Battery chargers

mark1122
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Battery chargers

13 Apr 2011 12:11

this is for all u electrical gurus out there.
i hear that batteries for our bikes should be charged with trickle chargers that are less than 1 amp.
true or false ?
i see chargers at .9ma and others at 1.5 or even 2 amps from battery manufactures such as Yuasa. whats up ? which 1 do i need? will my 2 amp charger do any harm?
i read that your bat will last longer if it is kept up to charge between rides .
My kz or cbr can sit for a few weeks between rides, sometimes longer.

76 KZ, frame gusset work,1200CC.Ported by Larry Cavanaugh, 1.5mm.over intakes, Carron Pipe, ZRX12 rear end, and seat,96zx9 front end.
01 CBR600F4i Track bike.
Cobourg, Ont. Can.

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Motor Head
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Re: Battery chargers

13 Apr 2011 12:33

#444413

Hard to beat the Float Charger from HF/ China Tools.
www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=float+charger
I've got a current coupon for $4.99, they work really good. I keep my batteries on this charger when not in use, all winter.

1982 KZ1000LTD K2 Vance & Hines 4-1 ACCEL COILS Added Vetter fairing & Bags. FOX Racing rear Shocks, Braced Swing-arm, Fork Brace, Progressive Fork Springs RT Gold Emulators, APE Valve Springs, 1166 Big Bore kit, RS34's, GPZ cams.
1980 KZ550LTD C1 Stock SOLD Miss it
1979 MAZDA RX7 in the works, 13B...

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bountyhunter
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Re: Battery chargers

13 Apr 2011 16:31 - 13 Apr 2011 16:31

#444440

The "2A" rating refers to max current. Good chargers use what is called "CC/CV" which means constant current/constant voltage method. When the battery is low, the charger pumps in the maximum current (constant current). When the battery reaches the correct voltage, it tapers off the current to hold that voltage (constant voltage mode). For bike batteries, a 2A max should be OK since most are in the 10-15A-hr ballpark. What's important is that the trickle chrger will charge to the correct voltage and hold it there, and that it has the proper temperature compensation on the set point voltage to match the battery.

1979 KZ-750 Twin

Last edit: 13 Apr 2011 16:31 by bountyhunter.

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andy9802gt
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Re: Battery chargers

13 Apr 2011 17:19

#444450

I just bought a C-TEK charger for mine from the bike shop for @$40. It hardwires onto the battery and has a pigtail that you can hide under the seat. The guys said it was better than the battery tenders that they had right next to them and so far I can't say they're wrong. I got the cheaper of the two versions they had on hand, the other one would even charge deep cycle marine batteries, which means you could buy another pigtail for it and just swap the charger from toy to toy, you should check them out.

'78 KZ1075 LTD
stage 1 head by Larry Cavanaugh
race built crank by John Pearson
Mikuni rs34's
k410 cams
back cut tranny
8" over D&G swinger
proving once again that age and treachery is better than youth and enthusiasm

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mark1122
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Re: Battery chargers

13 Apr 2011 17:46

#444460

bountyhunter wrote: The "2A" rating refers to max current. Good chargers use what is called "CC/CV" which means constant current/constant voltage method. When the battery is low, the charger pumps in the maximum current (constant current). When the battery reaches the correct voltage, it tapers off the current to hold that voltage (constant voltage mode). For bike batteries, a 2A max should be OK since most are in the 10-15A-hr ballpark. What's important is that the trickle chrger will charge to the correct voltage and hold it there, and that it has the proper temperature compensation on the set point voltage to match the battery.

I am wondering why some are .9ma and some are 1.5amp,some are 2 amp.
the local dealer said i should have less than 1 amp for bike batteries??

is that false ?

Yuasa has a .9ma a 1.5 amp.and a 4 amp.

www.yuasabatteries.com/pdfs/2011_yuasa_apps_specs.pdf

76 KZ, frame gusset work,1200CC.Ported by Larry Cavanaugh, 1.5mm.over intakes, Carron Pipe, ZRX12 rear end, and seat,96zx9 front end.
01 CBR600F4i Track bike.
Cobourg, Ont. Can.

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bountyhunter
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Re: Battery chargers

13 Apr 2011 20:25

#444475

It depends on the design of the charger. If it is smart enough to taper off and hold the correct voltage, I think 2A is safe because it won't be at that value for long. If it's a "dumb" charger that just trickles current into the battery continuously, you don't want to use it.

Check the internet for info on the charger before buying. A dumb charger will boil the water out of the battery. A smart charger will not.

1979 KZ-750 Twin

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jjack010
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Re: Battery chargers

13 Apr 2011 22:22

#444491

I use a 2A charger with no problems.

