A word about batterys and alternators

[BigMac (SoCal)]

I just replaced an alternator on a friends Valk. It only had 31000 miles on the bike. In most cases all I need to do is replace the brushes but in this case the alt was toast. I suppose it could have been rebuilt but you never know how long it would go after that. They wanted $489.00 for a new Valk alt. Man what a rip off in my opinion. I got him the Goldwing alt for $259.00 which is still high but he wanted OEM. I know Sears has them for $159.00 but I couldn't tell who made it.  Anyway I believe his riding style had something to do with the failure. He would ride his bike for a few weeks and then let it sit for another few weeks maybe longer. He didn't use a battery tender as well. When your battery discharges you need to ride the bike significantly to get it back to full charge. Just a few miles to work and back won't do it. It makes the Alt work much harder to charge the battery each time. If you keep your battery charged with a battery tender the alt doesn't have to work so hard. The less volts in the battery means the alt as to use more amps to charge it and that's what can ruin it. The alt just can't keep up. I use a battery tender every time I park my bike in the garage and I ride my bike a few times a week. Your battery will last much longer as will your alt. So my advice is to get and use a battery tender. It will save you time and money. Also you should have you brushes replace between 50 and 70 thousand miles depending on how many accessories and lights your running. A standard Valk will last longer than an Interstate because of the memory that is stored in the dash of an Intestate. It might not be much but over time it will drain your battery without a tender.

Ride safe
Mac             

[The emperor has no clothes]

Good idea. I need to get a tender for my Standard as I've only put maybe 100 miles on it since I got the I/S. I guess I should probably sell it but it's kind of sentimental  . On a side note I hope to make the coast ride but it's iffy. We are going to be doing a remodel at work and not sure if I can sneak out.

[Big Tom 10628]

Good advice Big Mac. Most guys with collector cars Know this as well.

[Michael K (Az.)]

OK! You guys convinced me! I just went to Harbor Freight and, being a tight ass, bought the cheapest one I could find. Figure it's gonna work?

[The emperor has no clothes]

OK! You guys convinced me! I just went to Harbor Freight and, being a tight ass, bought the cheapest one I could find. Figure it's gonna work?

Wow that's cheap! Think I'll try one also

[Big Tom 10628]

I bought the Battery tender Junior, the one where all of the works are at the outlet.  I notice that when it's first hooked up it gets very hot, to the point that I have a concern about that much heat on a wall outlet. When it reaches float it is just warm.

[R J]

I bought 2 CTEK's 3 years ago.   They had a nice $$$$ price on them, but way worth the $$$$.

In 09 & the other one in 10, I paid $65.00 each.    After having 3 Battery Tenders fry 5 batties for me, I figured this unit was saving me $$$$$.

I can park all the units in the winter or whenever they won't be used, put the CTEK on and when I go to get it the next time, it twirls the starter just as hard as when battery was new.

The Trikes get them in the winter.    The lawn mower gets one for a month in the winter.    The snowblower gets 1 in the summer. 

The CTEK will take care of a motorcycle, car/truck, boat & lawn equipment.    I have not had to replace a battery since I went to the CTEK.

Here is a link to their site.   I have the S3000, which has been replaced by the S3300.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=ctek+battery+chargers&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=4115332045&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=20601308295197570&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_9bu3nymaa_b

[Jess from VA]

I have run Battery Tender Jrs (and a Plus) on up to five bikes, 24 X 7 year round when not riding or traveling, since the mid 2000's.  Never lost a Tender and never lost a battery.  Both (2) of my interstate battery changes (one for each bike) during this period were only because they were at or over 8-10 years old and I was about to take a trip.  I now keep a BT Jr on my car (24 X 7), since I only drive it about twice a month.

I have never noticed or felt any high heat on mine (not that I have routinely checked for this).... they are all on GFCI outdoor circuits anyway.  

[donaldcc]

  is this really right Dave?  I go out a couple times weekly for rides.  even if working a lot.  but, sometimes only 20 - 60 miles.  mainly thinking I like to get gas through the carbs.

  but, do I need to hook up charger (and i have good charger)? heat in desert fries batteries, I try to change before I get stranded (seem to last about 4 years) but don't count on it.
  and seems like a PITA to hook up to the trickle charge each time I  come into garage.

[R J]

  is this really right Dave?  I go out a couple times weekly for rides.  even if working a lot.  but, sometimes only 20 - 60 miles.  mainly thinking I like to get gas through the carbs.

  but, do I need to hook up charger (and i have good charger)? heat in desert fries batteries, I try to change before I get stranded (seem to last about 4 years) but don't count on it.
  and seems like a PITA to hook up to the trickle charge each time I  come into garage.

On your trickle charger didn't you get a set of alligators and also a straight plug in that hooks permanetly to the battery?

I've got this type plugin on everything except my Garden Tractors.   Those it is just a matter of opening the hood and clip the alligators on.   Only use it on the tractor that is not in season.    1 is a lawn mower and the other one is a snow blower.    Both Trikes have a Ctek maintainer on them with the plugin.

[Jess from VA]

  is this really right Dave?  I go out a couple times weekly for rides.  even if working a lot.  but, sometimes only 20 - 60 miles.  mainly thinking I like to get gas through the carbs.

  but, do I need to hook up charger (and i have good charger)? heat in desert fries batteries, I try to change before I get stranded (seem to last about 4 years) but don't count on it.
  and seems like a PITA to hook up to the trickle charge each time I  come into garage.

Experience here shows that regular riding keeps most batteries alive for years.  But while I ride in winter it is much less and maybe weeks or over a month between rides (and one bike is always being stored while riding the other), and I don't like pulling my batteries, so I went to full-time charging (NOT a simple trickle charger, but one with a brain, that brings the battery up to optimal, then shuts itself off until the battery dips below optimal, cycling on and off).  Years ago I cooked my HOG battery to death and leaked acid down my frame by leaving a simple quarter amp trickle charger plugged in.

The Battery Tenders come with two hookups, alligator clips and an SAE pigtail plug.... which I hook up to the battery terminals and ziptie the plugin back around the frame near rear foot pegs.  When I pull into the shed, I switch off the bike, turn off the petcock and plug in the Battery Tender to my pigtail. This SAE pigtail also serves double or triple duty as it is also the place to plug in my Slime air pump if needed, and any electric clothing (old electric clothing used SAE plugs, newer stuff uses coax plugs, but you can get coax to SAE converters).    

The Battery Tender shows a red led when charging and a green led when fully charged.  When I first plug it in after a ride, the red often comes on for a minute or so and then goes green.  Battery Tenders  will not bring a fully discharged battery back up however, and won't even try.  For that you need a regular charger.

Again, in over ten years, I have never lost a charger, overcharged a battery, or lost a battery.  And there is peace of mind knowing a battery is fully optimized (in extreme heat or cold or inbetween) each time you pull out for a ride.

SAE Pigtail to battery with in line fuse.

[donaldcc]

This is the one I have, but I only use it to charge a new battery.  in heat of desert the life of batteries, car or motorcycle, are shortened significantly.  My last moto battery was yuasa replaced at 4 years.  similar to auto.  I always collect on warranty on the auto because desert heat fries them.

 and yes RJ, I do have the alligator clips and the plug in that hooks permanently to the battery.
   But,  attaching to them every time I end ride when I am riding a couple time  a week seems like a PITA.  I am thinking that whatever incremental increase in battery life is just not worth the time it takes to hook up battery tender every time I ride.