charging battery

mike58 · 01-10-2018, 02:22 PM

Is their any reason not to charge the battery while still in the bike and hooked up? 2007 nomad 1600 if that makes a difference.
I have a tender on it and i noticed the light stayed red for a couple of days so i tried starting it and it was dead. Hum that's a new battery installed in July. So took the seats of and everything looks fine and when i put the tender back on it seamed like the red light was a lot brighter than before, that was 2 days ago. Yesterday the light was green and it seamed a little odd that a trickle charge will bring it back in one day. Today i tried starting it and definitely has more juice than the other day but not enough to start it so now I'm impatient and thinking of just putting a regular charger on it used for automobiles.

Scootergptx · 01-10-2018, 03:59 PM

For a bike, it should be a 2 amp charger. The big charger (bigger than the battery tender) I have has a 2 amp setting. Using the car amp setting could damage the battery.

As far as it being hooked up, as long as there's nothing drawing the current to make it die to begin with, it should be ok.

MrMikey · 01-10-2018, 05:29 PM

I have a permanent pigtail with a 5A fuse on mine I plug the tender into. The bike is stored away now for winter, battery still in it hooked up to the tender.
I have an ammeter and voltmeter hooked up to my tender, voltage is at 13.83, amperage is at 0.0 with the rare flick up to 0.1 for a second then drops back down to 0.0 ...........Mike

recumbentbob · 01-10-2018, 05:39 PM

Yes you can charge the battery in the bike,. I've done it for years,
You could have a defective battery even though it's pretty new. You could have a defective charger too.

Do you have any accessories on the bike that could be putting a drain on the battery?

I would disconnect the cables on the battery and try charging it again. If still a problem take the battery to Auto Zone or a similar auto parts store and have it load tested. This will tell you if the battery is good.

tcat · 01-10-2018, 05:52 PM

I also have a Battery Tender pigtail permanently attached to the bike & keep the tender hooked up to battery year round - I've done this on all of my bikes for years.

**Sabre-t** · 01-10-2018, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by recumbentbob

Yes you can charge the battery in the bike,. I've done it for years,
You could have a defective battery even though it's pretty new. You could have a defective charger too.

Do you have any accessories on the bike that could be putting a drain on the battery?

I would disconnect the cables on the battery and try charging it again. If still a problem take the battery to Auto Zone or a similar auto parts store and have it load tested. This will tell you if the battery is good.

I agree with all of this.

In case you are not aware, the order of connecting the tender to the battery and plugging the tender is important. Make sure you do it in the order specified by the mfg. Most specify connecting the battery first then plugging in the tender.

mike58 · 01-10-2018, 08:00 PM

I'll take a better look at my charger tomorrow i believe it has a setting that reduces the charge as the battery gets fully charged it's been some years since i used it. If memory serves my right it has settings for maintenance free, automatic, and just out right charging till i shut it off. I also have the pigtail on the bike for the tender and it served me well for about 10 years so maybe your on to something and it might be the tender. It's been really really cold here and maybe that has something to do with it also. I'll learn more in the next few days.

miltonsain · 01-10-2018, 10:23 PM

I had a tender boil the acid out of my battery, it was a .75 amp tender, something went bad, and it overcharged and ruined a battery

mike58 · 01-11-2018, 08:30 AM

I did some searching around the internet and found a very good article written by the Yussa battery co. http://www.yuasabatteries.com/motor_battery.php Keeping the charger amps down is very important as suggested in the reply's and i think I'll end up taking the battery out and charging it on the tender then having a load test performed from the dealer that installed it in July. If it fails the load test it should be replaced on their dime. If it passes the load test then i start looking for shorts and that's no fun.

degreaser · 01-11-2018, 08:46 AM

I use a battery tender plus, 1.25 amp

DragonLady58 · 01-11-2018, 07:06 PM

I have my tender mounted inside my bag....have a covered receptical mounted on the exterior of bag. All I need is my 15' extension cord to plug into

Blueraven · 01-12-2018, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DragonLady58

I have my tender mounted inside my bag....have a covered receptical mounted on the exterior of bag. All I need is my 15' extension cord to plug into

Could you post a pic of the way you have your tender installed? The plug too!

