How to Install CTEK Battery Maintainer On 718 GT4 and GT3RS

[@philgt3877]

Porsche recommends that the negative lead be attached to the body rather than the battery post to avoid problems with the battery management computer. In fact, there’s a big sticker warning about this right next to the battery. There is an unused threaded hole on the strut tower top next to the battery that is ideal for attaching the negative side of the charger lead.

[@thomaslahr9022]

I think that is just for using jumper cables. A trickle charger is fine directly connected to the battery.

[@philgt3877]

@@thomaslahr9022 Probably right but check out the user manual under ‘Charging the battery’ (p53 in my manual). Pretty clear instruction to use the ground post for the -ve connection.

[@tedj9]

Exactly, the idea is that by connecting the charger directly to the negative terminal you are bypassing the current sensor and will shorten the lifespan of the battery.

[@peterpavlidakey8343]

All good points. This is why every charger that is Porsche Branded is a cigarette lighter adapter to be plugged into the interior of the car

[@barneyswiss8054]

Also ist can damage your control Units if not used the attatch at the body

[@Ohjustyoshi]

Whisper Matty feels like I’m watching Bob Ross. We’ll just route this happy little wire this way.

[@gtperfection1596]

But wouldn't the smokers package with the Porsche factory ctek charger with the cigarette adapter be a much cleaner package with no installation of wires??

[@thomaslahr9022]

You have to lock the car or else the cig adapter will time out after a short while which isnt a big deal. And the added benefit of using the cig adapter is that you don’t forget it is plugged in and accidentally drive off.

[@gtperfection1596]

@@thomaslahr9022 What I do with my GT4 is I just crack the window a bit and let an extension cord hang at the top connected to the ctek charger and yes I do lock the car or it will go into battery protection mode or hibernation mode.

[@7eamGhast]

You're a true car enthusiast when you cant choose between the Civic or the GT3 in the morning.

[@jsdupont]

Why not plug the trickle charger in the 12V socket?

[@willb3018]

Wouldn't be much of a video. 😂 That is what I do for both of my Porsches. Simple.

[@sgreer78]

Everything I've read says to attach the negative to the chassis and not the battery because of the battery monitoring stuff.

[@kruegernaut]

Did this on a 997 and had the whip accessible towards the windshield so that it can be plugged in without opening the trunk. This has the side benefit of never getting locked out of the trunk should there be a battery failure, although complete failure might be an older car issue, lol. Nice mod, and very affordable, and keeps from having to close the door on the cigarette lighter version.

[@ruffchem1]

Let Kyle and Bryce have them 2x a week. No charger needed and problem solved.

[@got_gt3612]

I just plug in charger in to lighter plug under glove box

[@hitfoods1726]

Matt, why don’t you use the cigarette lighter adapter that comes with it? I have it plugged into my 911 cigarette lighter that’s hidden underneath the passenger footwell specifically for this. Works great!

[@jayzhang14]

you have 992?

[@youngjunj]

I just installed way you showed me and it works on my gt3!!! Thank you :)

[@mdx9286]

Matt, I was just about to pull the trigger on the Porsche Charge-O-Mat Pro when I came across your video. Thanks for sharing the how-to steps and the links to the CTEK items.

[@henrycollins2478]

Congratulations on 250k!

[@tgottwalt]

Thanks, Matt! I bought a Noco x 2 charger for my GT4 and GT4 RS so both can use the same charger. Having a way to quickly and easily connect/disconnect a trickle charger is key since, like you, I don’t drive these cars all the time. Noco makes a “whip”, as you call it, to do a hard wire connection to your battery with a quick connect (Noco #GC002). Smart!

[@JamesWilson234]

Cutting the negative eyelet was a great tip to fit round an M8 bolt. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@coreywagganer]

Just picked one up for my M2 and E36 M3. They're the best by a long shot

[@zhorikjunior1852]

How do you connect to M2 vs E36, directly to battery, cigarette lighter or using under the hood +/- jump connectors?

[@coreywagganer]

@@zhorikjunior1852 I do both under the hood. This is more critical on the M2 because of the modern "ibs" (not irritable bowel syndrome lol) it's some kind of system that monitors the cycles of the battery and you don't want to bypass it. This is what I read on bimmer posts or else I wouldn't have known anything about it. The E36 you don't have to worry about that I just find it more convenient.

[@zhorikjunior1852]

@@coreywagganer Thanks. E36 is simpler I agree, for M2 I used cigarette lighter without any issues really but then read that recommendation with "IBS" that why I'm asking.

[@randomhawks3232]

Matt, why not just use the cigarette lighter version of Ctek?

[@BobBaileyPhoto]

^ This. I use the cigarette lighter adapter on my Boxster, a lot easier than messing with a whip.

[@ObsessedGarage]

I think this is a bit more elegant.

[@faisalaly9281]

Same comment, I use the cigarette lighter on both my 991 and 718, no mods required. I don’t have to pop the hood every time I’d like to go for a drive. Had the under hood setup on my GT350R, was an annoyance every time I wanted to drive it. This mod would make more sense if you had the Anti-gravity batteries not the standard batteries.

