory.

 

[Slyfox]

check out this thread , its a few threads down from your and has some good info "Battery tender question (Multi-page thread 1 2)"

 

[jasonstang]

I've attached my quick connect to the (2) 10mm nuts(one on negative and one on positive terminal) and have done it this way through 4 Mustangs in the last 3 years and it keeps the battery fully charged.

I tried to remove the nut but they won't come out because they notched last three threads. I almost stripped the bolts.
I am planning to attach the positive to the fuse box and negative to one of the body ground.

 

[Madlock]

I tried to remove the nut but they won't come out because they notched last three threads. I almost stripped the bolts.
I am planning to attach the positive to the fuse box and negative to one of the body group.

Glad you posted this. I JUST encounters the same phenomenon. Thanks!

 

[Ultrakla$$ic]

I tried to remove the nut but they won't come out because they notched last three threads. I almost stripped the bolts.
I am planning to attach the positive to the fuse box and negative to one of the body group.

I actually snapped a bolt on the first one I tried years ago so knowing this I just went real slow and after you get the nut off once its easy peasy afterwards..

I'll try and snap a pic of mine.

 

[Madlock]

I actually snapped a bolt on the first one I tried years ago so knowing this I just went real slow and after you get the nut off once its easy peasy afterwards..

I'll try and snap a pic of mine.

This is turning into a real bugger which damn near may require swapping out the positive terminal fitting, something I'm loathe to, especially on a new car. Ford seems to be using a unique fitting for both posts despite dozens of other types and styles that seem to work just fine which would be compatible, including S197 2012-2014 cars.

One would think that especially for such a perfunctory item, a standardized component would exist rather than Ford needlessly reinventing the wheel. And the fitment Ford uses also seems to preclude any kind of adjunct to which a ring terminal harness could easily connect.

 

[GTP]

...
I am planning to attach the positive to the fuse box and negative to one of the body ground.

^This.

Just pick up the connections at the fuse box. There are three heavy positive cables there. Pick up the ground that is screwed to the passenger side body tower.

For now I used the small copper spring clamps that came with my cheapie battery trickle charger from Harbor Freight.

Eventually I plan to wire in a permanent pigtail with polarized Molex style connector. Mating connector on the battery tender. Probably find something at Fry's electronics near my house. I will be happy to document this with photos, but not likely until spring when I get the car back out.

Edit1: See the photos in this post. http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showpost.php?p=976379&postcount=13
Edit2: Here is the polarized plug I picked up a Pep Boys:

I will cut the wires near one connector, install the longer wired connector to the car, and the shorter wired connector to my battery tender. I bought two of these sets, so that I can also convert the original clamps to quick-disconnect.

 

[S550GTDan]

I just hooked my battery tender up today. I also used the 2 10mm nuts on each terminal. My tender features a quick disconnect so I have that routed out of the battery box where the rest of the harness runs out of. When it's disconnected you can't even noticed I added anything!

 

[Stage_3]

This is what I use. Super easy and piece of mind. I plug it into the 12 volt outlet inside the car and done. Anytime I want to start the car, just unplug and fire up. Easy, peasy.

http://smartercharger.com/products/batterychargers/ctek-multi-us-3300/

 

[Ultrakla$$ic]

Pigtail to + and - terminal under battery cover and zip tied to harness. BADABINGA!

 

[jasonstang]

This is what I use. Super easy and piece of mind. I plug it into the 12 volt outlet inside the car and done. Anytime I want to start the car, just unplug and fire up. Easy, peasy.

http://smartercharger.com/products/batterychargers/ctek-multi-us-3300/

Yes and no. If the 12V outlet is switched, this won't work because the connection is open when ignition is off.
It only works if the outlet is constantly on.

 

[BLK50YR]

Im think about going with this one. There is some space to stash this near the battery.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schumacher-...601779?hash=item3f3dbaf333:g:aqwAAOSwd4tUJZTc

 

[GTP]

Im think about going with this one. There is some space to stash this near the battery.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schumacher-...601779?hash=item3f3dbaf333:g:aqwAAOSwd4tUJZTc

Those ring terminals will make for a nice permanent connection inside the engine bay. But you will want to add that quick disconnect trailer hitch shown in post #9.

This is the cheap $9 charger I use. Works fine. [Gadzooks these online images post huge.]

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