Rhys

**Sabre-t** · 01-12-2018, 12:13 AM

I think everyone here is probably aware that a battery tender (a.k.a. a float charger or battery maintainer) is not the same thing as a battery charger or trickle charger. But for anyone who might be confused over the differences...

Battery maintainers tend to charge very slowly, if needed, and stop charging when the battery does not need it. They are intended to, well, maintain a battery over long the long run, whether or not the battery is in regular use or in storage.

A trickle charger constantly charges the battery, but at a very low current. They can be left on for days without harming the battery because of the low current they provide, but should not be left connected long term.

Of course, a full blown fast battery charger should be removed as quickly as possible after a battery has reached full charge.

Not that anyone will quit calling any brand battery maintainer a "battery tender", it is like calling any brand of bulldozer a CAT, or any photocopy a Xerox. "Battery Tender" is the trademark Deltran (or Deltona Transformer Corp.).

ldhthept · 01-12-2018, 10:59 AM

Not to be an arse, but I just ride my bike to charge battery. If it will sit for more a few days, I unplug anything that would drain battery and crank it every other day or so until I get to ride again. One of the reasons I live in Florida.

**Sabre-t** · 01-12-2018, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ldhthept

Not to be an arse, but I just ride my bike to charge battery. If it will sit for more a few days, I unplug anything that would drain battery and crank it every other day or so until I get to ride again. One of the reasons I live in Florida.

That's as good as using a tender, maybe even better, providing you don't make a lot of short, relatively slow rides (for example, to the grocery store a few blocks away) and park it for the night before the battery can recharge after cranking twice.

01-10-2018, 02:22 PM	#1
mike58 Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Ma Posts: 128	charging battery Is their any reason not to charge the battery while still in the bike and hooked up? 2007 nomad 1600 if that makes a difference. I have a tender on it and i noticed the light stayed red for a couple of days so i tried starting it and it was dead. Hum that's a new battery installed in July. So took the seats of and everything looks fine and when i put the tender back on it seamed like the red light was a lot brighter than before, that was 2 days ago. Yesterday the light was green and it seamed a little odd that a trickle charge will bring it back in one day. Today i tried starting it and definitely has more juice than the other day but not enough to start it so now I'm impatient and thinking of just putting a regular charger on it used for automobiles. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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01-10-2018, 03:59 PM	#2
Scootergptx Advanced Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Grand Prairie, TX Posts: 654	For a bike, it should be a 2 amp charger. The big charger (bigger than the battery tender) I have has a 2 amp setting. Using the car amp setting could damage the battery. As far as it being hooked up, as long as there's nothing drawing the current to make it die to begin with, it should be ok. __________________ 2011 Vaquero V&H slip ons Roaring Toyz intake PCV (removed) Ivan's ECU flash
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01-10-2018, 05:29 PM	#3
MrMikey Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 403	I have a permanent pigtail with a 5A fuse on mine I plug the tender into. The bike is stored away now for winter, battery still in it hooked up to the tender. I have an ammeter and voltmeter hooked up to my tender, voltage is at 13.83, amperage is at 0.0 with the rare flick up to 0.1 for a second then drops back down to 0.0 ...........Mike __________________ '09 Voyager
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01-10-2018, 05:39 PM	#4
recumbentbob Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Newburgh IN Posts: 3,404	Yes you can charge the battery in the bike,. I've done it for years, You could have a defective battery even though it's pretty new. You could have a defective charger too. Do you have any accessories on the bike that could be putting a drain on the battery? I would disconnect the cables on the battery and try charging it again. If still a problem take the battery to Auto Zone or a similar auto parts store and have it load tested. This will tell you if the battery is good. __________________ VBA #01084 "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
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01-10-2018, 05:52 PM	#5
tcat Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Midlothian, TX Posts: 94	I also have a Battery Tender pigtail permanently attached to the bike & keep the tender hooked up to battery year round - I've done this on all of my bikes for years. __________________ Tom Harrington 07 Black Nomad (totaled 5/5/18) 02 Silver Goldwing / 03 Sliver Bushtec Quantum GL Login or Register to Remove Ads
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01-10-2018, 08:00 PM	#7
mike58 Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Ma Posts: 128	I'll take a better look at my charger tomorrow i believe it has a setting that reduces the charge as the battery gets fully charged it's been some years since i used it. If memory serves my right it has settings for maintenance free, automatic, and just out right charging till i shut it off. I also have the pigtail on the bike for the tender and it served me well for about 10 years so maybe your on to something and it might be the tender. It's been really really cold here and maybe that has something to do with it also. I'll learn more in the next few days.
	0

