CTEK 3300 Battery Charger Installation
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 127
Likes: 45
From: Atlanta
After driving either my Porsche or Jaguar XKR, I immediately plug them into the CTEK once I get out of the car.
It takes about 20 minutes or less to get the Green indicator light. It is pretty quick.
If I pop the trunk or even open the door, there is a drain on the battery immediately and the CTEK 3300 changes from Green to Amber instantly to start the re-charge. That's how sensitive these chargers are.
Have you noticed this with your CTEK's?
It takes about 20 minutes or less to get the Green indicator light. It is pretty quick.
If I pop the trunk or even open the door, there is a drain on the battery immediately and the CTEK 3300 changes from Green to Amber instantly to start the re-charge. That's how sensitive these chargers are.
Have you noticed this with your CTEK's?
Veteran Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,369
Likes: 697
From: Florida
After driving either my Porsche or Jaguar XKR, I immediately plug them into the CTEK once I get out of the car.
It takes about 20 minutes or less to get the Green indicator light. It is pretty quick.
If I pop the trunk or even open the door, there is a drain on the battery immediately and the CTEK 3300 changes from Green to Amber instantly to start the re-charge. That's how sensitive these chargers are.
Have you noticed this with your CTEK's?
It takes about 20 minutes or less to get the Green indicator light. It is pretty quick.
If I pop the trunk or even open the door, there is a drain on the battery immediately and the CTEK 3300 changes from Green to Amber instantly to start the re-charge. That's how sensitive these chargers are.
Have you noticed this with your CTEK's?
The second I pop my hatch the CTEK goes to amber. I've also noticed that after the car has been on green for days I have managed to see it on amber for a few minutes proving that there is a drain and the CTEK picks up on it and starts the charging cycle until fully charged again. What a smart charger!
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 127
Likes: 45
From: Atlanta
Yes, I cut from behind using an x acto knife. The material in very easy to cut through and the CTEK connector comes with a template.
Thread Starter
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Veteran Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 3,294
Likes: 1,250
Very nice, thanks for the post informing all interested in the CTEK products and photos. Well done.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 182
Likes: 19
From: SoCal
I can't find the M6x1.5 nuts anywhere - tried several auto parts stores, a specialty bolt store and my local Lowes and HD.
I can confirm that the post on the 2012 XKR is not a 3/16, 1/4 or a M6x1.0
Anybody have any other suggestions?
I can confirm that the post on the 2012 XKR is not a 3/16, 1/4 or a M6x1.0
Anybody have any other suggestions?
I noticed the 2013 XKR-S stayed green alot longer then the 2012 XKR..wonder why the XKR seemed to have more flipping back and forth from orange to green to orange to green????
Veteran Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,369
Likes: 697
From: Florida
I went to my local Jaguar dealership last weekend and noticed their brand new 2014 XKR on the showroom floor had an extension chord running into the trunk. The salesman told me that most of their showroom cars are on chargers regularly. I wonder if they tell potential customers about it or what answer they give when questioned about the wire coming out of the trunk!
Last edited by bocatrip; Mar 3, 2014 at 08:15 PM.
Veteran Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 6,290
Likes: 485
From: Arlington, VA USA
I went to my local Jaguar dealership last weekend and noticed their brand new 2014 XKR on the showroom floor had an extension chord running into the trunk. The salesman told me that most of their showroom cars are on chargers regularly. I wonder if they tell potential customers about it or what answer they give when questioned about the wire coming out of the trunk!
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 98
Likes: 22
From: California
I went to my local Jaguar dealership last weekend and noticed their brand new 2014 XKR on the showroom floor had an extension chord running into the trunk. The salesman told me that most of their showroom cars are on chargers regularly. I wonder if they tell potential customers about it or what answer they give when questioned about the wire coming out of the trunk!
Veteran Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,369
Likes: 697
From: Florida
Good Point. Why didn't I think of that?
Member
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 75
Likes: 16
From: Northern Ireland-UK
M6x1.5 nuts
If you can't find the correct nuts I describe,ie M6*1.5 (6mm * 1.5 thread) you could always purchase new bolts and nuts to fit.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 422
Likes: 79
From: Phoenix, AZ
I just got some M6 nuts and 2 regular and 2 lock washers from Home Depot. It fit perfectly.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 182
Likes: 19
From: SoCal
Finally, my saga with this has ended. For anyone who is thinking of doing this but might be having trouble finding the right size nut (like me) to thread onto that post, my final solution was this - I cut a section out of the "O" ringlet and made it into a "U". Then I was able to loosen the nut that clamps the battery down and just slipped in the U-ringlet and tightened it back up.