[@RobSchlegel]

Yeah. Team cig outlet over here. The video would have been very short if he did that though...

[@randomhawks3232]

Plus the cig lighter eliminates the added cable weight 🤣

[@gregjenkins2925]

Mat there is a reliefed ? or rebated area on the cowl in front of the wipers, you feed your lead out there and you do not need to open the front hood to attach the ctek, its on both the GT3 or GT4.....

[@Mike-kr5dn]

Congrats on the 250k subs!

[@mariodesmo]

On my C2S, I ran the short cable/connector from the battery through one of the slots in the plastic cover (over the battery area). The battery-side connector sits above one of the slots, where I connect to the charger-side power cord. When I need to remove the plastic cover the connector simply slips though the slot in the plastic cover.

[@997GURU]

I have excatly the same setup on my 997, works perfect!

[@tonipieleanu]

Doesn't the GT3 have a negative pole on the chassis? Connecting the charger directly to the negative battery pole you're bypassing the battery monitor, which is not recommended.

[@clandfaf]

I have a 05 Chrysler crossfire srt6 I will be storing for the Chicago winter. Same recommendations and steps as your showing in this vid?

[@ObsessedGarage]

I would think you could do the same.

[@danmack613]

Thank you very much for making this video! Much appreciated.

[@youngblood23rb]

Matt loved the Tesla Model 3 so much he decided to plug in his Porsches' as well

[@gmans7859]

Very cool! I did this to both my son and I's BMW's. Batteries are in trunk of course and the covers are a mini pain. Think I will update our stuff.

[@robertortega32]

I have purchased a few of theses battery tenders This one looks really good

[@richardmesser1091]

Cut that long cable to size make a splice with heat shrink

[@ocalaeyeguy]

My thought as well..... run over to sparr building supply in Wildwood. They have black heat shrink for about $3 in the back right of the store against the wall. Neat and tidy. :)

[@mentonish]

I understand you can charge the battery by the cigar lighter point in the car, whilst I have the ctek attachment , I have never tried the option. My car is an xe jag stop and start

[@gingerbadger]

From the CTEK Manual: For batteries mounted inside a vehicle 1. Connect the red clamp to the bat- tery's positive pole. 2. Connect the black clamp to the vehicle chassis remote from the fuel pipe and the battery. 3. Connect the charger to the wall socket 4. Disconnect the charger from the wall socket before disconnecting the battery 5. Disconnect the black clamp before the red clamp.

[@Nick210]

I had no idea the battery was so simply setup and easily accessible in these cars. very rare, especially in this price range.

[@gavinjones6347]

This has got my OCD feeling some sort of way having all that excess cable and the connector loosely fitted. I have read CTEK do not recommend connecting the negative wire directly to the battery for that extension lead. Have a look at the INDICATOR PANEL 1.5M from CTEK. Really neat indicator that could be fitted to the battery cover by cutting a small hole. The indicator lead also has an inbuilt fuse so can be fitted to the battery both positive and negative. Hope this gives you an idea for a different option to having 8’ of excess cable.

[@juantolentino4963]

I drive my 911 Carrera S on the weekends only and not for long rides. Do I need to have one of these installed?

[@dmiller1437]

As well as connecting the -ve to the suspension turret rather than directly to the battery it is much easier to feed the charger wires out at the bottom of the windscreen between the wipers. That way you don't need to open the bonnet to charge the car.

[@BatDimen]

Ha! I had to go outside to see if my Cayman S had that yellow strap and it did! Thank you. They must be trying to reduce weight so they excluded it from your GT3RS...LOL.

[@richardly438]

Can you charge through the cigarette/12v outlet?

[@billallen3696]

Am I missing something or do these cars come with 12v sockets? Maybe another manifestation of OCD?

[@mpp9964]

Matt, where did you get the key strap? I would be interested in getting one in lizard green

[@indetailcarcaresolutions3770]

Nice work Mat. I did the same with my Saab 9-5 Aero Estate when it was retired from being a daily driver. The advantage was my whip connector was hidden in the corner of the grill so I didn’t need to open the bonnet or anything else. The C-Tek chargers are brilliant I’ve found. Very reliable and I’ve never had a problem with incorrect charge or turning off, as friends have found with other brands.

[@enixyildiz861]

Do you have a Link from where you got the silver keystrap? Looks sick!

[@cellado7]

Matt, have you any option to run the connector to the base of the windshield or a duct at the front of the car so you could hook it up without opening the frunk?

[@snow21usa]

Best one out there! Great choice!

[@devellwilson7099]

You got some nice toys Boss.

[@lukek9694]

They also sell a battery comfort indicator. You could attach one of those and when the light goes to amber or red, plug it in to charge.

[@warrenhirst8404]

Can you close the hood while the ctek cables are connected?

[@ObsessedGarage]

You can if you force it, but I generally don't.

[@georgeorechovsky2382]

I believe that u shaped cut out in the windshield cowling, almost directly above the battery, is there so you can run the ctek cord out the top of the hood and still close the hood.

