battery question

[horobags]

I've not had much time to ride the strom recently, went to get it out last sunday and battery was dead, wouldn't charge so I've bought a new one. Now with my work load its going to be 3 weeks before I ride again, so do I keep the battery packed up in a warm house, or should I fit it and trickle charge it once a week??? Its a sealed Yuasa.
ta,

[oslin]

Hi, I would put it on a battery minder, but if you can not due to location then remove the battery and take it indoors and keep it charged, batteries do not like standing idle for long periods and the more you keep them fully charged the longer they will last.

[Tusker]

don't ride much at all from November until April, my battery stays on the bike and is left connected to an Oxford battery minder. I never have any problems

[Mr Nick]

4 bikes and 2 battery chargers mean that mine aren't left on permanently as some batteries don't actually like that, despite what the charger makers would tell you.

I check the bikes every week or so and they go on charge when the level drops a bit. Different bikes have different current draw when switched off 990 & SP3 both have clocks and the SP3 one is mechanical so draws more: V50 has nothing so it's just self discharge to keep an eye on there.

[Barbel Mick]

If you've got power near the bike then stick one of these on it.
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/470768?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk_TJ0_a27QIVkt_tCh3ajAa1EAQYAiABEgJzF_D_BwE
I've used one for years now, although I only put it on for 2/3 days at a time then leave it off for a few weeks.
Some say leave them connected some don't.........  

[Ianmc]

I have a charger that I built and modified myself from a professional unit that is fitted to emergency generators in hospitals, data centres etc.They are switched on 24/7 as the sets need to start at any time automatically if the power goes off.It doesn't harm the batteries as they are only set to 13.6 volts float voltage.Plus I have mine on a plug in timer so it only comes on for half an hour a day.This is enough to keep the battery in good condition through the winter when the bike is stood.

[STORMY]

I use an optimate 3, my bike is always connected to it summer and winter - no issues in 18 months. I’m not sure if it’s bad for the battery doing that, but so far no problems whatsoever. This is a tender by the way so it’s not constantly applying charge, it checks in with battery every so often and decides how much charge is required.

[Asmith61]

I have already got 3 of these they are a really good bit of kit I leave mine on all winter no problems 
In fact at that price from the sports bike shop I have just ordered another for spare cheers Mick 

[Joe Rocket]

You should only need a check/top up once a month so I think it's totally unecessary to leave the battery connected for nothing.

It's at least (if only) a waste of electricity for anything left on standby.

[stealthtech]

2x bikes, 2x Oxford Oximisers.....interesting thread this, I thought it was best to leave them on permanently. Great to hear differing views from those with years of experience!!! 

[Joe Rocket]

2x bikes, 2x batteries, 1x trickle charger, 1x each per month.

Asmith61 knows me well I think. I have no qualms with other folks habits over maintaining batteries. I don't pay their bills......... 

Sorry, must add that I live in a more clement land so I expect to put either battery back on a bike and spin around for an hour or so when possible. I don't 'winter' them, just get them inside during cold or damp spells.

[Tusker]

Further to my above comment, I do run the bike to full temperature once every month. Get the damp out of the exhaust system.. I run it hot then give it some revs a few times, then leave it on tick over for maybe 10 minutes....

[mr_diver]

Smart chargers can be quite dumb at times.

They need a good few volts to be able to detect a battery being attached. A completely dead battery will not be detected.

I nearly threw out my dad's old Oximser 600 until I remembered this fact.
My car has been stood over the lockdown and a couple of hours on a very basic very low amp charger gave it enough volts to get the bigger car battery charger to detect it and recharge it.

Never use a car charger on a bike battery... the small bike batteries do not like a charge over 1.2amp. Even if the charger says bikes but is over 1.2amp just don't.

I have a solar panel on my garage roof that charges a couple of old bike batteries (no good for the bikes anymore) to power a couple of lights in the garage. (No mains)
I occasionally swap this onto a bike for a couple sunny days. Keeps them going well.
I have an old Oxford solariser and a newer one I bought this year for car that wasn't man enough for the car that's going to get mounted in the garage today just for the bikes.

[oslin]

OK each to there own, but I have used a battery minder for the last ten years and the pan battery lasted 9 years before needing replacement which surprised me, and the Suzuki battery is four years old now so I have no compunction about leaving the battery minder on full time and most of the time it is on standby with just a couple of led's lit up, but the minder does test the battery every now and again by discharging it slightly and charging it up again 

[horobags]

great info, thanks all. I have a meta battery charger I bought off Sale yamaha when they closed some years ago, it was their workshop charger so I recon it should be a good one. Charged the new battery at weekend, not fitted it yet as I don't recon I'll be riding till after the 26th. I'll charge it every fortnight through winter to keep it topped up.