Quick and Easy Battery Charger

[jonheld]

Since I have been driving my truck less and less I have noticed that she’s getting harder to start on those cold frosty mornings. I have an Odessey PC1700MJT with a large reserve, but I hardly crank her over anymore and after 2 weeks she gets run down. It always starts, but not as peppy.

Enter batteryprice.com. Picked up an Odyssey OMAX-25A-1B delivered to my door in 2 days for under $150. Browsed over to McMaster (my personal favorite) and picked up a pair of 7043K952 quick disconnects and 20 ft of 71245K5 in black and red.

Cut off the cheapo battery clamps and added 15ft of the #10 wire to the charger and soldered a QD on the end. Took 5 ft and put a QD on one side and 3/8” ring terminals on the other, which bolt to the military terminals (7738K1 and 7738K2) on the battery. Armored both harnesses with split loom wrapped with electrical tape (ran out of black, went with white).

Charger lives on the top shelf in my garage, way out of harms way, and the cable is pretty robust and fits under the door seal easily.

All terminals are soldered and covered with heat shrink. The QD on the truck can be easily removed or simply tucked back under the hood for safe keeping when not in use.

I neglected to order the dust boots for the connectors (7043K15) and will do so with my next order.

Fast, easy, cheap, and effective. My favorite mods. Below are some pics for your amusement.

 

[NLXTACY]

Any reason why you didn't hard mount the connector and use a cap for the plug when not in use? I don't see a cap attached so assuming its not there.

BTW I like the idea. I have been considering doing this because we are considering a small car for the wifey to drive and I would be driving the LX less.

 

[zuki76]

Just for peoples information you can buy the identical from Shumacher for under $100 they are made by the same company for people that want that charger I have one and they are great charger.

 

[jonheld]

Any reason why you didn't hard mount the connector and use a cap for the plug when not in use? I don't see a cap attached so assuming its not there.

BTW I like the idea. I have been considering doing this because we are considering a small car for the wifey to drive and I would be driving the LX less.

2nd to last line, "I neglected to order the dust boots for the connectors (7043K15) and will do so with my next order."

Those boots are the caps you are referring to. I didn't hard mount because I don't like the idea of having that exposed while driving in the northeast. The idea is to make it easily removable or simply be able to tuck it back into the engine bay at will.

 

[jonheld]

Just for peoples information you can buy the identical from Shumacher for under $100 they are made by the same company for people that want that charger I have one and they are great charger.

Been looking at Shumacher and don't see what you see. Please give a model number or link.

 

[NLXTACY]

2nd to last line, "I neglected to order the dust boots for the connectors (7043K15) and will do so with my next order."

Those boots are the caps you are referring to. I didn't hard mount because I don't like the idea of having that exposed while driving in the northeast. The idea is to make it easily removable or simply be able to tuck it back into the engine bay at will.

Oh I thought you meant the rubber dust boots that go from the cable the Anderson plug.