TrophyHunter 15 Posted June 12, 2009 Since some of the toys will be sitting a while, I've been reading up on battery tenders. My take is you want a float type charger, not trickle, as a trickle charger has a small chance of overheating the battery and cooking a cell. The term "float" seems to apply to those chargers that trickle and then shut off when the battery is charged. Repeatedly switching on/off as needed. The prices are all over the map....with the best known (advertised) being the Battery Tender brand. Accessories galore and the ability to hardwire some pigtails, etc. Expensive though. A lot of folks have had good luck with the Harbor Freight float chargers & they're on sale right now for 5 bucks. If pigtails is what you want, make some and hard wire 'em in....? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=42292 Looking for ideas/experience/guidance. I'm just having a hard time with $40 per unit for the "name brand", especially when I'm looking at 4 units. Thx..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jaynen 0 Posted June 12, 2009 Yeah I have one of the Battery Tender ones they sell in all the motorcycle shops but honestly I havent even been using it since we moved. Probably a mistake on my part technically I would need 2 but the WRR gets ridden often so I dont think its an issue. It works but I agree with you its annoying having to shell out that much cash for stuff that isnt being used Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tlking6 0 Posted June 12, 2009 I have one of the $5 harbor freight ones that I use on my boat and it works fine. Never tried it on a MC battery but I am assuming it would work okay. I popped for one of the battery tenders along time ago and use it on my bikes. I have a couple quads and my katoom that will sit for a long time during the summer so I just move it from one to the other every month or so and I'm still on the original batteries after 5 years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
socalhodaka 104 Posted June 12, 2009 When I had my DRZ I had it on the tender all the time. The big o speedo-clock on that thing would drain the battery fast. I have a tender I rotate between the Harley and the RV all the time, them pesky little power parasites from the clocks and stuff give them a slow drain. I have the pig tails on them all so switching the tender is easy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paulmbowers 236 Posted June 12, 2009 I use an Optimate, and I've forgotten why. The Harbor Freight may be electronically identical, but since my experience with HF is so mixed, I'd be unwilling to gamble a battery or fire on it. http://www.optimate3.com/classic/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joliet 0 Posted June 12, 2009 I use the Deltran Battery Tender JR's. I have about half a dozen of them. I have found them on sale for under $30. I have had good luck with them. I once tried to bring a dead battery back to life and burned a couple of the tenders out, but they were replaced. But for maintaining a charge they are great for my bikes and waverunners. The big boat batteries get a bigger charger, I don't like to use the little tenders on the big batteries. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHunter 15 Posted June 12, 2009 I use an Optimate, and I've forgotten why. The Harbor Freight may be electronically identical, but since my experience with HF is so mixed, I'd be unwilling to gamble a battery or fire on it. This function seems to be rare and possibly significant. Optimate site: Diagnoses & desulfates batteries safely There was some talk of these functions on several blogs but it didn't seem critical and usually used by battery tech folks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sandiegoland 0 Posted June 12, 2009 I bought one of the little http://www.batterytender.com/ products on sale and and extra pigtail. I just switch them between my two bikes if one doesn't get ridden that week. The http://batterytender.com/default.php?cPath=11_3 is good for one battery at a time. If a battery has been off the charger for a week it only takes a matter of minutes to top it off. The charger sits off the majority of the time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spyder 2 Posted June 12, 2009 I use an Optimate, and I've forgotten why. The Harbor Freight may be electronically identical, but since my experience with HF is so mixed, I'd be unwilling to gamble a battery or fire on it. FN, surprised you have not gone the solar route yet as gadget minded as you are. (That's a good thing). I have been thinking about this since there seem to be way to many batteries to upkeep around here. From Lawnmowers to RVs and all in between, I seem to be constantly moving the chargers around the place. Generally, if I can remove a battery fairly easily (PWCs or Trailers) I will keep it in the charge area of the garage and just move the chargers around when they hit green. 