what battery charger do you use!

[2kwacks]

there are lots of different makes of battery chargers on the market, just courious to what others use. I use the optimate 4 and leave it permanently connected when my bike is not in use. so do you have a charger thats makes your battery :) ;D :-* or >:( :( :'( no I'm not losing the plot ;) as the two clips below will show ;D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W93UFLYWYA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGLduJXpkyE&feature=related

[kwarrgtr]

I use an 'el-cheapo' Halfords trickle charger, got a lead on the gtr and one on the v-strom and I just alternate every few days, if not using one or t'other. Had a lead on the bm before the gtr, all good so far. :)

[O.C.]

I have an Accumate, which I've had for years and hardly ever use as the GTR seems to stay charged between rides

I also have a Sealey charger which is better for revitalising the batteries on't older bikes

[Andy]

I've got an Optimate 4 but no power in my garage :-) so I'm using a solar panel to slow down the drain. I've had Oxford chargers also (and a few warenty replacements...).

[2kwacks]

I've got an Optimate 4 but no power in my garage :-) so I'm using a solar panel to slow down the drain. I've had Oxford chargers also (and a few warenty replacements...).

I be :( as a guy with a honda st1300 :) with-out power in my garage, also the electricity come's in dam handy when the wife chucks me out ;D

[Winston Smith]

Optimate 2 I think!

Still works well - last bike (Blackbird) recovered battery after a long winter discharge and was like new - replaced battery at 7 years when rectifier fried it! 

Optimate all the way - always hook it up even in summer when using bike everyday as it keeps battery in top condition

[viper]

I use an 'el-cheapo' Halfords trickle charger, got a lead on the gtr and one on the v-strom and I just alternate every few days, if not using one or t'other. Had a lead on the bm before the gtr, all good so far. :)

Yup, I use the halfords one as well. I did run an optimate a few years back and if its perm hooked up it kills the battery. batteries like to run down and then up again . Now i use the halfords, i have the lead connected to my battery and tucked up inside the fairing, once a month through the winter i take a reading and when it drops below 11.5 v  i top it up for a few hours. I got 7 years out of my zzr1200 battery this way.
I dont think a constant trickle charge is necc with modern batteries.

[mecki]

Optimate all the way - always hook it up even in summer when using bike everyday as it keeps battery in top condition

And why is trickle charging a fully loaded battery that is re-charged every day supposed to be better for your battery?
I'd say it is at a par with fuel additives or putting Nitrogen in your tyres.
Just a waste of time and money.

[2kwacks]

And why is trickle charging a fully loaded battery that is re-charged every day supposed to be better for your battery?
I'd say it is at a par with fuel additives or putting Nitrogen in your tyres.
Just a waste of time and money.

the optimate 4 charger dose not trickle a fully charge battery, it simple adds a small charge if it detects a drop in voltage, your right you don't need to leave it connected, but I allways leave them connected, the charger will keep the battery in top condition through out the year, it basically dose the same job as the alternator. when in analyzing mode it costs next to nothing to run, if your battery is in good condtion and it senses a voltage drop, it will then only adds a very small trickle charge to bring it back to full charge this cost is minimal.  have a look at this link it will give you all the info you need.
http://www.motorcycle.com/products/tecmate-optimate-4-battery-charger-review-89785.html

[Winston Smith]

And why is trickle charging a fully loaded battery that is re-charged every day supposed to be better for your battery?
I'd say it is at a par with fuel additives or putting Nitrogen in your tyres.
Just a waste of time and money.

As 2kwaks has stated - it isn't a trickle charger - it tops up when it detects a voltage drop otherwise it would kill the cells.

I can't rate them enough, very good bit of kit and they can recover 'dead' battery's as I found out!

[mecki]

As long as a lead battery doesn't get discharged below 25% of it's capacity it will be fine.
Below that metal or salt may come of the plates causing irrevocable damage.
Over-charging the battery OTOH will damage it too so any charger that turns itself off once the battery is fully charged will do the trick.
Using chargers designed for bigger batteries may damage a bike battery too.
If a good battery is fully charged, as it should be after you used the bike, the voltage won't drop for quite some time.
So why hook it up to a charger?
Even the GTR on stand-by doesn't draw that much power that there is no need to re-charge the battery for several weeks.
Showing just 11.8V (usually over 14) after I didn't use the bike for a couple of weeks it started without any problems and the battery was full again after riding a couple of miles.
I resurrected more than one 'dead' battery with an cheap Polo charger, so what's the big deal?
And I recovered more than one 'dead' car battery by jump-starting the car and drive it for about 10 minutes.
What batteries really don't like is sitting out in the wet at freezing temperatures.
So unless I won't use the bike for a couple of months I just leave the battery alone.

[Winston Smith]

So there!

[2kwacks]

As long as a lead battery doesn't get discharged below 25% of it's capacity it will be fine.
Below that metal or salt may come of the plates causing irrevocable damage.
Over-charging the battery OTOH will damage it too so any charger that turns itself off once the battery is fully charged will do the trick.
Using chargers designed for bigger batteries may damage a bike battery too.
If a good battery is fully charged, as it should be after you used the bike, the voltage won't drop for quite some time.
So why hook it up to a charger?
Even the GTR on stand-by doesn't draw that much power that there is no need to re-charge the battery for several weeks.
Showing just 11.8V (usually over 14) after I didn't use the bike for a couple of weeks it started without any problems and the battery was full again after riding a couple of miles.
I resurrected more than one 'dead' battery with an cheap Polo charger, so what's the big deal?
And I recovered more than one 'dead' car battery by jump-starting the car and drive it for about 10 minutes.
What batteries really don't like is sitting out in the wet at freezing temperatures.
So unless I won't use the bike for a couple of months I just leave the battery alone.

well that's well enough :) but why take the chance if it dose go flat for what ever reason, don't want to be messing around with removing the battery. for the sake of £49.00 you will never even need to remove the battery "yet alone" even charge it! had the optimate charger on my zrx1200 for 5 years never once let me down with a flat battery :) also I sold the bike to guy I knew in 2008, also let him have the otitmate as well. "because I'm a generous person" ;D the bike is still on the same battery and charger. so I had 5 years use and he as had 4 years with no issues from from the same battery :) as far as I'm concearned there the best thing since sliced bread ;)

[Kevin]

We've got several Optimate IIISPs, a couple of Optimate 4s and a couple of Oxford Products' Maximisers. The reason I bought the Maximisers is the IISPs would tell me a battery was toast when I was pretty sure it wasn't.  I think the lawn mower is on an old Optimate 3.

We rarely use our Harley as it's rather small and uncomfortable. It didn't seem to get on with the IIISP at all but seems very happy with a  Maximiser. What I don't like about the Maximisers, and my reason for purchasing the Optimate 4s, is that Maximisers go into standby after a power cut whereas the Optimates turn themselves back on.

Kevin

[keith]

has anyone tried the new oxford oximiser 900 ,i see there is one for sale on the forum!!!!!wonder who is selling it ? think i am turning into del boy!