Battery Tender Frequency

[tehrlich]

How often should a battery tender be used? I know it depends on how often you ride, but what is a time interval between rides that you feel like you need to plug it in?

Every time after a ride, once a week, once a month, etc.,

Thanks!

[Silvervette05]

If I know I will not be riding for more then a month I will put the battery tender on other then that I do not use the tender.

[billybovine]

The answer depends.
An unmodified Spyder operated normally should be able to go a month without a battery tender.
If a lot of extremely short trips of 10 minutes or less. Plug it in right away at the end of the day.
If you have a lot of things drawing power while parked. For example I have an alarm system, a BT dongle I don't turn off, usb power port that my helmet is plugged into to recharge. More than 4 or 5 days it won't start.

[idahospyder1]

I am sold on these after replacing batteries frequently on lawnmowers and atvs. Since I started using them and mostly leaving plugged in all the time, I have had an atv battery last over 7 years. It works for me to leave it plugged in and has not hurt anything on any of my equipment.

[ARtraveler]

Answers will vary depending on...

Here, Akspyderlady's usually gets ridden only on weekends. No battery tender needed and the electrics work just fine on start up. Most weeks, there is also a 50 mile test ride done during the week.

The battery tenders go on when its time to park the for the big winter sleep. Usually Oct - Mar. Akspyderlady's gets the treatment this weekend--she is done--it's to cold.

Prior to the big sleep--they get a 50 mile plus charge up ride, a full tank of high test, and Stabil per the instructions on the bottle.

They usually start up instantly when awakened in the spring.

I meant to add as a last line: Inactivity for a frequency of three or more weeks--I would plug in the tender, just to be safe.

[Bob Denman]

It'll also depend on which engine you've got...
The 998s seem to need a little bit more help with a Tender; than do the 1330s.
I think that this is because of the 1200 watt alternator handling the charging duties, versus having a 650 watt magneto...

[tehrlich]

I have the 1330. So, if I'm not riding for a month, I should plug her in? Just looking for a guideline.


What's the difference between a tender and a maintainer?

[Bob Denman]

I'd plug mine in, if I wasn't going to ride it for a Month.
I believe that the terms; "Tender", and "Maintainer", are used interchangeably.
What you don't want to use ... a charger!

[KJWEB]

I usually only get to ride on weekends. However, I put the bike on the battery tender in between the time I ride on weekends.

[Deanna777]

I have the 1330 engine I ride mine during the week, and on the week-ends, so I don't use it during the that time, but from Oct. 1 to April 1 my is on the Battery Tender Jr. because it is in for loooooooooooooooong winters nap @ a dealership. Then on April 1st when my comes out of its loooooooooooong winters nap it's starts right up.

I live in the Northeast, we have long cold winters( last year it was too cold, and we had a lot of snow, Boston, Ma got almost 7feet)Hope this helps. Deanna

[DrewNJ]

Plug it in as much as you can when you think of it. However, don't sweat it if you miss a bit either.
Make it a point to plug in if the machine is going to be down for any extended period of time.

[Pampurrs]

I plug mine in every day after I'm done riding. Sometimes I forget, but mostly it's every day.

Pam

[bronzeflex42]

I just plug mine in after i ride. I did it with my Honda 750 and never replaced the battery during the 3 years i kept it.

[JayBros]

I'd plug mine in, if I wasn't going to ride it for a Month.
I believe that the terms; "Tender", and "Maintainer", are used interchangeably.
What you don't want to use ... a charger!

I have a 1330 too and would put it on the tender if I wasn't going to ride for a month. I ride year round so it's not an issue but do think ahead just in case.

[PaladinLV]

A battery tender will not hurt your battery.
There is NEVER too much, only not enough.

I plug mine in after every ride IF I'm not going out again the same day.

One point, the hotter your climate is, the more a tender is needed.
Got an iPod in the trunk? How about a USB port connected to the 12V outlet? Keep your "kill" switch ON?
All of these, although very low current draws, are effecting the battery.

I started the daily routine when I owned an Harley and just continued the use. BTW my tender is the high powered waterproofed HD tender.
It's attached to the back porch and when I park, I just plug it in.
Old habits die hard

AJ

How often should a battery tender be used? I know it depends on how often you ride, but what is a time interval between rides that you feel like you need to plug it in?

Every time after a ride, once a week, once a month, etc.,

Thanks!

[R FUN]

I plug mine in every time I park it,whether for a day, a week etc. I have two quades and two snowmobiles all 2006s and still all on there original batterys and all on battery maintainers. All my vehicles are on maintainers and batterys last ten plus years.
Roger

[tehrlich]

Thanks. I think that I will plug her in more often.

I went to Las Vegas for a week and when I got home I tried to start her up. It nearly didn't go. Second attempt went through. Kind of like a Las Vegas hangover!

[PaladinLV]

still all on there original batterys and all on battery maintainers. All my vehicles are on maintainers and batterys last ten plus years.
Roger

Could never happen down here in the desert!

AJ

[tehrlich]

I'm glad that I asked about this. I looked back and figured out that I've only ridden twice in two weeks, and only to work and back.

I plugged in my Noco Genius G750 and it showed that I was under 75% and immediately started charging. This unit only shows if it is less than 75% so I don't know how low it really was.

I'll be plugging in every week until I see that it isn't going below that 75% threshold.


Thanks everyone!

[billybovine]

Got an iPod in the trunk? How about a USB port connected to the 12V outlet? Keep your "kill" switch ON?

AJ

The ipod when connected to the ipod port does not draw current when the key is off.
The kill switch does not draw any power either on or off when the key is off.
An unswitched usb port yes will draw current for led light that most have.

[PaladinLV]

The ipod when connected to the ipod port does not draw current when the key is off.
The kill switch does not draw any power either on or off when the key is off.

Not saying I'm correct, but -
When my iPod is plugged in and key off, even after several weeks of non-use (meaning the Spyder) the iPod is fully charged (could I have a problem with my Spyder? Possibly.)

There was a previous thread about 3 months ago that discussed the kill switch.
Again, after due deliberation it was concluded (not by me) that there is a trickle drain when on.

Now not saying these are correct, only going by what has been said and my own observations.

AJ

[billybovine]

Not saying I'm correct, but -
When my iPod is plugged in and key off, even after several weeks of non-use (meaning the Spyder) the iPod is fully charged (could I have a problem with my Spyder? Possibly.)

There was a previous thread about 3 months ago that discussed the kill switch.
Again, after due deliberation it was concluded (not by me) that there is a trickle drain when on.

Now not saying these are correct, only going by what has been said and my own observations.

AJ

The ipod connector is powered by the radio. There is no power on it 20 seconds after the key is shut off. So it can't draw power from a dead circuit. The ipod powers down when power from the connector stops and the battery in the ipod will last for months. As some have reported the battery being dead on their ipod in the spring when left in the Spyder.

I can't see any reason for the kill switch to draw power when the ECM has powered down. It is nothing but an input into the ECM. It is either a 1 or 0 (on or off)

[Bob Denman]

The only thing that I could see tripping folks up...


...Is if they've moved the fuse from Position #6; to Position #7. That'll change the rear power port from being a keyed source of power, to being hot all of the time. If you've left something plugged into it (Other than a Battery Maintainer); that might drain the battery.

[wetmountainman]

My Spyder and ATVs are always on the BT if they aren't on the road.

[tehrlich]

My Spyder and ATVs are always on the BT if they aren't on the road.

Thanks. I think I'm going to try and do the same thing.