# Charging a Cruze TD battery in vehicle safely.



## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

Lobster-

While I don't have a CTD I have a 1.4L I do use a Battery Tender Jr. I connect the aligator clips directly to the battery. "pop" the little door open right above the positive terminal and there's a nice round rod to connect to.

The point you reference is a ground and it should work, but why not use the small screw near the negative terminal where it connects to the battery? At least on the 1.4 there is an auxillary screw on the negative battery cable that attaches to the negative post. It's finding a connection for the positive post location that's difficult. I tried removing the battery cable bolts to use the "round ring connector" for the battery tender, and the bolt stripped.. The battery bolts on the 1.4L battery cables appear to be non metallic. Aluminum maybe? Anyway, grinding down the head of a standard bolt I was able to get something to work. That's where I stopped and now use the clamps. 

I'd like to get a set of "ring terminals" permanently installed and wired, and if you figure out the cable routing let me know! 

I'd like to know how you figure out how to run the wires for a connect/disconnect without popping the hood. I've looked at it a few times, and I even have a Battery Tender Extension cable, but there seems to be no clean way of doing it, and I don't want to come out the top of the hood by the windshield so I pop the hood and use clamps to connect. 

What size battery is in a CTD? The 1.4L has the Group 47/H5 and as some have mentioned the gas engines could handle a larger battery. I'm guessing a 48/H6 will fit. Does the diesel have the H7? That would be a tight fit, and something the owner would have to do themselves as shops have mentioned that they will not warranty a battery that is larger than what the factory fit is. Well the shops don't need to know what car the battery is in, I just have to tell them it's for another car if it has to go in for warranty testing!


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Yes to negative ground. So you can connect to any metal point on the vehicle. The light on the Tender will indicate when you've made the proper electrical contacts.


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