Battery maintenance

[muonwhiz]

Reading another thread gave me this question. How are all of you out there maintaining your batteries? My 2012 RT is always garaged (even at work) and I put a battery tender on it about once a week. Advice?

 

[Bob Denman]

I tether mine to the power outlet for the "Dark Spell". During the riding season though, the 'Tender stays on the shelf! :thumbup:

 

[SpyRyd]

My :spyder2: is connected to a tender whenever it is parked in my garage.

 

[Chupaca]

When in use

While you have the weather to ryde regularly there is no need to have it on the tender. Modern batteries work best if they are allowed the charge and discharge to keep the plates active. In some cases the plates die out and you end up with only surface charge even with the tender. (good for maybe one start) :thumbup:

 

[jerpinoy]

While you have the weather to ryde regularly there is no need to have it on the tender. Modern batteries work best if they are allowed the charge and discharge to keep the plates active. In some cases the plates die out and you end up with only surface charge even with the tender. (good for maybe one start) :thumbup:

Good point and it happened to me.

 

[lyonsden]

I got mine in July of 2011 and I have never did anything but ride it to keep it charged. I have always challenged myself to ride enough in the winter to keep it charged but this year I am about to turn to the battery tender. Seems like the few nice days we've had were work days and not weekends. So far though nothing but riden to keep it charged.:doorag:

 

[SPYD3R]

RYDE

i ryde mine, no less than 5 days each week, 12 mths each year... that keeps the battery charged up....

 

[Boriken]

I ryde mine almost daily but this week I missed three days due to ice, excesive salt on the road and today snow. Never had the :spyder2: on a tender.

 

[Tin Can]

My :spyder2: is connected to a tender whenever it is parked in my garage. :agree:

 

[Bandit]

:agree: with Tin Can. If it's inside, the Tender is attached. :doorag:

 

[jimclarkf1]

NO TENDER

This Sept, I have had the SPYDER 5 yrs, and it has always started very good, keep in garage, and tryed to start it and run it a while or drive it (weather permiting) every week to 10 days, maybe I have a lucky battery.:yes:

 

[Ga Blue Knight]

The inportant thing is to cycle the battery between fully charged and somewhat discharged. For a lead acid battery you do not want to run it down to no charge. It does not develope a memory like a camera or computer Li Ion battery. Best thing is to run the bike daily at over 5,000 rpm if not due to winter put the bike on a tender at least overnight for a full charge cycle once per week but you really should not leave it on a tender for long (weeks) periods of time. It could sulfate the plates. Speaking of sulfated plates and old trick for restoring dead batteries to life is to remove them from the machine. Wash out all of the acid and sediment junk inside with distiller water and fill the battery with EDTA. This is a chemical that will remove the sulfated lead from the surface of the batteries lead plates. Then fill the battery with new Sulfuric acid and you have a good to go battery. Of course the chemicals now a days cost more than a new battery!!