Hi all,

I am slowly moving from New York to south Florida and I have a dilemma that someone here I am sure has an answer.
After I get my throttle housing from ASI Tomorrow I am taking my 99 XK8 convertible down. I want to keep the battery on full time charge with my battery tender mini. I need to keep the trunk open in my garage during this (to let the battery gas out) but the trunk lights stay on. Is there a fuse I can pull or is there a better way to keep my battery on charge? Is it safe? I never did this. If someone keeps a car in a situation like this, please help.
Thanks
Jack
1999 xk8

 

The lights switch off after a few minutes, so you're fine to leave the trunk open. Also, there's enough "squish" in the rubber trim, that you can safely close the trunk on the cable.




A third option is to fit the battery tender onto the jump-post in the engine bay (and negative onto one of the bolts on the suspension turret). That's the way I have mine set up just today (because I got hold of a spare lead for a CTEK charger). For the past two years, I have been using the trunk option, directly on the battery, and it's been grand.

 

I just close the trunk on mine, hasn't bothered the cord or the gasket. And, from the looks of it, my battery is vented to the outside. Here's a shot of it coming out of the trunk. (yes, she's dirty, just got back from a two day trip and I need to get off of my @#$ and clean her up!)

 

I close the boot/trunk and it hasn't caused any problems. In addition, the lights on mine shut off automatically after approximately 15 minutes.

 

Shouldn't be a problem. If you have the correct battery fitted it will have a vent tube which exits through the luggage compartment floor.

Graham

 

Didn't know lights go out! Thanks for all posts!!!
I want to keep trunk open as I might not get back for 2 months. Don't want accumulated battery gas.
Thanks
Jax

 

As Graham says if you have the right battery there should be a vent tube that goes from the battery to a hole in the rear fender that exhausts any gas out of the trunk. Even without the trickle charger you need the battery vented. Just for driving around.

 

Thanks for all responses. I was thinking about pulling trunk lamp fuse and going direct to battery with Battery Tender mini. Car might sit 6 weeks. Any idea which and where inner trunk lamp fuse is?
Thanks
Jax

 

Yes, I'd trickle charge from the engine bay, right side fuse box jump-post terminal (under a rubber cap). And as everyone has noted, you should have a tube venting the battery to the outside. Rather than search around for fuses to cut power to trunk light, I would rather spend the time getting the proper battery ventilation in the trunk.

 

Hi Jack,
I have a 97 xk8 and I plug in my battery tender Everytime I come home and just close the trunk not in the lock possition and never smelled any sulfur, but even when the trunk is open the light goes out in a matter of minutes.
Check it out.
Syb

 

Your battery should have a gas outlet port, a right angled plastic piece about a quarter inch diameter. A rubber hose attaches and vents gas vapors to the atmosphere through the floor.

 

i use piece of metal with a 45 degree bend and close the latch on body ,that way it tricks the system into thinking its closed