[@EMPcharged]

I just received my CTEK Polar for my Mini GP2 and E60 M5. It gets cold here in MN. 🥶

[@hedtkesautodetailing6706]

Coulda cut and extended the harness for your exact length, rather than shove 8ft of wire under the hood.

[@BrianStDenis-pj1tq]

Can you close your hood(s) while charging? I've not used a charger hookup but have seen others route through the front grille to allow closing of the hood.

[@ObsessedGarage]

I generally don't. but you can.

[@113036stat]

I like mine too. Ill find a way to be able to plug in without having hood struts extended tho. The green light is so reassuring.

[@freeman4962]

Look at cutting your ring terminals 90°off instead of on the end. You can then roll the connector to the side instead of bending it.

[@Trudo981]

My ctek plug comes out in the frunk, always dry and no rattles.

[@NordicAdvRider]

Good to see that you are using swedish quality product. Take a look at their product called battery sense. Monitoring the battery status via bluetooth

[@Ajlyu]

16:35 Cute puppy alert!

[@mastadriver]

please do a how to on this for model 3 as well

[@jomiwaja]

+1 for the cigarette lighter connection in the footwell. But the real question is; Matt are you considering a light weight battery for the GT cars? Like the one you put in the Civic? I am considering this but little hesitant because of potential voltage instability (when board voltage goes too high and battery shuts down) and related dashboard lights that kick in. I would feel better if you try it first😉

[@ObsessedGarage]

Yes, I'll probably get them for each car.

[@gordonsinclair9603]

Sorry if I am wrong but removing the battery power can cause several small problems.

[@Plague_GG]

Why don’t you just hardwire the extension on so you don’t have all that wire zip tied? Also, will you be switching your Porsches to Antigravity batteries?

[@lancelaprarie6128]

I’d think they’d have firesleeve with a soft covering for the cable to avoid scratching the paint on those chargers. Also a Velcro cable management.

[@c2silver844]

If you try to charge with the front hood up, you have a light on in the cargo area!

[@mariodesmo]

The light times out. It does in my C2S.

[@tlc6756]

I was concerned about that too, but found my light in Jeep will go off when the hood is lowered to a certain point.

[@logwind]

Pull the bulb. The housing is removable without tools.

[@keyboard101101]

Please keep the M3, you will be glad you did in the future.

[@AgentOffice]

Those battery bolts don't come off. My Jetta has the same part

[@deweberis2709]

A-ha... Matt's secret Camry was spotted in the background 🧐 Matt is actually parking the GT3 to drive more the Camry 🤔

[@moneyparhar]

I'm surprised Matt didn't dialed in wire properly

[@rrthomas86]

Waiting for another Model 3 performance video.

[@dannyd7714]

Negative goes to the body, NOT the battery.

[@hemangsharma9969]

That cable dangling over the Cayman gt4 headlight & hood might introduce a few scratches on itself. I was thinking Matt would keep a few mfs under the cable.

[@blake8297]

Just an observation, those leads are not fuse protected like some other brands are. If they rub against something and short out, it will set the car ablaze.

[@logwind]

I just received a CTEK MXS 5.0 and the red wire on the short eyelet cable has a fuse.

[@erwinmonti5066]

I WAS A PORSCHE GUY FOR 35 YRS..IM WITH MY GOOD FRIEND IN HIS CAR THAT IM TRYING TO BUY AND WE COME UP ON A GT4. THE GUY IN THE GT4 FLIPS US THE BIRD AND TAKES OFF. DAVID LETS THE GUY BUILD UP A 5 CAR GAP AND NAILS HIS CAR AND BEFORE YOU COULD SAY HOLY SHIT WE WERE 8 TO 10 CARS AHEAD OF THE PIECE OF SHIT 350.000 DOLLAR CAR. THE GT3 IS EVEN SLOWER AND ALSO A SHIT CAR. NEITHER PORSCHE IS WORTH MORE THAN 110.000 DOLLARS. SO I IMMEDIETLY BOUGHT HIS CAR AND SOLD ALL OF MY PORSCHE CARS. I HAD ENOUGH OF THEIR BULLSHIT.FOR THE REDICULAS PRICE OF A GT4 YOU SHOULD GET AT LEAST 1200 HP, AND THEY COULD EASILY GIVE IT TO YOU FOR LESS MONEY BUT THEY THINK THEY ARE SUCH HOT SHOTS WITH THE PORSCHE NAME. BULLSHIT AGAIN !!!. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR DUMP THE PORSCHE CARS AND SPEND LESS THAN 250.000 AND BUY A BUILT GTR. YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE IT..

[@logwind]

relax erwin.

[@leslierobtduncan7823]

Could have plugged it into one of 12V outlets....done. My Porsche stays toasty.

[@MrPenake]

cig plug is better

[@nicorallysport]

Ctek mxs7.0 for me 👍👍👍

[@blakek.7201]

I love both of your Porsches , would love to have both .

[@colinphillips2067]

Negative to the chassis not the battery.

[@ocalaeyeguy]

First!

[@isuavingalaff]

Another goof that cant shorten a wire..its easy

[@frank7106]

Also per manufacturer request dont forget to wear gloves and goggles when working with batteries. :) For Safety