I got tired of going in my trunk every time I wanted to hook up the battery tender, so I decided to pop it out the side of the gas fill neck area. It's a type of foam so I poked a hole and pulled out the lead. And there is no real spark chance so I am not worried about the proximity to the gas When not charging the cable tucks in perfectly.

 

PLEASE tell us that there is at least a series fuse in that circuit and that the cable, when disconnected and left loose, is not connected straight across the battery.

 

Nope... I just put the rubber cover on the end of the connector and tuck it back in the opening. The gas cap is sealed and with the way the tender connector is made there is no chance for a random spark (even less with the cover on the end on the end of the cable).

 

Either push a button to open the gas cap lid or push a button to open the trunk. Seems like 6 of one, half dozen of another.

if one plugs in the tender to the wall outlet LAST, then I agree, there should be no spark when the cable adjacent to the “gas cap” is plugged in, as it isn’t powered by anything from the tender yet.

But that cable connection is still going to get the live 12v voltage from the battery irregardless of power from from the tender. Probably never a spark, but that arrangement is still spooky (to the cave man in me).

 

Oh hell no!

 

If it makes any better I do normally close the gas door almost all the way closed before I make the connection. But I honestly can not see how this battery tender connection could ever spark because of its design. and I keep it securely capped with the cover when not in use.

And I back my car in the garage and with all the crap I have in there it is a pain to get into my trunk easily but the gas door is right there