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What is the best way to take out the battery for charging...
- Thread starter Motza
- Start date
The_Spyderwoman
New member
I've got the Deltran Battery Tender Jr. and it charges while inthe :spyder:. I have a cable connected to the battery that runs out from under the seat; this stays on the bike and it plugs into the cord that runs to the charger. 20 degrees will be our high temp on monday so we'll see. I have started my :spyder:a couple times and works like a charm.
Hope this helps:dontknow:
Hope this helps:dontknow:
LDFIREWORKS
New member
i always have used a battery tender for years, but i have been told a battery maintainer is better i have never heard of this but i guess it is out there and for years i have connected it and left it in the bike , if you find out different please let us know thanks and stay warm:hun::chill:
Plug It In & Forget It!
I never have had to buy a replacement battery due to premature failure......All my toys are on Battery Tenders 24/7.....Every day of the year!Does not matter whether it is 110 degrees or 5 degrees out.Every time I roll back into my garage the Tender gets plugged back in. Regarding the Spyder,The harness is hooked to the bikes battery terminals and the hookup plug is under the seat !Battery tender private labels for Harley and BMW and has been around for awhile.Batterytender.com:2thumbs:
I never have had to buy a replacement battery due to premature failure......All my toys are on Battery Tenders 24/7.....Every day of the year!Does not matter whether it is 110 degrees or 5 degrees out.Every time I roll back into my garage the Tender gets plugged back in. Regarding the Spyder,The harness is hooked to the bikes battery terminals and the hookup plug is under the seat !Battery tender private labels for Harley and BMW and has been around for awhile.Batterytender.com:2thumbs:
NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
You can charge the battery right in the vehicle, as long as it is not a refillable, wet lead-acid battery. I recommend bringing those inside, and charging periodically on the shelf. They will go dry otherwise, and continuous charging sulfates them sooner. The Spyder can be charged continuously on the machine, with the right charger, as it is a sealed battery.
I have numerous battery chargers, and have tried many others over the last 45 years. A low amperage "trickle charger" for automotive use is generally too strong for motorcycle batteries. It used to be all we could get, but shortens the life of the battery. My favorites are the Battery Tender, Battery Tender Jr., Accumate, and Optimate. The Optimate has the best maintenance cycle, but does not seem to do any better in real life than the others, IMO. It does have a desulfating routine for marginal batteries, and some diagnostic indicators. Our Spyder is on one this year because that was what was left after I hooked everything else up. One BMW is on a Battery Tender Jr., and one is on an Accumate right now. The rest get periodic charging in the basement with another Accumate, because mine will do both six and twelve volt batteries. A necessity for my vintage bikes. I have spare Battery Tender Jrs. at this time, but they always worked fairly well. They charge a bit slower than the full-fledged Battery Tender. All the units I mentioned have a "maintenance" mode, but only the Optimate has a true maintainer function, with automatic, periodic charging cycles. Don't use the higher amerage automotive "battery maintaners". They are too strong for a bike battery over the long haul. I have used them on a one time basis in a pinch.
There are several ways to hook up your charger. The alligator clips can just be clamped top the terminals temporarily, the harness that comes with the unit can be attached to the battery, then accessed and plugged in to the charger when you need it, or you can install a continuously powered automotive (cigarette) or Powerlet outlet, like I did, and plug in the charger with the proper adapter. Be aware that the Battery Tender units do not take the same connector as the Accumate or Optimate. One harness won't serve the other type of charger.
-Scotty
I have numerous battery chargers, and have tried many others over the last 45 years. A low amperage "trickle charger" for automotive use is generally too strong for motorcycle batteries. It used to be all we could get, but shortens the life of the battery. My favorites are the Battery Tender, Battery Tender Jr., Accumate, and Optimate. The Optimate has the best maintenance cycle, but does not seem to do any better in real life than the others, IMO. It does have a desulfating routine for marginal batteries, and some diagnostic indicators. Our Spyder is on one this year because that was what was left after I hooked everything else up. One BMW is on a Battery Tender Jr., and one is on an Accumate right now. The rest get periodic charging in the basement with another Accumate, because mine will do both six and twelve volt batteries. A necessity for my vintage bikes. I have spare Battery Tender Jrs. at this time, but they always worked fairly well. They charge a bit slower than the full-fledged Battery Tender. All the units I mentioned have a "maintenance" mode, but only the Optimate has a true maintainer function, with automatic, periodic charging cycles. Don't use the higher amerage automotive "battery maintaners". They are too strong for a bike battery over the long haul. I have used them on a one time basis in a pinch.
There are several ways to hook up your charger. The alligator clips can just be clamped top the terminals temporarily, the harness that comes with the unit can be attached to the battery, then accessed and plugged in to the charger when you need it, or you can install a continuously powered automotive (cigarette) or Powerlet outlet, like I did, and plug in the charger with the proper adapter. Be aware that the Battery Tender units do not take the same connector as the Accumate or Optimate. One harness won't serve the other type of charger.
-Scotty
bone crusher
Alignment Specialist
Battery tender it is then...I was wondering the same thing...I keep a trickle charger on my old bmw for the winter as it does die in the garage...definitely need something for the motorcycle!
bone crusher
Alignment Specialist
Scotty,
Are you saying that you can charge your battery through the 12v that's in the trunk of the Spyder? If so, which unit are you using for that...
Are you saying that you can charge your battery through the 12v that's in the trunk of the Spyder? If so, which unit are you using for that...
NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
As far as I know you cannot do this, as the outlet there is switched. It was said that changing the fuse from the "switched accessory" position to the "unswitched accessory" position would make it hot all the time, but I think Little John or somebody tried it and said otherwise. In order to charge the motorcycle, the outlet must be hot with the switch off. I added a Powerlet that was wired directly to my auxiliary powerbus feed.
-Scotty
bone crusher
Alignment Specialist
Ok Scotty...in English...a bit lost on the hot thing...I guess better to go the easy way...
So, the battery tender plus (which I'll assume is the best on to get?) is easy to just hook up to the + and - on the top of the battery? When disconnecting for the hindle change, I found it hard to get anything in the hole that is there for battery access...am I missing anything?
Can I get to both + and - from there?...was really tight...
So, the battery tender plus (which I'll assume is the best on to get?) is easy to just hook up to the + and - on the top of the battery? When disconnecting for the hindle change, I found it hard to get anything in the hole that is there for battery access...am I missing anything?
Can I get to both + and - from there?...was really tight...
bone crusher
Alignment Specialist
Scotty,
I see subtle differences between the 3 chargers (accumate, optimate, tender plus)...which, in your opinion, is the best way to go for ease of use, effectively, durability, portability, etc?
thank you for your help...
I see subtle differences between the 3 chargers (accumate, optimate, tender plus)...which, in your opinion, is the best way to go for ease of use, effectively, durability, portability, etc?
thank you for your help...
NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
By hot, I mean there is twelve volts to it, it is live. Needs to have voltage (be able to run something) with the key off. Can test with a twelve volt device of any kind, or a volt-ohm meter. Yes, just hook to the + & - terminals, either on the battery (buried) or at the jumper terminals unter the seat. No, they are no overly accesible. Pulling the body panels helps.
All pretty much the same to me, as far as actual performance goes, although I can't speak to the Battery Tender Plus, since I have never ownbed anything but the Jr. Sometimes I need and make use of the differences on my vintage bikes, for one reason or another. Beyond that, I don't care, although some folks do. To me, all the sealed batteries seem to charge about the same, and have a decent life span, with a good, motorcycle type charger.
-Scotty
bone crusher
Alignment Specialist
Scotty,
Thank you very much for you help...I am going to get one of the ones you suggested tonight on Amazon or ebay...
I keep one on hand for my old BMW and it keeps the car working all year long...even in the middle of the winter...
I fear that the Spyder will have problems if the same is not done...I do plan on ryding any day I get where it's at least 45-50 degrees...
Thank you very much for you help...I am going to get one of the ones you suggested tonight on Amazon or ebay...
I keep one on hand for my old BMW and it keeps the car working all year long...even in the middle of the winter...
I fear that the Spyder will have problems if the same is not done...I do plan on ryding any day I get where it's at least 45-50 degrees...
barb36jack31
New member
I use the Battery Tender Plus on all my equipment - bikes and cars. Never has let me down.
By the way - 76 degrees today here in the Orlando area. Blue skies and sunshine. The Spyder ran just fine, thank you.
That was a cheap shot and I apologize. I am originally from Maine and really love the Florida weather.
Jack H.
By the way - 76 degrees today here in the Orlando area. Blue skies and sunshine. The Spyder ran just fine, thank you.
That was a cheap shot and I apologize. I am originally from Maine and really love the Florida weather.
Jack H.
SpyderByter
New member
Optimate 3
I just bought an installed the Optimate 3. It came with 3 attachments. The two I use are the alligator clips and the weather proof leads made to be attached to the battery. If attached directly to the battery, the weatherproof plug will fit nicely in the little recess where the positve terminal (used for jumping) is under the seat. Unfortunatly, there is not enough wire to also pass the in line 15 amp fuse holder in the same area. That remains near the battery and the panels will have to be removed if that blows. I dont forsee a problem there, but if it becomes one, I may extend those leads so the fuse holder can be passed up also.
I measured the battery voltage before I plugged in the Optimate. It was at 12.6 VDC. I plugged it in and it slowly rose up to 13.7 in charge mode before it went into maintenance mode. (over an hour) The next day it read at 13 volts while still in maintence. The unit has a desulfate mode, but if your battery gets that bad, replace it before you get stuck. I would not trust a sulfated battery in any vehicle I need to get around. If it was a lawnmower, that would be a different story.
I also tried it on 2 lawnmower batteries I have in the garage for Winter. On those, it brought the voltage up to 14 volts and much quicker, like in minutes. But on my two wheeler, it reacted about the same as in the Spyder, maybe the difference is the gel type VS liquid acid.
I just bought an installed the Optimate 3. It came with 3 attachments. The two I use are the alligator clips and the weather proof leads made to be attached to the battery. If attached directly to the battery, the weatherproof plug will fit nicely in the little recess where the positve terminal (used for jumping) is under the seat. Unfortunatly, there is not enough wire to also pass the in line 15 amp fuse holder in the same area. That remains near the battery and the panels will have to be removed if that blows. I dont forsee a problem there, but if it becomes one, I may extend those leads so the fuse holder can be passed up also.
I measured the battery voltage before I plugged in the Optimate. It was at 12.6 VDC. I plugged it in and it slowly rose up to 13.7 in charge mode before it went into maintenance mode. (over an hour) The next day it read at 13 volts while still in maintence. The unit has a desulfate mode, but if your battery gets that bad, replace it before you get stuck. I would not trust a sulfated battery in any vehicle I need to get around. If it was a lawnmower, that would be a different story.
I also tried it on 2 lawnmower batteries I have in the garage for Winter. On those, it brought the voltage up to 14 volts and much quicker, like in minutes. But on my two wheeler, it reacted about the same as in the Spyder, maybe the difference is the gel type VS liquid acid.
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