Where to Run Battery Minder Quick-Connect Cable

[My Hoe]

Hi all,

It's been a while, but here I am with a question:

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I wanted to ask folks to post a pic of where they've run the "SAE Quick-Connect" electrical cable to their BatterMINDer or battery maintainer (which is not mounted to the tractor)? IOW, I have the RTA-2415 "Ring Terminal Assembly" (see link below) and after I attach the ring terminals to the battery, I want to run the "quick connector's" cable to the most accessible location I can, and just zip-tie the cable in place. Then I'll no longer have to open the hood to connect the BatteryMINDer.

Here is an image of the cable I'm talking about: BatteryMINDer Ring Terminal Assembly

I leave my FEL on full-time so I'll need to work around that, and my B3000 is cabbed, so I'd love to see what ideas better, more experienced minds than mine have come up with, for locating the quick-connect cable.

Thanks in advance.

My Hoe

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

Rather curious myself, would guess under the dash.

I use the Anderson plugs with waterproof boots, however mine doubles as a boosting plug as I have another cable with terminal clamps.

 

[rgr33]

I run mine out the front, near the battery. I also use that connection to power my 12v pump on my diesel tank.
No need to open hood when using.

 

[kenmbz]

I like my hood open, reminds me to disconnect the battery minder, and no mice under the hood!
If you want to run this so it's not in the way, under the dash and can get a header type covered connector that mounts to dash. Look up SAE connector mounting plate.

 

[ning]

I'd say either under the hood, forcing you to keep the hood up when it's on charger, or coming out above or below the steering wheel (depending on which direction the battery tender is mounted) - in both cases, you'll notice that there's something to disconnect before you drive off (either the hood's up, or you've got a wire crossing the steering wheel).

As you can see, I'm one of those people who stays by the gas pump holding the nozzle to make sure I don't forget about it and drive off with it...

 

[oosik]

I have the connections that came with my Battery Tender. From the battery out the front with the standard two prong plug. I always have the hood open when the tractor is in the carport stall - mice/chipmunks. I plug the Tender in and set it on the front tire. In this photo I have the Tender sitting on the back side of the grill guard. I now set it on the top of the front tire - a whole lot easier.

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

I'd say either under the hood, forcing you to keep the hood up when it's on charger, or coming out above or below the steering wheel (depending on which direction the battery tender is mounted) - in both cases, you'll notice that there's something to disconnect before you drive off (either the hood's up, or you've got a wire crossing the steering wheel).

As you can see, I'm one of those people who stays by the gas pump holding the nozzle to make sure I don't forget about it and drive off with it...

Now that you reminded me, that was one of the reasons for me using the Andersen plugs. 4AWG red cables are pretty hard to miss by your leg.

 

[kydick]

the handle i use to get in out of the cab is a good place to plug your cords into. i have my charger cable and the plug to my block heater zip tied to that handle. i just wrap the end of the power cords around it and plug them in. you always see it and wont forget to unplug before you get in. also i have my heater on a timer to come on about 2 hours before i usually go to feed so when i get in the tractor starts easier and dont have to wait very long for the cab to warm up. i have the timer set to turn off in a couple of hours weather i use the tractor or not. seems like that should make the heater element last longer.

 

[SmallChange]

I got tired of having to keep an eye on wires on the floor so I don't trip on them and mess myself and/or my equipment up. Since I always back my tractor into its bay, I bought an extension cable and ran it out of the engine compartment through a hole near the bottom of the battery, zip tied it to various support points along the bottom of the engine and underneath the left side of the operating platform, above and to the left side of the rear differential, and brought it out behind the seat between the left fender and the fuel tank, where about six inches of it hangs free from a nice sturdy support point. The cable and the underside of the tractor are both black, so I used nice big black zip ties every few inches, and avoided components that are hot and components that move. The cable is never the lowest part of the tractor, it hugs other structures closely, and it doesn't pass through any space where I poke my hands or feet when operating or hooking up implements. So, I don't think there's any part of it that might get snagged. In the rear of the tractor bay I have my battery tender up high on a shelf, where I can see the red and green indicator LEDs from anywhere along the left side of the tractor all the way out to the door where the room light switch is. I'm in the habit of checking the LED status whenever I open or close the door (the big door is the only door). The 12V side of the tender wire goes from the tender straight up to the trusses, over to a point above where the tractor wire is, and straight down. There's a foot or so of slack in the cables when I plug them together on the tractor. I'm pretty good about remembering, but when I do forget and drive out with the cables connected, it pulls the connection straight apart without disrupting either the tractor or the tender side of the cables.

 

[ctgoldwing]

I run mine out the front, near the battery. I also use that connection to power my 12v pump on my diesel tank.
No need to open hood when using.

I do exactly the same. I mounted a piece of strut on the fel crossmember. A 2 conductor plug is mounted on it on one side and my hydraulic disconnect for the grapple on the other. I ran the wires back to the pivot point and then forward to the battery. It's a 20 amp circuit. I power my 12 volt diesel pump and sprayer from it and also plug the battery tender into it.