After an almost 10 year absence, i jumped back in and purchased a 2014 low mileage xkr vert which i've enjoyed the past couple weeks a great deal. However, unlike my last vert which was a 2003, the battery placement and work involved in getting to it was a bit of a head scratcher i must admit. I've read a number of existing threads, but i'm still not certain what i'm looking at matches my car as they look to be on earlier models. If there is anyone out there with a 2014 (or i guess 2015) and they are utilizing a tender can you not just attach the positive cable on the tender directly to the battery positive terminal accessible thru the driver side trunk plastic door opening up under the fender, and then attached the negative cable on the tender to the ground pole located on the left side of the spare on the trunk floor? ie basically the same points they recommend in the owner's manual for a jump start?

The car has had a battery replacement recently so it's not the original battery. I was also wondering if the trunk light goes out after a time period as on many other cars i've had. I'm sure that can be worked around based on my experience. Any input appreciated in advance.

 

Yup. That's how you do it. You can connect the positive of the maintainer cable directly to the battery positive, or the access point you mention but the negative on the maintainer has to connect to the chassis NOT the battery negative terminal. So you got it right.

There is a pdf in this thread you can reference: Post #5
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...g-ctek-218673/

 

Thanks much! I'm not an expert, but if you can jump a car with those points and push that charge thru, it's hard to see where a little trickle would cause an issue on the same points.. That said, one of more elaborate battery layout situations i've ever seen. I spoke to a dealer, and they said they estimate 2.5 hours to replace a battery which is pretty hard to believe. Next time i have it replaced i'm going to watch that operation. LOL

 

I have a coupe and it took me about 30 minutes. Can't imagine a vert taking 2.5 hrs but I've never done it.

The positive access point in the fender is cabled directly to the battery terminal. The issue with the negative terminal is due to the Battery Monitoring System. It's sesnor is attached to the negative terminal and any charging (maintainer, alternator) needs to be sensed entering the BMS so attaching a charger directly to the negative terminal would bypass the BMS. This causes problems so attach the maintainer to a chassis point and you're good. I chose a battery bracket point for the negative and directly to the battery positive terminal connector. Nice and clean and I didn't want a cable in the spare tire well.

 

Evidently your dealer included the time it takes to drive to an Auto Zone and buy a battery in their estimate. Even with a convertible it takes less than an hour to change a battery, and that includes the SDD Battery Reset procedure (which isn't 'really' necessary, though still advised).

 

LOL, yep that was my initial reaction as well. However, having not seen the process(or having pulled any of the trim off etc). i wasn't real sure to be honest.

Also, is that a Jaguar thing to make the positive terminal cover black versus the typical red? I don't recall that on the older xk models i've had either, but that could be my age catching up with me.

 

I have mine hooked up that way as well for many years, it is no problem.

Here is a tidbit for you should your battery be flat and unable to open the trunk. Look at the same spot that the terminal is located in the trunk but under the car, there is also an access bolt on that side for external use. You have to get low and look up under the rear fender behind the wheel.

Also, if battery is flat you cannot turn the car on to put in neutral for a tow, the manual release cable for the tranny is under the cupholders. It requires a screwdriver to open access panel, I (and others) have the screw removed as it is unnecessary.

 

Thanks for the information. That is good to know.

 

To answer your other question, yes the trunk light will go out after awhile, about 1/2 hour if I recall.

 

Don't forget to always lock your XKR, even when it's parked in your garage. That shuts off the computers and minimizes battery drain. Also, keep your Smartkey at least 20 feet away from the car.

You don't have to attach the positive CTEK terminal directly to the positive battery terminal. You can use the alligator clips on the remote battery terminals, which is what I've done for years without any problems.

See Post #21: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...lay-ups-73471/

 

As 10XKR shows in his posting on connecting a CTEK, there is a chassis ground several inches inboard of the Power Point. It would be a lot easier to hook up a battery maintainer or jump start negative if one ran a hefty wire from there to a terminal block mounted close to the Power Point. I.e., the luggage floor wouldn't have to be removed. Has anyone done that?

 

Jaguars are a pain in the rear on battery's , having to constantly put on a maintenance charger when not in use , my lady says she has never knew a car like it and top tell the truth nor have i. beautiful cars other wise

 

With respect, this is simply not true. Jaguars are no different in this respect than other luxury marques - they all need full battery voltage to the multiple electronic modules to avoid random symptoms. And for this very reason every and I mean every luxury manufacturer sells the CTEK battery maintainer under its own label, from Aston Martin to Audi, through Bentley, Bugatti, BMW, Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Land Rover, Maserati, ....

The battery issue is a product of insufficient and/or infrequent use (very common with Jaguars) which does not maintain the battery at full charge. In this pattern of use even installing a new battery will not help because new batteries are very rarely fully charged at point of sale...and they never reach full charge if the car is used as just described.

 

I owned a '76 XJ-S for 38 years. For the first 20 years it was my daily driver so had completely normal battery experience, i.e., dead only when the battery gave up it's last ampere-hour after 5 years or so. After retirement, I drove it far less and occasionally had to put it on a charger. I'f I know I wouldn't be driving it for a month or more, I'd leave it on the charger set to maintenance. So, I agree with sov211.

But what I don't understand is why one would choose a CTEK like device instead of a plain old battery charger that plugs into a 12VAC wall socket. I mean, all the while the CTEK is charging the car battery its own battery is giving up its ampere-hour so at some point it will be dead and have to be plugged into something to be recharged? What am I missing here?

 

The cteck plugs into an ac wall socket. It is not a battery.

 

The Ctek also plugs into a 120vAC. Its just like any other charger- only weaker. Its the worst charger I own. It takes 1.5 days to fully charge my battery.
On my others, I can plug it in one evening a month and be done.

 

Well, you are missing one simple fact. The CTEK units are battery maintainers - not "battery chargers" as we use that term. They are designed to KEEP batteries fully charged, desulphated, and analysed for defects - and they do this superbly. They can be left connected for months and months with no attention needed. They are not designed to provide a quick charge! Left long enough on a sound but depleted battery they will bring it to full charge, but that is not their prime purpose - they are intentionally designed to provide a low current pulse so as to prevent any damage to the battery system.
Saying that it is the "worst charger" is a bit like saying that a lawn mower is the worst all-terrain vehicle. I have several CTEK units connected to the cars not in daily use and I have used them for years. They keep the batteries fully charged and the result has been zero electrical issues with the cars.

 

Its the worst charger I own. All my others chargers do everything the ctek does and so much more.
Such as tell me the voltage of the battery. All my others can charge at very slow rate but also charge at a faster rate.

Yes a ctek is just a maintainer and not a charger. But dont miss the point that a car is not a battery charger. So what is??
Thats why you need a better unit that is a charger and maintainer. For less money than Ctek.

Our cars have tremendous draw on cranking. I can deplete the battery just starting it about 6 times. Such as when detailing. With the Ctek it will be 1,5 days before that battery is ready again.
Ctek is cheapest possible Chinese manufacture- that's why it doesnt even have a voltage meter- the only one that doesnt. And very low amps.

 

p.s I have the latest Ctek 5.0

 

So buy a bigger CTek! They also don't bother fitting fairly useless meters as volts on load is what you really want.