Here is a great article for those of us who like to know "how stuff works". http://www.yuasabatteries.com/motor_battery.asp It is by Yuasa battery.
Here is an exerpt:
"The taper charger or vehicle voltage regulator will taper the charge rate drastically as the voltage rises above 13.5, but is the battery state of charge commensurate with the voltage? No! Once again, it takes time for the acid to diffuse throughout the cells. Although the voltage may be high, the electrolyte in the outer reaches of the cells is still weak, and the battery may be at a much lower state of charge than the voltage would indicate. Only after charging for an extended period at the reduced current will the full capacity be reached. This is the reason you must not judge a battery's state of charge by measuring voltage while charging. Test it only after allowing the battery to sit for at least an hour."
Very useful information!
Curtis
That is a good article, I've been intending to try one of the float chargers at Harbor freight, but keep forgetting to pick one up when I'm there last time I looked they were under $10.00 think I'll go get one before I forget again.. thanks for sharing.
After ruining several batteries at $70-a-pop by letting them go flat one too many times, I bought two battery tenders. I'm thinking about getting another one for my truck because it sits more often than the motorcycles!
The cost of those float chargers and the effort it takes to use them regularly is very small when compared to the cost of a new battery every two years!
Curtis
Thanks for the info Curtis, I might have to get a couple of those as well. Wonder if we could get a group purchase discount????
Without a discount they are about $30 (battery tender brand). From time to time I see them on sale from various internet vendors for $20. I think I gave $24.95 ea. for mine. If the ones Charles is talking about from Harbor Freight are reliable, ten bucks is hard to beat!
Curtis
Curtis you were talking about one for your truck? Harbor freight has their waterproof on board 1.5 amp chargers on sale for $9.99 . they come with a mounting bracket .Your extention cord plugs straight in to the charger.
Thanks Charles, but for long term use I don't trust a trickle charger. I'd forget to take it off and cause the battery to gas off too much. I'll stick with the automatic float chargers. I've got a 6/2 amp charger that I use for short term if needed and two Battery Tender brand float chargers for longer term maintenance. I was thinking about getting another float charger or two.
Curtis
Actually they are both fully auto on/off for maintaining batteries in storage. the float charger is 9.99 full price the other is called an on board it has wire terminals already on the wires and brkts for mounting .it is same price because it's on sale. I'm getting the on board for my truck and the smaller float charger for the motorcycle be cause I have more than one battery and the the terminal clips make it easier to swap back and forth. So far I've had real good luck with their tools.
Do they have an LED or something to tell you whether they are in charge mode or float mode?
Curtis
The sale add reads>1.5 AMP onboard Battery Charger
Auto on/off trickle charger keeps 12 volt batteries fully charged
without over charging. Great for maintaining batteries while in storage too.
*Waterproof housing
*L.E.D. charge indicators
*Thermal overload protection
*Includes bracket for permanent mounting
LOT NO.93258
The sale ends tomorrow I'm going in the morning to get one ,I'm going to pick up an extra for my son's truck. I'll post a close up picture of it early so if you want one you'll have time or I'll go back and get another one if you need..
That sounds like the real deal Charles. I'll go by and get one for my truck. The ones I use for the motorcycles are .75 amp.
Curtis
Link for that item: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93258
I'm not sure how I'd mount that particular charger on the magna. I guess you'd store it under the seat if it'd fit, and pull the seat off to plug it in?
It's pretty big it sounds like...
Overall dimensions: 6-5/8'' L x 3-9/16'' W x 1-9/16'' H, Weight: 2 lbs
Maybe replace the ends with alligator clips for temp use?
Going to buy one for my boat battery anyway.
:oops: forgot about their website. Dan item # 42292 might be more what your wanting for the bike?
Hey Curtis thanks for bringing the battery topic up when you did. I just got back from Harbor Freight and not only were there on board chargers on sale for $9.99 there Float chargers were on sale for $4.99 8) .. Perfect timing!!
I have not seen one lately but next Summer for the truck I was going to get a dashboard solar panel that maintains a positive voltage in the cigaret lighter. I don't remember the details about it.
Just a thought, but I was wondering if you could hook up the wires from an onboard charger to the battery, and then splice them at the end and make a connector for them. That way you could plug them into the charger when needed to, and then roll up the cord and tuck it away when you didn't. Then you wouldn't have to remove the seat everytime?!? I'm thinking a connector like one of these would do the trick:
(http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pRS1C-2266750t98.jpg)
or this:
(http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pRS1C-2265988t98.jpg)
I think the main concern is making sure there aren't any exposed wires to hit metal. Anyway, just a thought. dc
I think the Battery Tender offering has a short battery lead that you leave on the bike and hide it behind a side cover or such.
Greg is right. I don't know if the chargers that Charles is referring to has them, but the Battery Tender brand comes with a pigtail that you leave on the bike and another pigtail with alligator clips for other uses.
They connect to the charger cord with an sae connector shown here: http://www.answers.com/topic/sae-connector. If you make your own, I'd still use the sae connector instead of the ones you showed because they have a weatherproof cap when not in use.
I forgot to go by Harbor Freight after work today so I'm going to keep rotating my Battery Tenders around. The good news is that my new Valkyrie already has a pigtail installed!
Curtis
The float chargers were on for $4.99 so I bought a couple of them and I'm re placing the alligator clips with terminal ends and mounting straight to the battery , the charger will tuck nicely into the tool pouch under the side cover. this way I'll always have the charger with the bike. I keep my tools in my fork bag anyway.
I picked up one of those $4.99 float chargers for the Van recently. I killed the bat in it with letting it set and throing the 10 amp charger on it about once a month. Supriseingly I don't seem to drive it much since I got the bike. Go figure.