Which Battery Tender?

[Doug]

Which battery tender should I buy for winter and for long time periods I may not use my bike? I'm not knowledgeable regarding this sort of thing . . . amps, volts, etc.

I'd like something with a quick connect harness.

 

[FZ1inNH]

Battery Tender Jr. Search Amazon as I found it there earlier for another site for under $25.00. It has an SAE lead you can attach and run under the tank to the front of the bike. Then, just plug in at the steering head!

 

[sweber_7]

+1 on the Jr.

 

[jwrider41]

optimate 3 works great!

 

[wolfc70]

optimate 3 works great!

+1!! The Optimate 4 works great too.


http://www.600riders.com/forum/prod...harger-reviews-multiple-models-long-post.html

 

[Doug]

Should I get the 12V or 6V?

 

[gpd211]

Should I get the 12V or 6V?

you must get the 12volt model. our bikes are 12volt! the 6 volt model WILL NOT work

 

[taki]

just yesterday i installed my battery tender jr. i had a heck of a time connecting the leads to the battery, because the battery bolt attaches to a rectangular nut, and when i pulled the battery bolt out, theres nothing to hold the nut in place. i had to use a twist tie to try and hold the nut in place, then pass the bolt through everything to get it to work.

is there an easier way?

 

[FZ1inNH]

On my leads, I cut the top section of the enclosed loop so I could loosen the bolt and slide it under without removal. I turned the closed circle into a "U"

 

[Less]

+1 on the Battery Tender Jr. I've been using them for years on my past 3 bikes and my battery has always been good to go int he spring after as much as 5+ months of sitting through winter. I even left the pigtail attached to my last bike when I sold it, but kept the Tender. When I bought the FZ I asked them to install a pigtail for me, (which they did at no charge), and I use the old Tender.

I've added a Y extension to the SAE plug in front of the handlebars and then connected an SAE to cigar plug cable to one side of the Y that I used to power my GPS. The other side of the Y I use to connect the batery tender whenever I'm not riding.

 

[RJ2112]

just yesterday i installed my battery tender jr. i had a heck of a time connecting the leads to the battery, because the battery bolt attaches to a rectangular nut, and when i pulled the battery bolt out, theres nothing to hold the nut in place. i had to use a twist tie to try and hold the nut in place, then pass the bolt through everything to get it to work.

is there an easier way?

A slightly longer bolt makes it a lot easier, too...... I've got two eyelets stacked up on my battery terminals. One for the Tender Jr. style connector, and another for the Widder electric vest.

 

[Tailgate]

What about the beer? Everybody failed to mention the final step to this operation.

 

[huxy]

A slightly longer bolt makes it a lot easier, too...... I've got two eyelets stacked up on my battery terminals. One for the Tender Jr. style connector, and another for the Widder electric vest.

I replaced my battery tonight and used a tip from someone else on here about getting the battery bolt to engage with the nut. I got a cable tie, cut a couple of short lengths for each nut, and superglued them to the bottom along the short edges. This raises the nut up enough that the battery bolt engages with it much more easily. I've got a battery tender, and a cigarette lighter power outlet, and as of last weekend, a stebel horn all trying to fit under each battery bolt so needed all the help I could get. Works a treat :thumbup:

 

[RJ2112]

Which battery tender should I buy for winter and for long time periods I may not use my bike? I'm not knowledgeable regarding this sort of thing . . . amps, volts, etc.

I'd like something with a quick connect harness.

FWIW, I park my bike under a car port and have an outlet on a utility pole there in the elements..... for my use, having a tender that was 100% waterproof was a good idea. It so happens the Battery tender Jr I bought is such a model.

The amperage a 'smart' charger/tender provides is not a constant thing.... it is adjusted as the battery charges, to minimize any damage the charger could do to the battery. too much current into a charged battery will boil out the electrolyte, and 'sulfate' the battery plates.... that will kill the battery.

The charger starts out with ~ 14VDC, and measures how much current it needs to provide to make that voltage after 30 seconds. If it is not able to reach the 13.8 or 14VDC (depending on which model you have) it still limits how much current it will give the battery to less than an ampere, and continues to check the voltage as it replenishes the batery's charge. The various makes and models all have slightly different supply currents in the 'bulk charge' phase... but they all reduce that current flow to a much lower level when the battery reaches about 80% of it's full charge.

Once the battery is above 80% charge, smart tenders will reduce the supply current to less than 1/10th of an ampere, and finish charging at that rate. when the voltage is up to the 14.1 or so the charger will stop providing current altogether, and just monitor the voltage on a regular basis.

If the battery discharges during storage, the tender will switch back into the trickle phase, at the low current state, and 'top up' the battery. (The exact details of what starts and stops the charging process changes, vendor to vendor.... but this is what they do.)

The waterproof Jr. was the first one I found, that was waterproof, so I bought it. It was possible to buy extra quick disconnect harnesses, so I got one for the riding lawn mower, as well. I switch the charger between the two every couple of weeks during the winter.

My '05 battery is sitll working like a champ, and I completely discharged it a couple of times when I first got the bike.

Whatever brand you go with, a smart charger is a wise move, IMHO.

 

[cyprusgrump]

I've used the same Optimate III on my last three bikes and have never had a battery issue - even when I was a 'fair weather' rider in the UK (i.e. not very often).

I've installed the connector on the 'wrong' side of my bike so I have to drape the cable over the bars. I figure that makes it less likely to ride off while still attached to the Optimate!

 

[jecht_sphere]

I've added a Y extension to the SAE plug in front of the handlebars and then connected an SAE to cigar plug cable to one side of the Y that I used to power my GPS. The other side of the Y I use to connect the batery tender whenever I'm not riding.

How? can you pls post some pictures. Thanks

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

As for the square battery nuts, I folded up some duck tape and cut it into small squares and forced them under the nuts(before removing the bolts). It'll hold the nuts up for you (doesn't sound right, does it ). If you use longer bolts make sure they don't go too far and puncture the battery itself.

As for the charger, I use both a waterproof tender (for the boat and car) and a BMW charger for the bikes. The BMW charger is good for all batteries including their specialty batteries (AGM, etc) . Very pricey thou, (bout $70.00)

 

[Less]

How? can you pls post some pictures. Thanks

I'll try to post some pictures tonight. I did it with two pieces, a Y cable and a SAE to Cigar Outlet cable, but I just found this one that does it with one piece. Even easier and cheaper.

I cable tied it to other cables and put velcro around the cigar end and the corresponding velcro around the semi circle cut out just to the left of the key inginition ( on my 09), it fits in this indentation perfectly and hold fairly tight. I jsut have to hold it a bit when I push the GPS power cord into the cigar outlet. But once inserted it stays in place while I ride. I also have my Ram mount for the GPS on the left side of the handlebars so everthing is close together.
Internal Cables - Powerlet SAE to Cig Socket and SAE Y-Cable

 

[RJ2112]

Bookmarked, Less.... thanks for the link.

 

[jecht_sphere]

I'll try to post some pictures tonight. I did it with two pieces, a Y cable and a SAE to Cigar Outlet cable, but I just found this one that does it with one piece. Even easier and cheaper.

I cable tied it to other cables and put velcro around the cigar end and the corresponding velcro around the semi circle cut out just to the left of the key inginition ( on my 09), it fits in this indentation perfectly and hold fairly tight. I jsut have to hold it a bit when I push the GPS power cord into the cigar outlet. But once inserted it stays in place while I ride. I also have my Ram mount for the GPS on the left side of the handlebars so everthing is close together.
Internal Cables - Powerlet SAE to Cig Socket and SAE Y-Cable

Thank you very much Less