Paint problem caused by Battery Tender


Sinovac

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,862
Largo, Florida
I am posting this so other owners can avoid the problem I experienced.

I keep my car on a Battery Tender at all times. The cord from the Battery Tender runs over the driver's side fender into the front luggage (ha!) compartment. To keep the cord from marring the paint, I drape a clean microfiber towel over the fender.

After an extended storage, I noticed that where the cord was over the towel the paint was blistering ever so slightly from the bottom up, meaning you could not feel it on the surface of the paint. The blistering was in a line exactly where the cord was. Although I'm no scientist, or some other really intelligent professional, I can only surmise there was some sort of chemical/electrical reaction between the electrical current/paint/aluminum fender/towel. I have never experienced something like this before but this is my first aluminum bodied car. Perhaps it is something unique to the aluminum construction.

I'd be happy to experiment on Rick's car and run some tests if he would be kind enough to bring it over.

Paul
 
GTNJ

GTNJ

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 21, 2006
1,611
State of Confusion
Sinovac said:
I am posting this so other owners can avoid the problem I experienced.

I keep my car on a Battery Tender at all times. The cord from the Battery Tender runs over the driver's side fender into the front luggage (ha!) compartment. To keep the cord from marring the paint, I drape a clean microfiber towel over the fender.

After an extended storage, I noticed that where the cord was over the towel the paint was blistering ever so slightly from the bottom up, meaning you could not feel it on the surface of the paint. The blistering was in a line exactly where the cord was. Although I'm no scientist, or some other really intelligent professional, I can only surmise there was some sort of chemical/electrical reaction between the electrical current/paint/aluminum fender/towel. I have never experienced something like this before but this is my first aluminum bodied car. Perhaps it is something unique to the aluminum construction.

I'd be happy to experiment on Rick's car and run some tests if he would be kind enough to bring it over.

Paul
Click to expand...

Paul,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. While many of us use a Battery Tender I have not heard of this before. Did this affect only the clear coat? Is this the Midnight Blue GT? Any pictures? We keep a Battery Tender on Sonic Blue 24/7.



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Sinovac

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,862
Largo, Florida
GTNJ said:
Paul,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. While many of us use a Battery Tender I have not heard of this before. Did this affect only the clear coat? Is this the Midnight Blue GT? Any pictures? We keep a Battery Tender on Sonic Blue 24/7.
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Click to expand...


I can't feel the blisters at the surface. They appear to be originating from below the clear coat. I don't think photos will depict them because you really must look carefully to see them. My car is a midnight blue. I have a lift so I routed the cord below the car.
 
RADGT

RADGT

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 31, 2006
858
Connecticut
Paul,

Good bit of info. On my cobra I have a battery tender and have it laying on a towel where it would make contact with the trunk. I have not seen a problem there nor in the unpainted aluminum trunk panel. The contact point however against the painted surface is minimal. To avoid the problem on the GT, you could run the wire through the front grill/tow hook opening as Kendell from cool tech has shown.

Stu
 
BlackICE

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
For an 05 try this instead of risking damage to your paint.

http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15872&highlight=charge+port

attachment.php
 
Kayvan

Kayvan

GT Owner
Jul 13, 2006
4,782
ps, I would check that Microfibre...they are treated with dyes, coatings or even chemicals from water/detergents.

Battery Tender sells a Cigarette lighter connector.

It can lay flat aginst rubber door seal, when closed.

Does not even deform rubber.

The OEM Ford units does this as well.
 
E

Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,362
Washington State
Sinovac said:
I am posting this so other owners can avoid the problem I experienced.

I keep my car on a Battery Tender at all times. The cord from the Battery Tender runs over the driver's side fender into the front luggage (ha!) compartment. To keep the cord from marring the paint, I drape a clean microfiber towel over the fender.

After an extended storage, I noticed that where the cord was over the towel the paint was blistering ever so slightly from the bottom up, meaning you could not feel it on the surface of the paint. The blistering was in a line exactly where the cord was. Although I'm no scientist, or some other really intelligent professional, I can only surmise there was some sort of chemical/electrical reaction between the electrical current/paint/aluminum fender/towel. I have never experienced something like this before but this is my first aluminum bodied car. Perhaps it is something unique to the aluminum construction.

I'd be happy to experiment on Rick's car and run some tests if he would be kind enough to bring it over.

Paul
Click to expand...


If 'current is the pblm, put a rubber floor/fender mat or a section of old inner tube on the fender under the cord...or simply (and better yet) suspend the cord over the fender.

Why didn't/don't you use the power port in the dash to "trickle" from? Just curious.
 
GT35065

GT35065

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Mar 15, 2007
651
Tampa Bay area & White Bear Lake, MN
Paul,
Your supposed to drive the dang thing not store it! I've done the same thing with mine with no issues so far. Maybe I have a thicker fold of towel between cord and fender. Not going to do it again after this bit of news.
You probably better repaint the whole car, stripes and all. Seriously, hope its something you can buff out.

EP: I don't think the stock trickle charger works nearly as well as the Battery Tender does. Trickle charger is constant, Tender shuts off when not needed.
Who am I to suggest anything to the Ninja Master of storing GT's, though:lol Unless maybe you are suggesting running Battery Tender through the port instead of stock charger.

