I have a bettery tender at home no problem with that over the winter. but i am going away for a year and was wondering if I need to keep the battery on a trickle charge or if i can just let it sit and charge it when i get back? I probably know the answer anyways is to keep the trickle charge but i just want to make sure.
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(probably another) battery storage question
- Thread starter Dsquintz
- Start date
One of these ok to plug in and leave? I've got 4 m/c batteries I need to charge, I'll probably plug each one for a week at a time and then swap to the next?.. Anything wrong with that?
http://c.castanet.net/img/306/1310309-1-1.jpg
http://c.castanet.net/img/306/1310309-1-1.jpg
If you have an actual "Battery Tender" - yes, you can leave it plugged in, indefinitely. Battery maintainers (Battery Tender Plus, Battery Tender Jr., C-Tek, Optimate, etc.) have an integral circuit that monitors battery charge and will charge the battery once it drops below a pre-determined voltage. Once it's brought the battery up to a full charge, the "tender" will go into "float" mode and continue to monitor the battery. I've had one on a car battery for three years (that's being stored) and it's fine. I also have one that's hooked up to my bike (continuously, when not riding) and that battery is nine years old.
A trickle charger, if left unattended, will "cook" your battery dry - takes about one to six months - depending on the size/capacity of the battery.
If your battery is in good condition - take it out of the bike - charge it, wait two or three hours for the "surface charge" to dissipate and take a reading with a "multi-tester" (C.T.C. - $15-$20) - a full charge will read 13 V - 13.5 V. Then stick your battery in the fridge (the colder the battery, the slower it's charge will dissipate). If you're still living with mom and dad and it's not your fridge - ignore this last bit.
A trickle charger, if left unattended, will "cook" your battery dry - takes about one to six months - depending on the size/capacity of the battery.
If your battery is in good condition - take it out of the bike - charge it, wait two or three hours for the "surface charge" to dissipate and take a reading with a "multi-tester" (C.T.C. - $15-$20) - a full charge will read 13 V - 13.5 V. Then stick your battery in the fridge (the colder the battery, the slower it's charge will dissipate). If you're still living with mom and dad and it's not your fridge - ignore this last bit.
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