Please advise if you have installed a Battery Tender. Struggling with two elements.

[chiko]

I am really struggling with how to install a battery tender or supplemental charging system.

The picture shows that my '24 Maverick has tabs that appear to make it very difficult to install ring/spade terminals to the charging post in this small space. Do you just break off those plastic tabs? I am running 14 AWG wire with a 30 A fuse holder.

Similarly my search of this site indicates that the gold charging post is 5/16-18 SAE but I am struggling to validate that information. I started with metric M6 and M8 and those didnt work. I then bought some other 5/16 nuts but they are just loose and about 3 different loose bolts to try to make it fit. I cannot tell perfectly if I have metric nuts. I cannot quite tell if I have the SAE/Metric wrong or the pitch thread wrong.

Currently I am using the post under the black plastic and I am considering to just keep using that post. The posts on MTC seem to indicate that both the back plastic post and red plastic post both tie into a solid plate under the connectors and that is irrelevant which post I tie into.

Sponsored

 

[Johnkn]

The correct positive attachment point is the stud under the red cover.

Run a nut half way down the post, add the terminal, install lock washer and tighten 2nd nut while holding the first..

Good luck...
.

 

[BlueSpec1]

Most of the jump posts have been 5/16-18 threads. Maybe some have been metric.
I used 2 nuts and a ring lug. High enough to run the wire out the side.
I did put a little notch in the cover, only needed it on right side but cut 1st notch on left by mistake.

 

[chiko]

Most of the jump posts have been 5/16-18 threads. Maybe some have been metric.
I used 2 nuts and a ring lug. High enough to run the wire out the side.
I did put a little notch in the cover, only needed it on right side but cut 1st notch on left by mistake.

The correct positive attachment point is the stud under the red cover.

Run a nut half way down the post, add the terminal, install lock washer and tighten 2nd nut while holding the first..

Good luck...
.

@BlueSpec1 I really respect your photography skills. I think I will something similar.

I am planning to amend @Johnkn and replace the lock washer with thread-locker. My habits from motorcycling is that almost every fastener needed anit-seize or thread-locker. Thinking about it for a second, I can see where thread-locker would be an insulator while a lock washer would not. Going with lock.

 

[BlueSpec1]

@BlueSpec1 I really respect your photography skills. I think I will something similar.

I am planning to amend @Johnkn and replace the lock washer with thread-locker. My habits from motorcycling is that almost every fastener needed anit-seize or thread-locker.

I used a nylock upside down for the bottom nut and just tightened the top nut on.
I could have used a belleville lockwasher on top of the ring lug but didn't.
so far haven't seen any loosening.

 

[JimG1127]

I atached mine directly to the battery under the back seat. The cable rests on the floor to the side of the seat.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

I atached mine directly to the battery under the back seat. The cable rests on the floor to the side of the seat.

Same here Jim, you'll be fine.
Connected my charger directly to the battery, close to 2 years ago.
We're dealing with such small amperage. I wanted to bypass as much resistance as I could.
I've only actually plugged it in twice. The first time was when the interior lights did not come on. I found out pulling fuse 11/12 might help stop the parasitic drain. As a test half a year later I inserted fuse 11/12 and sure enough the interior lights did not come on.
After charging I did the BMS relearn procedure. There was a lot of you're doing it wrong pearl clutching and "what if's"

I haven't had a problem.

 

[JimG1127]

I charge mine every time it goes into low power / sleep mode. Which is more often then it should be.

 

[Quest]

By going directly to battery your bypassing BMS sensor
Can cause other problems

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

By going directly to battery your bypassing BMS sensor
Can cause other problems

Like, what kind of specific documented problems??

Nobody has actually stated what problems. Other than "what if's and maybe's.
I've had it hooked up directly to the posts for almost 2 years. I've not had a single problem.

 

[chiko]

By going directly to battery your bypassing BMS sensor
Can cause other problems

Like, what kind of specific documented problems??

Nobody has actually stated what problems. Other than "what if's and maybe's.
I've had it hooked up that way now for almost 2 years. I've not had a single problem.

@Glen Baker LLC I concur 100% that a direct battery hookup is the safest option.

But I am a bit crazy. In this post I am going to update with my experiment to drive 80W of solar through the charging post under the hood for disaster preparedness and those responses are saying I will void the warranty.

I have an isolated jump-starter pack already.
I know what I have done and posted most of it here in case I forget.
The Maverick is compelled to park outside on the street, so the house is safe and only the front tree is in danger of fire.

While I am here, 5/16-18 nuts on the charging post finally fit. In my local hardware store it was a small challenge to find them in a weather resistant form. Stainless was a finer thread but I found some black zinc-oxide in the -18 thread. About $0.50 for each piece, 2x nut and lock-washer so $1.50 total.

 

[HeyBales]

By going directly to battery your bypassing BMS sensor
Can cause other problems

Good news - the BMS system doesn't track charging without key on.
So when the system is charging itself from the HVB.

So it doesn't matter when off - when you would normally charge your battery.

If it did and counted it - you'd actually have problems on every external charge - because then it would think there is no need to charge while driving.
Which it already does drop the charging amps rather fast anyway!

 

[Mavman1]

On the charging subject...I understand the advice for attaching a ring spade with nuts to the Red positive post. So I ask how do you attach a ring spade to the hex negative post on the front side under the front hood of my 2025 Hybrid? Can that be unscrewed so you can slip a ring connector under it? I am concerned about that weld, it's purpose and what is going on there. Does anyone have a photo showing a negative connection?

 

[Carlitos_92]

On the charging subject...I understand the advice for attaching a ring spade with nuts to the Red positive post. So I ask how do you attach a ring spade to the hex negative post on the chassis? Can that be unscrewed so you can slip a ring connector under it? I am concerned about that weld, it's purpose and what is going on there. Does anyone have a photo showing a negative connection?

No clue what that is, but the first post here has pics:

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...-bash-ford-policies-discussion-starter.63312/

 

[BlueSpec1]

I went over to my horn bracket.
Can also use one of the other grounds nearby.

Sponsored