Rick
 
JCSB

JCSB

Ex GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jan 30, 2009
626
Missouri City Texas/Santa Fe NM
BlackICE said:
For an 05 try this instead of risking damage to your paint.

http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15872&highlight=charge+port

attachment.php
Click to expand...

After reading your original post I bought a couple of these and the plugs. One for the GT and the other for my Testarossa. They were exactly what I had been looking for. Got mine on Amazon. :thumbsup

John
 
E

Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,362
Washington State
GT35065 said:
.


Who am I to suggest anything to the Ninja Master of storing GT's, though:lol
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PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPFFFFFFFTTTTTTT!!!!!!! :slap


("Unless maybe you are suggesting running Battery Tender through the port instead of stock charger." Either/or.)
 
Sinovac

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,862
Largo, Florida
Kayvan said:
ps, I would check that Microfibre...they are treated with dyes, coatings or even chemicals from water/detergents.

Battery Tender sells a Cigarette lighter connector.

It can lay flat aginst rubber door seal, when closed.

Does not even deform rubber.

The OEM Ford units does this as well.
Click to expand...


You are likely correct that it has something to do with the towel itself. In any event, it's something to look out for.

I was unaware that a cigarette lighter connector was available for the Battery Tender. Good piece of info. I prefer the Battery Tender for the reasons mentioned by Rick.

By the way Rick, just HOW many miles do YOU have on your museum piece GT???
 
GT35065

GT35065

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Mar 15, 2007
651
Tampa Bay area & White Bear Lake, MN
Last time I looked, I had around 1870 miles on her. Hey, your supposed to be working not playing aroung on the GT Forum.

Rick
 
Kayvan

Kayvan

GT Owner
Jul 13, 2006
4,782
http://batterytender.com/product_info.php?products_id=42&osCsid=c06dc4c745a8262583af460a688bfc8b

The cigarette adapter has the best ease of use.

Its at side of my garage floor, I open door reach out and plug-in car, while still seated.

I just find the other unit needs clips, be positioned, open hood, kneel down, towel, might trip on, etc.

When you come back after dinner, date, long day, late night, nice clothes, bad back, you might blow it off.

That hassle leads to not plugging in ...dead battery
 
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Gulf GT

Gulf GT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 9, 2006
1,539
California
I got this from Kendall a couple years ago and it works great! I paid a little extra and had him mount the part that plugs in the wall to a retractable power cord so I could hang it from the ceiling. I unplug it and it retracts to the ceiling a la F1 garage style. No cord to trip over, doesn't hit the paint (cord is heavily shielded anyway), and you won't forget to unplug it.

http://www.cooltechllc.com/ford/gt_chargeport_gt_float_charger_kit.htm
 
ViperJoe

ViperJoe

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 17, 2006
1,305
Washington Crossing, PA
I too have the Cooltech trickle charger and it works great. I first wired it so that the connector sat next to the tow hook, but that didn't work with the Speed Lingerie mask on the car (which is most all the time). So just last week I re-routed the wiring to locate the plug in the downstream radiator vent with the interconnect wiring laying atop the front facia. This gives me access to the plug with or without the mask.

Thanks for the info Paul - I'll take the proper precautions to ensure I don't have a similar problem.
 
AJB

AJB

GT
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jun 28, 2006
2,976
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
I have used the stock charger that came with the car for over 3 years...

1. Pull in garage
2. leave passenger window down
3. lean into car from pass side, (watch belt buckle)
4. plug into power point on dash
5 lay cord on door window seal
6. plug small , square box into wall outlet

AJB
 
H

HHGT

Guest
Exactly why did Ford include the Trickle Charger with the GT? Did they know people would park them more than drive them?
 
Kayvan

Kayvan

GT Owner
Jul 13, 2006
4,782
Lotta exotics now have them in pouches in truck (usually ctek) as standard...I know F-car, Porsche, Aston, Mercedes AMG/SLR, Z8, among others....
 
E

Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,362
Washington State
HHGT said:
Exactly why did Ford include the Trickle Charger with the GT? Did they know people would park them more than drive them?
Click to expand...


This is submitted just to make YOUR day, Sam:

'Wifey's 2 yr old Bimmer got a new battery a couple weeks back (RELUCTANTLY via warranty on BMW's part...'long story). It turns out those cars suck lotsa current 24/7/365 due to all the nannys aboard, and unless one DRIVES 'em 50 miles a day or so, the alternator can't top the battery off (this according to the tech guru at BMW Bellevue...and 'was a lil' fact NOBUDDY bothered to point out/mention when the car was purchased!). Since 'wifey only drives about 6 -10 miles a day (with 3 or 4 'starts' along the way), the battery just gets sucked dry over time. (Her's went from the origional 720 cranking amps to 300 in 2 yrs!!!)

Soooooooooooo, we now hook up a battery TENDER to 'wifey's car every night. 'Big PITB. But, as Kayvan pointed out, BMW evidently 'ain't th' ONLY make that requires it these days.

'Automotive engineering "progress"...?
 
BlackICE

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
I have all of my cars on a tender except for my truck which I park outside, that uses a solar panel. I drive only a little more than EP does.
 
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