3 Battery Tender JRs are my friends right now and have had pretty good luck not cooking off batteries with them. The Harbor Frieght chargers went in the dumpster after cooking off a couple of batteries. But....... I, however, lack any knowldge in the Solar field and consider all Electricity to be Magic! Really, if I knew how to wire up a smaller Solar charging system to float all my batteries, this would make life simpler for me. TH, spend the money on two Tenders (float chargers) and rotate them every so often....... oh and don't store the batteries on concrete flooring. Spyder Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHunter 15 Posted June 12, 2009 Thx for bringing up the solar.... I have two small solar trickle chargers I stick on the RV when we're out. Hmmmmmm. How to make them "float".... I'm likin' the Optimate 3 after a little research although I don't think I'll ever abuse/neglect a battery long enough for it to sulfate...nice to have. They come with a wall mount & the typical sets of wiring. The Optimate 4 is out now so the 3 is on Amazon for $45. Couple extra pigtails.....done. Thx for all the advice! Just a tip...the supplier listed on Amazon has it on their site for $5 more....strange. EDIT: After more reading and realizing I don't need all the functions of the Optimate, I got one Battery Tender (which has a much longer warranty) a 25 ft extension for moving from bike to bike & a total of 4 pigtails. Combine advice and move it around every week or two. Thx again! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHunter 15 Posted July 16, 2012 Follow up report. I've been using the Battery Tender Jr for 3 years now. Mostly had 4 machines with pigtails and added my son's bike to mix for 18 months until it recently moved to his home full time. I hooked up the BT Jr to each machine, let it go for 2 - 3 days followed by 2 - 5 days rest, then on to the next machine. I rotated it using this schedule and no dead batteries, all bikes willing fo fire when needed and didn't wear out the BT Jr. Thx again for the advice at the beginning. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 0 Posted July 16, 2012 Funny you bring this up today as I was just bitching about my GSA battery. Brand new batter in December, used a Battery Tender on it over the Spring and it worked great at keeping it topped off. Rode the GSA 13 days ago, didn't put it back on the tender, and it this afternoon it doesn't have enough juice to start the damn bike. On the other hand, the stock battery in my WR250R rocks, and is 2.5 years old. I rode the bike on the LA-B-V ride over Thanksgiving. Brought it home and parked it, without the benefit of a tender or anything else. Last time the engine was running was in the Orleans parking lot after LA-B-V. Literally didn't touch the bike until near Memorial Day. Went, turned the key on, FI pump did its thing, and I hit the starter. Within 1.5 seconds, the bike was running! I guess the damn GSA is always pulling something from the battery, but it seems it can't sit two weeks without being on a tender. Whatever battery is in the WRR...I'm buying again when it goes dead. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteelRain 0 Posted July 16, 2012 I know more than a few guys can attest that the BMWs eat a battery every 24k... I can't explain it but mine does. Ken, Buy a shop Battery Tender, they area bout $80 and can charge and float up to six bikes. I have one and never use my single setup anymore. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHunter 15 Posted July 16, 2012 Have a link, Dave? All the multi port ones on BT's site start at $100 + and up. I did find A Solar Unit while bouncing around. I read about a guy using one of these on top of his rear box for additional juice and keeping the bike charged up while camping. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteelRain 0 Posted July 16, 2012 Have a link, Dave? All the multi port ones on BT's site start at $100 + and up. I did find A Solar Unit while bouncing around. I read about a guy using one of these on top of his rear box for additional juice and keeping the bike charged up while camping. Have you been reading my ride reports? I have a solar charger on top of the BMWs topcase. I looked back through my Paypal payments and found that I paid $84.27 for a new one from an Ebay store. However, the seller is no longer listing on Ebay and I can't find any info on the store. Apparently, I got a steal when I bought mine in 2007. Sorry, I can't help. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHunter 15 Posted July 16, 2012 Thx Dave..... I guess I'll continue with the schedule. I'd like to see your set up out of pure interest. I read Jammin Jay's report. Funny that it's DR related.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crawdaddy 96 Posted July 16, 2012 I use the "Battery Tender Jr." on my bikes/Seadoos.......works fine. ~$30/each Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
