LeftieBiker said:
Grousa said:
How exactly would I hardwire in a battery maintainer lead?
Positive terminal to the battery positive bolt, negative lead terminal to one of the bolts on the top of the stack of components in the motor compartment (not the negative battery terminal) and run the cable through a small drilled hole in the charge port compartment. If the maintainer's hardwire lead is too short you may have to extend it using similar two wire cable. This way you can plug in a maintainer as easily as plugging in the car. A 0.75amp Battery Tender Jr will work, but it's slow. I also used a 2 amp Diehard charger/maintainer (they use the same leads) but it died after a year and a half. So much for the name.
You do not need to wire the negative lead to a bolt.... Connect both leads Red/ Black to the battery. Since the connection is made away from the battery, you do not need to worry about a spark (the reason people connect the negative jumper cable to the frame instead of the battery.)
PS - to the original poster. When I got my Leaf, I also went through the scientific "thought process" of how to save power to get more range... Yes, an electric blanket works, but... In winter, the Leaf is a Bitch with windows fogging, so you also have to run the defroster. After my third winter I have found that (especially with 4 passengers) it is worth the 5-10% loss of range to have windows clear AND passengers comfortable. Many "Leafers" on this site try to technologize saving the last mili-watt of energy, and I really don't think it is worth it. So if you use an extra 10% battery on a long ride is it going to kill you? Electricity is cheap enough.
Quick And Easy - (TRY FIRST) Heater on 65-69 degrees, and press the top left button to be "un-lit" (outside air comes in), no A/C. This works for most cases. If windows still fog, keep same temperature settings, and press the "defrost" button. Most people do not know that the heater (even on my "S" car) does not use much power when the inside has warmed.... Most of the power consumption is starting up the heater and initially heating the car. Also (if the windows still fog, experiment with running the defroster "WITH the A/c" and with the recirculation button "LIT - outside air does not come in".