Another Battery charging question

[Tfrank59]

I read several threads about this already, but I'm wondering how many who ride year-round keep a battery tender on there while your bike is parked at night?  If I ride daily, do I still need to keep a tender on there?  I don't know how old my battery is, but I haven't had any issues with starting cold or anything.

[Icelander]

I've got a Tender but I have yet to use it. (Still in the packaging)

The Tender is just to keep the battery topped off. If you're riding on a regular basis, it's probably not necessary for our mild Northwest winters.

[DLSSOJC]

I keep all of my bikes on a tender when I am not riding. But I don't get to ride every day either.

[salty1]

I read several threads about this already, but I'm wondering how many who ride year-round keep a battery tender on there while your bike is parked at night?  If I ride daily, do I still need to keep a tender on there?  I don't know how old my battery is, but I haven't had any issues with starting cold or anything.

I would say that it's not necessary to have a tender on your bike as often as it is ridden.

[Chrisj CMA]

Its actually good for a battery to get used, (not run dead) but to need a top off from the alternator while riding.  Its a real drain on the alternator and it would take a very long time to recharge a mostly dead battery on the bike, that's why you use a charger on a new or drained battery, but the daily usage type of discharge and top off from the alternator is good for it. 

keeping it topped off with the tender may not hurt it if its the right unit and not set too high, but I agree, not needed for a daily rider.  13 years now on the Valk, and 40 years riding motorcycles and I have yet to own or use a tender

[old2soon]

Gone as long as a month-heavy sigh here-with out riding Phatt Ghurl.  I wuz cranky but the gal started right up.  I have a battery tender have yet to use it on my Phatt Ghurl.  The cage on the other hand sits a LOT during warmer months.  Now if I lived up North and had her bedded down for a long winters nap-MIGHT need to actually use the tender!  RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

(Here we go again  )

I've had up to 5 bikes on Battery Tenders (Trademark - Juniors and a Plus) (those with a brain, NOT straight trickle chargers) for many years, 24 X 7, year round, when not riding or traveling.  As soon as I pull in, I turn the key off, the petcock off, and plug in my SAE Tender pigtail to the charger (pre-wired to the battery, and zip tied to the frame) (this plug will also run heated gear or my small air pump). I've never lost a battery or a Battery Tender in all those years.  I have only changed batteries because they are 10-11 years old, and if they are finally going South, you can really tax an alternator (which you don't want to change on a Valk if you don't have to).  I have never overcharged or cooked a battery doing this (but have with a trickle charger, 30 years ago).

This practice comes from growing up in the North with no riding in the winter at all.  Now in VA I ride all year round, but much less in winter. And I am always trading off between two bikes, every few months.  And with a tender, I never need to worry about pulling a battery out to get it out of the cold for a few months.  This practice keeps a battery in top condition, lengthens life for as long as possible, and provides great confidence that every time you swing a leg over, you have an optimized battery.

Rechargeable batteries need to go up and down in charge for longevity, but I don't think car/bike batteries do.  

Now if you ride every day, or three times weekly forever, you really don't need one.  But with my system, my batteries all go over 10 years.  Yours probably won't. The power draw on these things for little bike batteries is negligible, and all my Tenders have paid for themselves in battery longevity (and added peace of mind).

[gordonv]

If I ride daily, do I still need to keep a tender on there?  I don't know how old my battery is, but I haven't had any issues with starting cold or anything.

I think you answered your own question already.

Daily rider (how far? does it actually have a chance to charge back the battery from the start, 1/2 hr maybe?).

No starting problems (I have annual insurance, and put the bike on the charger when it's showing signs of hard starting).

Battery Bug shows 31% life left of the battery. Good for 1 month without riding, before needing to charge it.

[Firefighter]

I would ride daily if I could, but if I can't ride once a week, I at least start the bike and let it warm up. I worry more about gas problems than battery troubles. But I never get more than two or three years out of a battery, motorcycle or car! Can't imagine 10 years!  Firefighter

[Jess from VA]

Try one and see for yourself: preferably on a new battery, not an old one (Yuasa, not Kmart).  If you park near an outlet, wire up the pigtail to the battery terminals and you're all set. I mean, it will work on an old battery, but for a 10 year service life, start charging a Yuasa from new. It doesn't break the bank (though if you need weatherproof, they cost more).

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-Junior-Charger-Black/dp/B00AFX3J0U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422589604&sr=8-2&keywords=battery+tender+jr

The pigtail is even fused (though I never blew one), and you can get longer pigtail extensions if necessary to reach the outlet, I think the standard hookup is 12 feet.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0148-25-Disconnect-Extension/dp/B000FW2MWW/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1422590235&sr=8-8&keywords=battery+tender+jr

A nice little benefit is that when charged, you have a green led, when charging you get a red led.  When I pull in from a ride and plug in, I usually get red for 5-20 seconds before a green.  And every time you leave, before you unplug, you look for a green, but if there is a red, you know you have a problem.

