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Battery Chargers
- Thread starter Paddy399
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- battery charger
jd750ace
Front Toward Enemy
Battery Tender Plus. It's the best, it's what I reccomend, and what I use. Kept my SV650 battery going for 7 years. got 6 years out of the Road Star battery on it.
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Keep the charging system on your bike working correctly and there is no need for an external charger during the riding season.
Over the winter the battery is taken to the warm basement and given a charge every 5 or 6 weeks. I just had a simple manual 2 amp charger for over 30 years, and it did the job for my bike and for my car if needed.
A few years ago, I bought a fancy "automatic" charger which has a switch for 2 amps and 10 amps. The 10 amp position is never used. 2 amps is a safe charge level for my bikes 14 amp/hr battery.
If you are looking to buy one, they come on sale quite often. I think I only paid $26.00 for my "automatic" one. 2 amp charger is all you need. Doesn't really matter what brand you buy, they're all made in China.
Sometimes its better to have the manual charger. If you leave the lights on your car and the battery goes down to less than 3 volts, an automatic charger will not charge the battery. Using a manual charger it will re-charge the battery back to life.
Over the winter the battery is taken to the warm basement and given a charge every 5 or 6 weeks. I just had a simple manual 2 amp charger for over 30 years, and it did the job for my bike and for my car if needed.
A few years ago, I bought a fancy "automatic" charger which has a switch for 2 amps and 10 amps. The 10 amp position is never used. 2 amps is a safe charge level for my bikes 14 amp/hr battery.
If you are looking to buy one, they come on sale quite often. I think I only paid $26.00 for my "automatic" one. 2 amp charger is all you need. Doesn't really matter what brand you buy, they're all made in China.
Sometimes its better to have the manual charger. If you leave the lights on your car and the battery goes down to less than 3 volts, an automatic charger will not charge the battery. Using a manual charger it will re-charge the battery back to life.
jd750ace
Front Toward Enemy
I have to disagree with the comment that there is no need for a charger during the riding season. Due to system loss, and the fact that it is under constant load while runnning, your charging system cannot completely top off the battery. Also, the 2 amp-hour rate may restore it from the dead, but a much slower rate helps arrest sulfation. In Texas, we do not put our bikes away for any season, and you will kill a battery inside of 2 years if it never gets restored to top charge. I put at least 5000 miles on both my bikes each year.
It may be company sponsored literature, but give it a read, because you can't argue with the science. Costs a lot more than 26 bucks, but so does a good battery.
http://batterytender.com/resources/frequently-asked-questions
It may be company sponsored literature, but give it a read, because you can't argue with the science. Costs a lot more than 26 bucks, but so does a good battery.
http://batterytender.com/resources/frequently-asked-questions
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Belle
XS650 Addict
I use a Schumacher from the TSC it cost like $25 & has 3 settings, 6V & two 12V...works fine
If you have to use an external charger during riding season, it means your engines charging system is not delivering a high enough voltage, or you have a failing battery. If you only take short trips, then there may not be enough time to fully re-charge the battery.
The battery on my bike now, was used by the PO for 1 season I believe. I am now on the sixth season,and I always use the starter motor. My battery is going into its seventh season, and it has never been charged (by an external charger) during riding season. My alternator/regulator puts out 14.2 volts during normal riding (I have an on board voltmeter), which keeps the battery fully charged. Why would you need an external charger?
I drive a Toyota Camry as my everyday transportation, 12 months of the year. It still has the same OEM battery that came in the car when I bought it seven and a half years ago. Its charging system puts out 14.1 volts. Its battery has never had an external charger used on it.
Yes, 10% of amp/hour rating is the conservative rule of thumb. However, 2 amps works just fine on a 14 amp/hour battery.
jd750ace
Front Toward Enemy
Well, sir, by your reconing, no charging sytem in any vehicle works properly in the state of Texas. I have never seen greater than 13.8 volts on anything, with any number of wheels, in this state. It could very well be that the heat increases overall resistance and taxes the system harder. All I know is, if you want 2 years or less out of a battery, just run it until you are stranded. If you want to get a bit more for your money, you shell out 65 bucks or so and get a damn good smart charger. I'm sure that Calgary is a different electrical world from Dallas Texas, and since the O.P. is from Chicago, maybe he's somwhere between us in the polar lines of flux, and will have a mixed result. He asked what was the best, what you reccomend, and what you use, and I answered. My experience is relative to my location, yours to you. I cannot imagine that my Impala and your Camry feel the same on any given day, since it may be 35-40 degrees hotter here on a summer day, and the same amount colder for you on a winter day. Same for our bikes. Mine are piling up miles while your batteries are in the basement. Different world electrically down here, sir. And my work commute is 35 miles each way, so short trips are not an issue.
