Sponsored

Stupid question about battery tender

Dano36

Well-Known Member
First Name
Danny
Joined
Nov 26, 2019
Threads
6
Messages
68
Reaction score
141
Location
TN
Vehicle(s)
2020 Firecracker Red Rubicon, 2016 Torch Red Corvette, 2018 Grand Cherokee
Occupation
Whatever it takes.
I am pretty sure I know the answer to this, but better to be safe than sorry. I have a factory option battery tender for my car that plugs into a cigarette lighter receptacle in the trunk to maintain the battery. Can I just plug it into the same on the Jeep? I am still on the same tank of gas I bought two months ago due to Covid and would like to keep the battery fresh.
Sponsored

 

plex

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2018
Threads
87
Messages
1,185
Reaction score
1,746
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLUR
Occupation
Weekend keyboard mechanic and beer drinker
Vehicle Showcase
1
Technically you can, just have to plug into the lighter socket that is "always on". It is probably better if you can hardwired the battery to SAE connector, much direct and safer and will not have the chance to mess up the delicate computer JL has.
 

Gee-pah

Banned
Banned
Banned
First Name
Andy
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Threads
59
Messages
1,658
Reaction score
1,266
Location
SanFrancisco
Vehicle(s)
JL Wrangler
I am pretty sure I know the answer to this, but better to be safe than sorry. I have a factory option battery tender for my car that plugs into a cigarette lighter receptacle in the trunk to maintain the battery. Can I just plug it into the same on the Jeep? I am still on the same tank of gas I bought two months ago due to Covid and would like to keep the battery fresh.
By factory default, the cigarette light in the cargo area, if equipped, is always on.

It can be changed to only be on when the rig is on by switching a fuse as per the owner's manual. Bet then I'd bet you couldn't trickle charge there if you made this fuse change.

Because it's always on I would bet it can flow current in either direction and you charging from there will work. I haven't tested it. It's possible, although I doubt it, that it, or the one in the dash has a diode the only allows current to flow out.

I'd rather see a direct and fused connection to the battery terminals. If you have a 3.6L, both batteries will charge when the rig's at rest by connecting to the main battery, as the two batteries in the 3.6L are connected in parallel when, among other times, the rig's at rest.

The cigarette lighter in the dash is an accessory, not battery outlet and is only on when the rig is on. I would not bet that it can accept power when the rig is off but haven't tried it.
 

OldGuyNewJeep

Well-Known Member
First Name
Don
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Threads
86
Messages
3,825
Reaction score
6,871
Location
CT
Vehicle(s)
2018 Wrangler JL, 2016 Yukon XL
I am pretty sure I know the answer to this, but better to be safe than sorry. I have a factory option battery tender for my car that plugs into a cigarette lighter receptacle in the trunk to maintain the battery. Can I just plug it into the same on the Jeep? I am still on the same tank of gas I bought two months ago due to Covid and would like to keep the battery fresh.
Can you? Yes. Should you? I wouldn’t. Those are inefficient at best, and your JL has two batteries. I would also worry about fire hazard.

These are great, cheap, and sold everywhere around where I live (Home Depot, O’Reilly’s, Walmart):

Battery Tender Plus 12V, 1.25A Battery Charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00068XCQU/
 
 



Top