Where to attach negative cable to charge battery?

[SheilaMkIII]

Hey,

I have a 2023 Wrangler JL, aux battery is “deleted” (removed negative). I need to charge the main battery as the cold lately has killed it, but I can’t for the life of me figure out the best place to mount the negative clamp from a charger. The manual says an unpainted body part, but I straight up don’t see any obvious spot in the car that fits this criteria. Anyone have a photo that can make this as stupid as possible for me? Thanks!

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[Badunit]

Personally I attach positive to the positive post and negative to the IBS (not directly to the battery post) then I plug the charger into the wall. never seen a spark that way. But there are ground lugs in the engine bay you could attach to instead. They aren't painted.

If jumping with jumper cables from another vehicle, they recommend the final ground to be attached to clean spot on the body (like a ground lug) so that the big spark it makes isn't at the battery (which can cause an explosion).

 

[Terrymo]

This is from a recent Jeep service bulletin

 

[SheilaMkIII]

Personally I attach positive to the positive post and negative to the IBS (not directly to the battery post) then I plug the charger into the wall. never seen a spark that way. But there are ground lugs in the engine bay you could attach to instead. They aren't painted.

If jumping with jumper cables from another vehicle, they recommend the final ground to be attached to clean spot on the body (like a ground lug) so that the big spark it makes isn't at the battery (which can cause an explosion).

So for the IBS, that’s the post the negative cable from the battery is mounted to right? I guess I’m just confused because the lug is pretty much flush with the top of that post, is it fine that the companies just barely grasping on to a lug instead of a larger more solid contact area?

 

[AndySpill]

I guess I’m just confused...

Here's the MOPAR publication @Terrymo quotes: although don't expect reading it to illuminate you. https://static.oemdtc.com/NHTSA-PDF...5MDQ1NzMkbzEkZzEkdDE3NjI5MDQ2MTckajE2JGwwJGgw

IMO it's written by a tech, for techs, rather than for those less technical, and focuses more IMO on "do this, not that" than why--I guess because those normally reading it already, or are expected to already know.

In this link lies the options of what you can do and why, I hope in a straight forward manner than I'll confess substitutes somewhat brevity for clarity (often you can't have both.)

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/battery-charger-hook-up.159461/#post-3286015

 

[gsbrockman]

This is from a recent Jeep service bulletin

That’s basically the identical same place where I connect my maintainer to my Challenger.

 

[Badunit]

I guess I’m just confused because the lug is pretty much flush with the top of that post, is it fine that the charger is just barely grasping on to a lug instead of a larger more solid contact area?

Yep, on the lug, as best as you can attach it. The IBS monitors battery usage and charging. It apparently gets confused if you leave it out of the loop when charging externally. I don't know what it does differently/wrong when it has been left out, just that it matters. Maybe it thinks you don't like it or care about it and it mopes around for a while doing things slightly wrong to get back at you for not keeping it informed.

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