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Winter storage

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Good question.

I wonder how the garages do it that stores multiple bikes.

I doubt they have 50 individuals trickle chargers.
 
timtune said:
Kind of on topic... Can I cheat with my battery tender? I have three bikes with leads and just keep switching the tender once the light stays constant green (fully charged). Worst case maybe a bike is off tender for a week. Garage is heated but much 45-50F.
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I would have no issues with gaps in trickle charging. Personally, I think a month off the charger and a two day charger hit is better for everything but others disagree.
 
oioioi said:
I doubt they have 50 individuals trickle chargers.
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If they're doing it correctly they do.
The charge rate, on an automatic charger, is dictated by the internal resistance of the battery. So with multiple batteries the charging rate is decided by the worst battery... so one battery gets fully charged and the rest don't OR one gets charged and the rest get OVER charged, ruining the batteries.
There are battery chargers with multiple outputs, but they have one regulator for each output and are NOT cheap.
I take all the batteries out of the bikes, make a pile in the house, and rotate the charger so each battery gets charged every month or so.
 
oioioi said:
Good question.

I wonder how the garages do it that stores multiple bikes.

I doubt they have 50 individuals trickle chargers.
Click to expand...
50 trickle chargers is probably cheaper than rotating (or forgetting to rotate) a few chargers.

The multi-head chargers normally cost as much or more per channel than individual trickle chargers. I'd just buy a few cases of trickle chargers and some power bars and be done with it.
 
GreyGhost said:
I would have no issues with gaps in trickle charging. Personally, I think a month off the charger and a two day charger hit is better for everything but others disagree.
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Yep, that's what I did. At the peak, I had 9 batteries out and only 5 chargers, so I just rotated them.

batterycharger-XL.jpg


Had to be careful to keep them all in a vented area because the hydrogen outgassing could have made everything go Ka-Boom...
 
All greats tips !! However I would seal off the end of the exhaust with a cap from an empty aerosol can. Tape it on. Just so nothing can get inside. ie: mice storing food, moisture. Etc.

Make sure to remove it in spring.
 
apextech said:
All greats tips !! However I would seal off the end of the exhaust with a cap from an empty aerosol can. Tape it on. Just so nothing can get inside. ie: mice storing food, moisture. Etc.

Make sure to remove it in spring.
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A wad of steel wool works good too. It hurts their little teeth.
 
apextech said:
All greats tips !! However I would seal off the end of the exhaust with a cap from an empty aerosol can. Tape it on. Just so nothing can get inside. ie: mice storing food, moisture. Etc.
Click to expand...


They do make rear end/exhaust plugs for this application.

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oioioi said:
I winterized my VStrom for the 3rd time this year.
Thankfully all it takes is
-Full tank of gas + Fuel Stabilizer
-Trickle charger
-Centre stand
-Bike cover

Oil was changed as well but that is part of regular maintenance and not as part of the winterization

After this weekend, I really don't think I will have to do it the 4th time.
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I winterized my vstrom too.

I pushed it into the garage.
 
timtune said:
Kind of on topic... Can I cheat with my battery tender? I have three bikes with leads and just keep switching the tender once the light stays constant green (fully charged). Worst case maybe a bike is off tender for a week. Garage is heated but much 45-50F.
Click to expand...
No you can't. If you hook them up in parallel, you'll probably cook all but the lowest capacity battery.

Good lead acid batteries will hold a charge for 4 mos if inside a garage. I don't use floats on anything, my tiny fjr battery is 7, my vstrom 6 years old (on its original). The both fire up nicely - neither has ever had winter float charging.
 
timtune said:
Kind of on topic... Can I cheat with my battery tender? I have three bikes with leads and just keep switching the tender once the light stays constant green (fully charged). Worst case maybe a bike is off tender for a week. Garage is heated but much 45-50F.
Click to expand...

I do. Check your charger's manual to understand its charging cycle so that you don't interrupt it by unplugging it too early, especially if it detects the battery is in a condition to warrant a "special" cycle. Also, in case you have a significant parasitic draw on any of your bikes, I'd disconnect the battery terminals so you can go longer between rotations.

oioioi said:
Good question.

I wonder how the garages do it that stores multiple bikes.

I doubt they have 50 individuals trickle chargers.
Click to expand...

Presumably they have one or more of something like this, but at $1000 for only 10 channels, I can't see them investing in too many. Pretty sure most places remove the batteries, store them all on a bench, and rotate the charger(s) through them.

1668315084847.png
EDIT: Damn, I see I'm late to the party and everyone's already chimed in.
 
Single digits on the weather forecast for all week - time to put the moto away. :cry:
 
I am on my 5th year with a Shorai. Stored it on the bike, in the garage. Never been a problem. However, not a constant charge. More time unplugged then on tricked charge. Starts instantly, (Psssstttt, I talk to the bike and say something rude to it and it better start. Lol)
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