Now if the battery is dead and you plug in, it won't even try to charge it (lacks the power to bring up a dead battery), and it will show green (falsely).

Now that I'm retired, I rarely drive my car more than once a week (and less in the summer), so I put one on it too.

My four BT tenders are all over 10 years old, and now with three in near constant service, still work like new.

As soon as I get a new battery start generator, the last one will go on it.

I don't see a downside.

[cookiedough]

I've left my cycle sit with Yuasa battery in it for about 5-6 weeks without charging in the summer/fall/spring months.  Never had an issue firing up the bike letting cycle sit not charging battery for up to 2 months of letting it sit not running in non-winter cold months. 

While I don't think battery tenders are needed,  a lot of people swear by them, which is fine as well.  I prefer only in the cold WI winter months with my cycle sitting in an attached non-heated garage, to always take out my cycle, scooter, and ATV's batteries and charge up 1-2 times on my 1.0 amp trickle charger for 5-8 hours in basement during the winter months, and then once again in the spring right before installing.   

The one time you forgot to use that battery tender in the cold winter months on ALL the time, you will regret it since have toasted a few ATV batteries sitting for 3-4 months in bitter cold NOT ever running them and come spring, they won't hold a charge or even charge. 

[PA_1999Valk]

I have 5 bikes and a 2007 Chevy SS with less mileage than 4 of my bikes.  I have my "newer" bikes on Battery Tenders on a timer for 3 hours a day.  With clocks, power ports, Gear Indicators, and LED computers they draw even when off.

The SS and my 1973 750 get a charge when I remember to plug them in every week or so.

My Wife's Pilot is used daily so no Battery Tender on it.

Carl

[da prez]

Alternators are now designed to maintain a battery , not charge it. Even if you buy  a new battery , it should be charged. Also , on installation , all the connections including plug in should be cleaned. Un-plug and replug , and silicone dia-electric makes an airtight connection . Clean the new battery terminals and use dia-electric before putting them together . We get a lot of bikes in that have a new battery and will not crank and the owner blames the battery instead of lack of knowledge. I will show them the proper way to  do an install so if they change a battery again, they can do it right.
  No , I do not loose any work by showing them , we actually get more.

                    da prez

[Ricky-D]

On a bike that is not being operated in a normal manner, for a period of time

such as winter storage, can actually sustain damage from a periodic starting

and warming practice. Read this as it's not good for the bike.

***

[R J]

On a bike that is not being operated in a normal manner, for a period of time

such as winter storage, can actually sustain damage from a periodic starting

and warming practice. Read this as it's not good for the bike.

***

10-04 on what Ricky-D says here.

[Hoser]

I don't use one, but my garage is heated.  I ride a lot in the winter also.  I bought three batteries in the twelve years I owned my Fatlady  I still have the last one.  I think it will fit my Goldwing.   Hoser

[Pluggy]

On a bike that is not being operated in a normal manner, for a period of time

such as winter storage, can actually sustain damage from a periodic starting

and warming practice. Read this as it's not good for the bike.

What part of the bike gets damaged?  How does this happen?

Thanks / Pluggy

***

[Bighead]

I would ride daily if I could, but if I can't ride once a week, I at least start the bike and let it warm up. I worry more about gas problems than battery troubles. But I never get more than two or three years out of a battery, motorcycle or car! Can't imagine 10 years!  Firefighter

Just two or three years a battery? man you got some gremlins somewhere. My truck is 11 yrs old and still has original battery and starts as easy as the day I bought it. 17 years on my 97 valk and on battery #2.

[Tfrank59]

If I ride daily, do I still need to keep a tender on there?  I don't know how old my battery is, but I haven't had any issues with starting cold or anything.

I think you answered your own question already.

Daily rider (how far? does it actually have a chance to charge back the battery from the start, 1/2 hr maybe?).

No starting problems (I have annual insurance, and put the bike on the charger when it's showing signs of hard starting).

Battery Bug shows 31% life left of the battery. Good for 1 month without riding, before needing to charge it.

I ride at least an hour and a half each day that I ride, but I'll admit I don't get to ride 7 days week in winter here in Seattle.  Although this last week has been more like spring than winter here

[Firefighter]

We must get cheap made batterys down here, never heard of any battery lasting more than four years, and I'm not a young man.  Firefighter

[Tfrank59]

We must get cheap made batterys down here, never heard of any battery lasting more than four years, and I'm not a young man.  Firefighter

Yeah, even with my cages batts I don't try to go more than like 5 or 6 winters with one.  Don't like begging for a jump.