For what it's worth, in my search for the right nut, I stopped at my local dealer yesterday and talked to the shop manager. A few things came out of that conversation.
(1) They don't have that nut or know what size it is
(2) The battery maintainer is a very smart idea - when I told him what I was doing, he knowingly nodded in my direction and told me that I would come to "appreciate that".
(3) He told me that mounting the ground (black) ringlet directly onto the battery post was not recommended. At least on my 2012, I guess there is a battery monitor or something on the ground wire? You can see it on the left hand side of the picture from intdiamond's post #53 in this thread. His exact words were that it make the monitor "unhappy". And then he said, "if you follow the ground cable from the battery you can easily find another grounding point away from the monitor". So I did, about 10 inches away under the carpet there is a screw that the battery ground goes to, so that's where I mounted the ground U-ringlet. Again, loosen, slip in and tighten back up.
I finished up the install yesterday with the CTEK comfort indicator panel mounted into the side of the trunk, and I was "green" this morning!
Thanks for everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge on this topic.
For what it's worth, in my search for the right nut, I stopped at my local dealer yesterday and talked to the shop manager. A few things came out of that conversation.
(1) They don't have that nut or know what size it is
(2) The battery maintainer is a very smart idea - when I told him what I was doing, he knowingly nodded in my direction and told me that I would come to "appreciate that".
(3) He told me that mounting the ground (black) ringlet directly onto the battery post was not recommended. At least on my 2012, I guess there is a battery monitor or something on the ground wire? You can see it on the left hand side of the picture from intdiamond's post #53 in this thread. His exact words were that it make the monitor "unhappy". And then he said, "if you follow the ground cable from the battery you can easily find another grounding point away from the monitor". So I did, about 10 inches away under the carpet there is a screw that the battery ground goes to, so that's where I mounted the ground U-ringlet. Again, loosen, slip in and tighten back up.
I finished up the install yesterday with the CTEK comfort indicator panel mounted into the side of the trunk, and I was "green" this morning!
Thanks for everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge on this topic.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 170
Likes: 59
From: Tuftonboro, NH US
I wired mine to the remote terminals. It was a lot less trouble than what some people seem to be having. The only thing I had to do was to crimp on larger O-ring lugs to the charger cable in order to have it fit the terminals. It's worked fine so far this winter.
Finally, my saga with this has ended. For anyone who is thinking of doing this but might be having trouble finding the right size nut (like me) to thread onto that post, my final solution was this - I cut a section out of the "O" ringlet and made it into a "U". Then I was able to loosen the nut that clamps the battery down and just slipped in the U-ringlet and tightened it back up.
For what it's worth, in my search for the right nut, I stopped at my local dealer yesterday and talked to the shop manager. A few things came out of that conversation.
(1) They don't have that nut or know what size it is
(2) The battery maintainer is a very smart idea - when I told him what I was doing, he knowingly nodded in my direction and told me that I would come to "appreciate that".
(3) He told me that mounting the ground (black) ringlet directly onto the battery post was not recommended. At least on my 2012, I guess there is a battery monitor or something on the ground wire? You can see it on the left hand side of the picture from intdiamond's post #53 in this thread. His exact words were that it make the monitor "unhappy". And then he said, "if you follow the ground cable from the battery you can easily find another grounding point away from the monitor". So I did, about 10 inches away under the carpet there is a screw that the battery ground goes to, so that's where I mounted the ground U-ringlet. Again, loosen, slip in and tighten back up.
I finished up the install yesterday with the CTEK comfort indicator panel mounted into the side of the trunk, and I was "green" this morning!
Thanks for everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge on this topic.
For what it's worth, in my search for the right nut, I stopped at my local dealer yesterday and talked to the shop manager. A few things came out of that conversation.
(1) They don't have that nut or know what size it is
(2) The battery maintainer is a very smart idea - when I told him what I was doing, he knowingly nodded in my direction and told me that I would come to "appreciate that".
(3) He told me that mounting the ground (black) ringlet directly onto the battery post was not recommended. At least on my 2012, I guess there is a battery monitor or something on the ground wire? You can see it on the left hand side of the picture from intdiamond's post #53 in this thread. His exact words were that it make the monitor "unhappy". And then he said, "if you follow the ground cable from the battery you can easily find another grounding point away from the monitor". So I did, about 10 inches away under the carpet there is a screw that the battery ground goes to, so that's where I mounted the ground U-ringlet. Again, loosen, slip in and tighten back up.
I finished up the install yesterday with the CTEK comfort indicator panel mounted into the side of the trunk, and I was "green" this morning!
Thanks for everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge on this topic.
Lothar
Veteran Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 3,425
Likes: 1,140
From: London, UK
It's in the spare wheel well, on the left.