I have a hobby farm in addition to my motorcycle addiction any modern cheap automatic charger does the job just fine, the 20 dollar Walmart charger makes the rounds of my batteries during the long Wisconsin winter and they all (about 8 batteries on average) live long happy lives, unless something gets left on and sucks the battery totally dead, then it is on death row with one of it's lives forfeit and no charger will grant it a reprieve. The only battery in the stable that needs regular help is my wife's 750 shadow, she rides about 4 miles to work and back each day,seldom exceeds 40 mph, shifting early and sometimes grinds on the starter for a while getting it going and about once a month it needs a night on the automatic charger OR I grab it and go put on 30 or 40 miles which probably helps the bike in other ways also.
jd750ace
Front Toward Enemy
Farming is too damn hard to be a hobby! My wife is getting her butt kicked in about 150 square feet of garden, but it's only her second year trying. We had 1/4 acre of garden when I was growing up! I'll be there to help again next year.
Sounds like up North ain't nothing like down south for charging systems and batteries. I guess all the ambient heat, and the fact that we are running lights all the time to keep from getting run over, and AC full blast in the cages really beats the crap out of our systems. You can count on 3-4 years for a car battery you take care of, and about the same life for an alternator. You often get the double whammy, as you lose one, and it over-works the other. Life in a year round riding state I suppose.
Sounds like up North ain't nothing like down south for charging systems and batteries. I guess all the ambient heat, and the fact that we are running lights all the time to keep from getting run over, and AC full blast in the cages really beats the crap out of our systems. You can count on 3-4 years for a car battery you take care of, and about the same life for an alternator. You often get the double whammy, as you lose one, and it over-works the other. Life in a year round riding state I suppose.
It must be the heat. I just had to replace the original battery in my truck last fall and it's a 2000. I was quite impressed with the service from that battery. Obviously my bikes don't do as well. I got 4 years out of the 1st battery in my 650. The new one is entering it's 4th year now and I can see it fading. These are normal "wet" types but I will be going glass mat next.
I also have both types of chargers and found the same as RG. A very low or dead battery won't charge or will take like forever on the "smart" charger. My old 2 amp will do it over night. I have the $20 Walmart unit as well. It's a nice charger, very heavy for it's size and a good brand name (Schumacher). It's actually not even called a charger but rather a "Maintainer". It has all the features of the Battery Tender at like half the cost. It also includes quick disconnect alligator clips and an eyelet pigtail, just like the Battery Tender.
I also have both types of chargers and found the same as RG. A very low or dead battery won't charge or will take like forever on the "smart" charger. My old 2 amp will do it over night. I have the $20 Walmart unit as well. It's a nice charger, very heavy for it's size and a good brand name (Schumacher). It's actually not even called a charger but rather a "Maintainer". It has all the features of the Battery Tender at like half the cost. It also includes quick disconnect alligator clips and an eyelet pigtail, just like the Battery Tender.
5twins what is the charge rate for the wal-mart charger?
I think that may be the difference between it and the Battery Tender.
When you use the 2 amp setting does it boil? And if not a "boil" does it spit?
Everything I've read about it says pretty much what jd750acre is saying.
http://www.dansmc.com/batteries.htm
For second article. Much of the technical data for this article was supplied courtesy of Yuasa-Exide, Inc., in its publication Battery Handbook and Technical Guide. For your own free copy of this handbook, contact Yuasa-Exide at P.O. Box 14145, Reading, PA 19612-4145; Tel: (610) 208-1916, Fax: (610) 208-1918.
http://www.mcnews.com/mcnews/articles/battery.htm
I think that may be the difference between it and the Battery Tender.
When you use the 2 amp setting does it boil? And if not a "boil" does it spit?
Everything I've read about it says pretty much what jd750acre is saying.
http://www.dansmc.com/batteries.htm
For second article. Much of the technical data for this article was supplied courtesy of Yuasa-Exide, Inc., in its publication Battery Handbook and Technical Guide. For your own free copy of this handbook, contact Yuasa-Exide at P.O. Box 14145, Reading, PA 19612-4145; Tel: (610) 208-1916, Fax: (610) 208-1918.
http://www.mcnews.com/mcnews/articles/battery.htm
The Walmart charger is 1.5 amps. My old 2 amp is not modern by any means but is supposed to be "smart", reducing it's output as the battery charge comes up and eventually shutting off. It does cause bubbling in the battery when charging at the full 2 amps so I do loosen the caps. I don't bother doing that with my Walmart one.
I have the Schumacher SEM-1562A Charger. I have been using it for 5 years or so. The $20 Wal Mart charger is the same charger. It is a 1.5 amp in charge mode. It charges at around 14.5 volts till the battery gets to about 13.8 volts, then goes into maintainer mode. In this mode the amps falls to around .5 amps and the charge voltage to 13.5 volts.
All the smart chargers do this. This lower voltage keeps the battery from gassing. Gassing starts just below boiling but dries out a battery the same.
This type of charger is safe to hook to a battery and leave it hooked up for long periods, like storing over the winter.
I also have a larger Schumacher charger that has a 2, 4 6 amp selectable charge rate. I got it to use on larger batteries like the car and boat batteries. It is a smart charger too. even on the 6 amp rate once the battery is charged it drops to a maintainer rate.
