[GhibliFan]

Any pics on how/where a Ctek battery charger is installed on the Ghibli?

 

[Nova]

Some Ctek chargers come with a pig tail that is meant to be permanently installed on battery posts or connected to the jump lugs on cars where the battery is in the trunk. I had one of those installed in my Odyssey that was not driven very often.

 

[Etodd31856]

The ghibli pigtail is in the trunk on the right side.

 

[BeerGuy]

I have the Maserati CTEK Battery tender connections permanently mounted to battery in trunk, (newest model 1065 with seven stages). Connections are slide over the battery posts under the truck deck as Etodd indicates on right side. There are extra clamps which I keep in the tender box. Took service technician less than 5 minutes to attach the battery tender connections to battery posts when I picked up the car new.

The thin wire cable snakes out of the battery/spare tire area which than connects to tender unit which plugs into your extension cord.

What's interesting is I keep the charging unit on floor by car, while on my Jaguar XKR the whole thing is mounted inside the car with extension cord coming out of trunk. I think the thinner gauge wire of the tender lets me more easily close the trunk.

Seems to work fine for me. I've been traveling in Germany and Switzerland so keep the car plugged in when not being driven for over a week, (travel or bad weather).

 

[bjg625]

Does this car really need a tender? I know the Grandturismo have a problem but I've never used a tender on any of my cars even when traveling.

 

[Etodd31856]

My dealer said only need to use if you do not drive the car for 2-3 weeks...........I have never not driven my cars that long ever.............

 

[BeerGuy]

I got the tender more for peace of mind since the Maserati had a bad reputation for chewing up batteries. Dealer told me same 2 weeks as a guideline. I plug it in if I don't plan to drive for 2-weeks or more.

Until the newness wears off, I expect to minimize driving the Ghibli during bad / winter weather since I have other cars to use. PA DOT put lots of crushed gravel and the magnesium salts on the road during the winter.

 

[GhibliFan]

Does the Ghibli battery have a spare clamp or post to attach the tender eyelet Leeds at the terminals? Don't want to risk any disconnect.

 

[BeerGuy]

The permanent Maserati CTEK batter tender eyelet physically gets bolted to the battery post. Extremely secure.

I attached a picture for you to see the smaller red/black tender cable connection.

 

[GhibliFan]

Thanks BeerGuy
Exactly what I was looking for.
Do you close the trunk while charging?

In appreciation for the picture:
Google Image Result for http://www.pizzaplanet.it/lavitaebella/images/nastro%2520azzurro.jpg

 

[BeerGuy]

Thanks for the beer It was exactly what I could use right now!

Ironically, when I was filling out the information for this forum and trying to figure out what to call myself, my son walked by and called me the BeerGuy because I like to brew (and drink) my own beer.

You can safely close the trunk if you use the thinner tender cable to drape from the trunk versus the extension cord. It comes with a generous length from battery to tender to extension cord.

Dealer said leave trunk open and light will shutoff ... I don't like that approach.

I store the tender in the side trunk manual compartment when not in use and tuck under car when plugged into outlet. If you get one make sure to get the newest (improved) Maserati tender version, (940000275).

 

[chickenman]

Where is the negative attached?

 

[I.M.]

The permanent Maserati CTEK batter tender eyelet physically gets bolted to the battery post. Extremely secure.

I attached a picture for you to see the smaller red/black tender cable connection.

The installation shown in BeerGuy post is incorrect. The vehicle is equipped with a IBS (Intelligent Battery Sensor) sensor able to measure charging and discharging currents to determine the state of the battery. Please refer to the relevant page from the Owners Manual.

 

[BeerGuy]

Its confusing comparing different models. The posted picture is of the positive connection (red end). The negative is not shown which is where the IBS sensor is located near. I had the Maserati service department install when I picked up the car new.

 

[wallysr]

Hey Beerguy could you please tell me what the ctek model number is for that charger? Thank You

 

[BeerGuy]

CTEK model 1065 with seven stages.
Maserati tender version #, (940000275).

There are other posts on this forum where folks bought the CTEK version without the Maserati name for much less on Amazon, (MRPA1999 ... made some comments on this topic).

 

[wallysr]

Thank You

 

[I.M.]

Its confusing comparing different models. The posted picture is of the positive connection (red end). The negative is not shown which is where the IBS sensor is located near. I had the Maserati service department install when I picked up the car new.

The models are different, but the connection to the batteries is the same. What is shown on your picture is definitely negative pole. The positive pole is closed by the box with high-amp fuses and is more close to the tail of the car.
The car with IBS has only two points of connection to the negative pole of the battery. They are the negative pole of the battery itself and the connection point where you have the wire connected. All the rest negative connections in the car including any ground on the body are connected to the negative pole of the battery through the IBS. And all the additional electronics and chargers should be connected not to the battery negative pole, but to the ground connections of the car, which are done through IBS, or to the special ground connector on the IBS. It is new for Maserati, and it was introduced only in last Quattroporte and Ghibli, so the official dealers may be not aware. Big manufacturers of the car have this feature up to 10 years already and earlier I had some experience with problems caused by incorrect understanding of it on my other cars, when this feature was new for the installers.
So your installation made by official dealer is absolutely incorrect and doesn’t correspond neither to Owner’s Guide nor to technical/electrical documentation for the car.
Please find below the picture of the correct installation of negative wire for CTEK tenderers/chargers, as well as the view of the CTEK connector inside the trunk.

 

[BeerGuy]

So your installation made by official dealer is absolutely incorrect and doesn’t correspond neither to Owner’s Guide nor to technical/electrical documentation for the car.
Please find below the picture of the correct installation of negative wire for CTEK tenderers/chargers, as well as the view of the CTEK connector inside the trunk.

You are correct. I understand what you are saying. I found to your point Maserati issued a service bulletin to change the connection location as you indicated. Mine was installed prior to the bulletin. Interesting my hardcopy manual doesn't show that schematic, but the iPhone Maserati app does.

Thanks for posting the proper position.

 

[GhibliFan]

Can any damage occur if left hooked up as before?

Where are the Maserati Service Bulletins accessible?

Appreciate everyone bringing this to light!