Ducati Monster Forum

Moto Board => Tech => Topic started by: danaid on August 18, 2008, 10:19:55 AM

Title: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: danaid on August 18, 2008, 10:19:55 AM
Good morning all,

  I just installed the pig-tail for a Battery Tender plus on my 696. I connected +/+ and -/- on the battery terminals. The install went well and it took about an hour.
 
  After the install I read the installation instructions ( yes after the install), and it said to connect the neg- cable to a good ground ( engine bolt, frame bolt, nothing with plastic..) I found nothing suitable so I connected the negative to the negative post on the battery.

  My questions are will this install damage the battery? I installed the pig-tail last night, read the instructions, connected the charger, and worried most of the night that my battery will fry. Did any of you who installed this on your bikes find a good ground somewhere on the bike or just connect negative cable to negative battery post?

Thanks  Dan.
 
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: Slide Panda on August 18, 2008, 10:33:30 AM
I've got the pig tail installed exactly like you have, on my 900.  Been there for a year and nothings come of it. 
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: OverCaffeinated on August 18, 2008, 10:41:09 AM
Same here. I hooked up the Jr. tender and I think I remember reading the direction and don't remember anything about finding a ground.
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: herm on August 18, 2008, 01:43:03 PM
i've had mine installed that the same way as you since i got the bike.
no problems.
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: erik822 on August 18, 2008, 01:57:07 PM
The install won't damage your battery or your bike.
The negative cable on the battery is grounded.

There are usually two reasons chargers should be hooked up with the negative on a grounded part (engine bolt, etc.)
1. To ensure that it stays grounded even if the cable from the battery to ground corrodes.
2. To make sure it doesn't spark and cause a battery explosion when you're connecting it.

Newer Ducatis use a gel battery. The explosive gasses that can leak from a "liquid" battery won't be an issue with a Ducati's gel battery. If you have  a liquid filled battery, then you might want to consider moving the negative wire to a ground.

Me? I hooked mine up exactly the way you did.




Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: Triple J on August 18, 2008, 02:09:03 PM
Another one with it hooked up like you do...on all 3 bikes.  No problems at all.
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: SP3 on August 18, 2008, 02:33:57 PM
Been that way for 13 years on my SP3 and 7 years on my Monster. Forget about it and ride on.
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: danaid on August 18, 2008, 08:17:04 PM
Thanks everyone! my mind is now at ease. [drink]
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: Rameses on August 18, 2008, 09:40:02 PM
Quote from: danaid on August 18, 2008, 10:19:55 AM
The install went well and it took about an hour.
 


Jesus dude, did you MAKE the pigtail??   :o



;) ;D
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: herm on August 18, 2008, 09:53:00 PM
maybe he was trying to milk the garage time with a beer or two?
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: tangueroHondo on August 19, 2008, 04:51:47 PM
Quote from: SP3 on August 18, 2008, 02:33:57 PM
Been that way for 13 years on my SP3 and 7 years on my Monster. Forget about it and ride on.

Dude stil hasn't read the instructions.....
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: Carman on August 19, 2008, 10:25:10 PM
Quote from: Rameses on August 18, 2008, 09:40:02 PM

Jesus dude, did you MAKE the pigtail??

[laugh] [laugh]

Seriously though there is no difference, you are always better off going directly to the negative terminal if your wire is long enough and there is enough room, you are just cutting out the middle man for conductivity and relying on one more connection somewhere else.

Your setup will work!!
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: DoubleEagle on August 19, 2008, 10:38:07 PM
I have 4 bikes setup like you do since last Oct. and so far so good. Dolph
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: brimo on August 23, 2008, 11:25:10 PM
Quote from: Carman on August 19, 2008, 10:25:10 PM
[laugh] [laugh]

Seriously though there is no difference, you are always better off going directly to the negative terminal if your wire is long enough and there is enough room, you are just cutting out the middle man for conductivity and relying on one more connection somewhere else.

Your setup will work!!

+1 on that (I'm an electrical tech and have been for over 20 years) better on any accessory if you can go straight to the source with as few connections as possible.
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: tangueroHondo on August 24, 2008, 11:17:41 AM
05 S2R

There is a connector that is capped from both boards in front o the batt terminals.  What are they for?  Accessories?  Is one or the other for a tender?
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: Rameses on August 24, 2008, 11:45:06 PM
Quote from: tangueroHondo on August 24, 2008, 11:17:41 AM
05 S2R

There is a connector that is capped from both boards in front o the batt terminals.  What are they for?  Accessories?  Is one or the other for a tender?


???

What're you talking about?

What model bike are you referring to?

And what do you mean "from both boards"?
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: tangueroHondo on August 25, 2008, 05:29:55 AM
Quote from: Rameses on August 24, 2008, 11:45:06 PM

???

What're you talking about?

What model bike are you referring to?

And what do you mean "from both boards"?

Pigtails are shown in front of the fuse panel.  If you follow them up, you see that the come out from the bundle on top of the ECU

(http://lh4.ggpht.com/mark.kreutzkamp/SLKk1dPI-PI/AAAAAAAAD1g/SIw7UWIp8HU/s400/IMG00026.jpg)

Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: Rameses on August 25, 2008, 10:13:38 AM
Interesting, I hadn't ever noticed those on any of my bikes.  I'll have to look and see if they're there.


As a wild guess, I'd say they aren't for accessories.  More likely diagnostics hookups or something similar.
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: Duc Fever on August 25, 2008, 11:58:29 AM
I have the same thing on my bikes, kind of thought they might be for a tender. Anybody know?
Title: Re: Question on Battery Tender install.
Post by: Rameses on August 25, 2008, 01:49:37 PM
Quote from: Duc Fever on August 25, 2008, 11:58:29 AM
I have the same thing on my bikes, kind of thought they might be for a tender. Anybody know?


I highly doubt they would design a connection that hooks a tender directly to the ecu.