I also have a Schumacher Marine auto/manual 10 amp charger. It is not a smart charger. It quit is why I got the 2,4,6 amp. Turns out it had a bad power cord where it went through the case.
I still use it now and again because smart chargers will not charge a fully dead battery. The old 10 amp will. Even on a small battery, like a bike, a few minutes on the 10 amp will charge it enough to let a smart charger charge it properly.
A manual charger is ok if you use it right, let it charge it a few hours then check the battery to be sure it doesn't over charge. Then charge more if needed.
A lot of the cheap chargers or maintainers that use less than an amp charge rate often have too high a voltage to leave unattended. Some charge as high as 17 volts, they let the internal resistance of the battery keep them from over charging, fine on a large battery were this extra voltage can be absorbed with out damage. On a small battery they can overcharge and boil them dry. Use them like a manual charger.
I haven't gotten one yet but they are making a new type charger with pluse technology in them that on a badly sulfated battery it can reverse the sulfation and bring back those batteries to servicable condition and if used on batteries can prevent sufation and greatly extend battery life.
Battery Tender makes one that is around $70 to $80. I plan on getting one, I have a couple older batteries that won't take or hold a charge, One of those new chargers may bring them back. It will be worth it just to find out.
Leo
All the smart chargers do this. This lower voltage keeps the battery from gassing. Gassing starts just below boiling but dries out a battery the same.
This type of charger is safe to hook to a battery and leave it hooked up for long periods, like storing over the winter.
I also have a larger Schumacher charger that has a 2, 4 6 amp selectable charge rate. I got it to use on larger batteries like the car and boat batteries. It is a smart charger too. even on the 6 amp rate once the battery is charged it drops to a maintainer rate.
I also have a Schumacher Marine auto/manual 10 amp charger. It is not a smart charger. It quit is why I got the 2,4,6 amp. Turns out it had a bad power cord where it went through the case.
I still use it now and again because smart chargers will not charge a fully dead battery. The old 10 amp will. Even on a small battery, like a bike, a few minutes on the 10 amp will charge it enough to let a smart charger charge it properly.
A manual charger is ok if you use it right, let it charge it a few hours then check the battery to be sure it doesn't over charge. Then charge more if needed.
A lot of the cheap chargers or maintainers that use less than an amp charge rate often have too high a voltage to leave unattended. Some charge as high as 17 volts, they let the internal resistance of the battery keep them from over charging, fine on a large battery were this extra voltage can be absorbed with out damage. On a small battery they can overcharge and boil them dry. Use them like a manual charger.
I haven't gotten one yet but they are making a new type charger with pluse technology in them that on a badly sulfated battery it can reverse the sulfation and bring back those batteries to servicable condition and if used on batteries can prevent sufation and greatly extend battery life.
Battery Tender makes one that is around $70 to $80. I plan on getting one, I have a couple older batteries that won't take or hold a charge, One of those new chargers may bring them back. It will be worth it just to find out.
Leo
13.8 volts is not high enough to fully charge a lead acid battery. That may be why you need to use an external charger. You should have 14.1 to 14.3 volts to properly charge the battery.
jd750ace
Front Toward Enemy
Good luck finding any charging system to put that out in Texas heat. It's not an all-out "need", but if you want your batteries to last down here, ya better. My father in law had 2 broke shumachers that were newer than my Battery Tender Plus. Can't say he didn't trip over the cord and yank 'em off the shelf a couple of times, just saying, this thing works awesome for me, and has for over 10 years, regardless of the performance of any of my vehicles' charging systems. All I know is, before I got it, 2 years tops, bike, mower, or car/truck battery.
Oh I didn't reccomend a charger, I like Schumacher but any charger that incorporates the smart technolgy is what I reccomend.
jdace, Is that 13.8 volts on just the battery or with the engine running? As RG states you need at least 14.1 to 14.3 charge a battery. You need about 1.5 volts extra to over come internal battery resistance to get the battery to charge. As in to get a battery to 12 volts you need about 13.5 volts, but most 12 volt systems actually run an 13 volts so you need about 14.5 to charge the battery.
Leo
jdace, Is that 13.8 volts on just the battery or with the engine running? As RG states you need at least 14.1 to 14.3 charge a battery. You need about 1.5 volts extra to over come internal battery resistance to get the battery to charge. As in to get a battery to 12 volts you need about 13.5 volts, but most 12 volt systems actually run an 13 volts so you need about 14.5 to charge the battery.
Leo
jd750ace
Front Toward Enemy
Leo, that's pretty much anything I own with the motor running when it's 95 degrees plus outside. I might get a 14.1 or 14.2 every once in a while in the winter, but that's about it. We have the same thing with aircraft down here pulling more amps, and the voltage output goes down on the generators as well. Just one more price we pay for a 10 month summer!
I knew a guy who did work on this years ago, back in the 80s in fact. Very much backyard stuff but got an attorney to patent everything and he and his dad made a fortune off it. The main idea at the time was to electrically knock the bubbles off the plates so the batteries would charge faster. It all started when he realized his batteries would charge faster if he hit them with a stick now and then