1974 Kawasaki Z1
Central Texas

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Re: Battery chargers

14 Apr 2011 00:44

#444529

No doubt every charger is different. I have a 1.25A Battery Tender that is generally regarded as a great safe charger. I have like 8 motorcycles give or take I rarely ride and for years I would use this charger once a month for 24 hours on each battery all of which are stored indoors. The result was all 8 batteries would be bad whithin 2 or 3 yrs, so I was basically riding around 50 miles on each battery before it crapped. I came to the realization that either I was overcharging or the battery tender was just a waste of time and effort to use, so I got the pulse tech extreme battery charger and use it instead, but only once every 6 months or so and all the batteries were purchased 11 years ago and still fine, so my take is don't overcharge.

321,000 miles on KZ's that I can remember. Not going to see any more.

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Re: Battery chargers

14 Apr 2011 00:58

#444531

I have a 1.5 amp Schumacher from Walmart it cost around $20 and works great. It has a float mode and has the pigtail so it can be wired straight to the battery. I don't use the pigtails since my bike usually never sits for more than a couple days here in FL but I have a battery on it for a few weeks and the battery was ready to go when I needed it

1977 KZ1000A With 1980 KZ1000A MKII engine, Wiseco 1105 kit, Dyna S Ignition, 3 Ohm Dyna Coils, Cams, Mikuni RS34 Carbs, Vance and Hines Pro Pipe with Comp Baffle

New Smyrna Beach, FL

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bountyhunter
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Re: Battery chargers

14 Apr 2011 02:34

#444542

RonKZ650 wrote: No doubt every charger is different. I have a 1.25A Battery Tender that is generally regarded as a great safe charger. I have like 8 motorcycles give or take I rarely ride and for years I would use this charger once a month for 24 hours on each battery all of which are stored indoors. The result was all 8 batteries would be bad whithin 2 or 3 yrs, so I was basically riding around 50 miles on each battery before it crapped. I came to the realization that either I was overcharging or the battery tender was just a waste of time and effort to use, so I got the pulse tech extreme battery charger and use it instead, but only once every 6 months or so and all the batteries were purchased 11 years ago and still fine, so my take is don't overcharge.

A properly designed charger can't overcharge. If it is doing what you describe, it's either not intended for continuous (float charge) or it's just a piece of junk. I have had my charger attached to my battery steady for about 15 years.

1979 KZ-750 Twin

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mark1122
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Re: Battery chargers

14 Apr 2011 10:45

#444566

bountyhunter wrote:

RonKZ650 wrote: No doubt every charger is different. I have a 1.25A Battery Tender that is generally regarded as a great safe charger. I have like 8 motorcycles give or take I rarely ride and for years I would use this charger once a month for 24 hours on each battery all of which are stored indoors. The result was all 8 batteries would be bad whithin 2 or 3 yrs, so I was basically riding around 50 miles on each battery before it crapped. I came to the realization that either I was overcharging or the battery tender was just a waste of time and effort to use, so I got the pulse tech extreme battery charger and use it instead, but only once every 6 months or so and all the batteries were purchased 11 years ago and still fine, so my take is don't overcharge.

A properly designed charger can't overcharge. If it is doing what you describe, it's either not intended for continuous (float charge) or it's just a piece of junk. I have had my charger attached to my battery steady for about 15 years.

are u saying your battery has lasted for 15 years??

76 KZ, frame gusset work,1200CC.Ported by Larry Cavanaugh, 1.5mm.over intakes, Carron Pipe, ZRX12 rear end, and seat,96zx9 front end.
01 CBR600F4i Track bike.
Cobourg, Ont. Can.

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bountyhunter
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Re: Battery chargers

14 Apr 2011 16:54 - 14 Apr 2011 16:56

#444605

mark1122 wrote:

bountyhunter wrote:

RonKZ650 wrote: No doubt every charger is different. I have a 1.25A Battery Tender that is generally regarded as a great safe charger. I have like 8 motorcycles give or take I rarely ride and for years I would use this charger once a month for 24 hours on each battery all of which are stored indoors. The result was all 8 batteries would be bad whithin 2 or 3 yrs, so I was basically riding around 50 miles on each battery before it crapped. I came to the realization that either I was overcharging or the battery tender was just a waste of time and effort to use, so I got the pulse tech extreme battery charger and use it instead, but only once every 6 months or so and all the batteries were purchased 11 years ago and still fine, so my take is don't overcharge.

A properly designed charger can't overcharge. If it is doing what you describe, it's either not intended for continuous (float charge) or it's just a piece of junk. I have had my charger attached to my battery steady for about 15 years.

are u saying your battery has lasted for 15 years??

I get an average life of about 6 - 7 years out of my batteries, but I leave the battery constantly connected to the charger even during riding season to keep it topped up.

I built this particular charger back in about '95 so it's been in constant use since then.

The reason my batteries last so long (aside from proper charging) is my electrical system has been modified so it disconnects all the electrics except the ignition while the starter cranks. Reducing the start load extends the life of the battery significantly.

1979 KZ-750 Twin

Last edit: 14 Apr 2011 16:56 by bountyhunter.

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