01-10-2018, 10:23 PM	#8
miltonsain Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Lincolnton, NC Posts: 106	I had a tender boil the acid out of my battery, it was a .75 amp tender, something went bad, and it overcharged and ruined a battery
	0

01-11-2018, 08:30 AM	#9
mike58 Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Ma Posts: 128	I did some searching around the internet and found a very good article written by the Yussa battery co. http://www.yuasabatteries.com/motor_battery.php Keeping the charger amps down is very important as suggested in the reply's and i think I'll end up taking the battery out and charging it on the tender then having a load test performed from the dealer that installed it in July. If it fails the load test it should be replaced on their dime. If it passes the load test then i start looking for shorts and that's no fun.
	0

01-11-2018, 08:46 AM	#10
degreaser Advanced Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 614	I use a battery tender plus, 1.25 amp __________________ 04 1500 sold, got an 800 now Atlantic Canada
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01-11-2018, 07:06 PM	#11
DragonLady58 Sr. Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Somewhere South of Alaska.... Posts: 2,351	I have my tender mounted inside my bag....have a covered receptical mounted on the exterior of bag. All I need is my 15' extension cord to plug into __________________ --------------------- Don't start no schit, there won't be no schit.... My Sarcasm is directly proportional to the amount of Stupidity involved --------------------- VBA#03239 VROC#37400 VRA --------------------- 2014 Vaquero 2001 Nomad FI 2003 Street Glide (sold) 1500 Meanie, fresh rebuild (sold) 90s BUBF Bobber (sold) 2001 UltraCycle FatPounder (Sold) 1975 HD ElectraGlide (Sold) 1982 Kawasaki Z1 Chopper (Sold) Suck It Up & Ride! Last edited by DragonLady58; 01-11-2018 at 07:09 PM.
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01-12-2018, 12:13 AM	#13
Sabre-t Join Date: May 2015 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 838	I think everyone here is probably aware that a battery tender (a.k.a. a float charger or battery maintainer) is not the same thing as a battery charger or trickle charger. But for anyone who might be confused over the differences... Battery maintainers tend to charge very slowly, if needed, and stop charging when the battery does not need it. They are intended to, well, maintain a battery over long the long run, whether or not the battery is in regular use or in storage. A trickle charger constantly charges the battery, but at a very low current. They can be left on for days without harming the battery because of the low current they provide, but should not be left connected long term. Of course, a full blown fast battery charger should be removed as quickly as possible after a battery has reached full charge. Not that anyone will quit calling any brand battery maintainer a "battery tender", it is like calling any brand of bulldozer a CAT, or any photocopy a Xerox. "Battery Tender" is the trademark Deltran (or Deltona Transformer Corp.).
	0

01-12-2018, 10:59 AM	#14
ldhthept Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Tallahassee FL Posts: 1,031	Not to be an arse, but I just ride my bike to charge battery. If it will sit for more a few days, I unplug anything that would drain battery and crank it every other day or so until I get to ride again. One of the reasons I live in Florida.
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