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Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

  1. #1
    Member dompel's Avatar
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    Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Hi guys,

    I have an '07 GSXR 750 with what I think is a battery that's like 3 or 4 years old. I tried to start my bike to move it into storage and found that the battery was dead. Not surprising since I hadn't ridden it in a few months. I tried to charge it on the bike for a day and then noticed that the bike still wouldn't start. I pulled the battery out and saw it was somewhat swollen in one area:

    Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining-20191222_180537-jpg

    Given that it was swollen and doesn't seem to be charging, I ordered a replacement. But before I get this new battery setup, I wanted to ask a couple of questions.

    - What causes a battery to fail like this? Is there something I could have done to prevent it?
    - When I'm not using my bike for a week or more, should I plug it into the maintainer/charger? Should I leave it plugged in for the entire duration or should I have to plug it in for a day, then leave it unplugged for a couple of weeks?
    - I have several things attached to my battery (switched phone charger, switched headlight, etc) is there any reason why I should not plug the charger onto the battery with those items connected? I have been disconnecting them (which is a bit of a hassle) but it would be nice to permanently attach the maintainer/charger terminals together with all of the others -- it would make setting up the charger easier.

    This is the charger I have:
    Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining-20191222_180603-jpg
    https://www.batterychargers.com/site...01459WB-R1.pdf

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    Last edited by dompel; 12-22-19 at 06:25 PM.

  2. #2
    Lifer jimmycapp's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Heated garage space? May have frozen.

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  3. #3
    Changes come butcher bergs's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Freezing would have affected more than just the one cell.

    What I see in that pic appears to be from overcharging or an internal short. I think the Schumacher chargers are great so I'd be leaning toward an internal short.

    As far as ease of charging, find a pigtail arrangement to attach to the battery and set it up like the Battery Tender brand does.

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  4. #4
    Lifer zxme's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    I have the exact same charger used it for seven years on my ZX12 , CRF250L and currently using on my DRZ
    Always maintained it during winter with zero issues

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  5. #5
    Member dompel's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Thanks guys. I wired up the pigtail and I'll leave it on there so its easier to charge. I realized i don't have to worry about maintaining it with the other devices attached to the battery because they are all switched.

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  6. #6
    Member martia's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Check your voltage if the battery drop below 6 volts when you put the charge on it will think its a 6 volt battery due to the charger being automatic

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  7. #7
    rides bikes
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    I'm not going to offer any advice at all because I seem to throw away more batteries than anyone I know, despite keeping them on chargers/tenders and using them regularly.

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  8. #8

    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    What do we use for battery chargers/tenders nowadays?

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  9. #9
    Lifer
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    I have a small cache of battery tender brand tenders. I think they are great. the newer ones are lighter, more compact and seem to hold up to more abuse than the older ones.

    I got suckered into buying one of the Noco Genius chargers that g-man and some others here gushed over. Overall I am unimpressed with it. It is nothing special. I am not sure it does anything more than the cheapo schumacher charger I bought at walmart eons ago. It just looks prettier.

    So, yeah. Noco for charging and tender. Battery tender for maintaining charge.


    I would like to have a nice jump pack at some point. Not sure I would use it enough to justify owning it though.

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  10. #10
    Changes come butcher bergs's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    I have been using a Schumacher SC1281 for the last 2 years and am very impressed with it. It automatically desulfates batteries when needed and it has brought 3 batteries back to life for me.

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  11. #11
    rides bikes
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    I've got two chargers that are probably older than me, three battery tender brand tenders, and one harbor freight brand tender...none of them seem to do me any good.

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  12. #12
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    I use a sears battery tender that i plug into a timer,, so the bike gets a charge for about a half hr. per day. Seems to work for me.

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  13. #13
    Banned G21forme's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Quote Originally Posted by tsorfas View Post
    What do we use for battery chargers/tenders nowadays?
    Solar power

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  14. #14
    Kosher Assassin Stoneman's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    That's one of the battery "tenders" I use. The ATV's, the Jet Ski, my streetbike all have pigtails on 'em. I've also installed battery bypass switches on the ATV's because they EAT batteries otherwise.

    On the larger batteries, I use one of the larger Shumachers that also has the 10 AMP and jumpstart feature besides the 2 AMP maintenance charge (boat, Corvette, Caddy). I rotate the chargers once a month so that every battery gets roughly a 48 charge monthly.

    Rarely have a problem.

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    Did you grit your teeth and try to look like Clint Fuckin' Eastwood?
    Or did you lisp it all hangfisted like a fuckin' flower?

  15. #15

    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    I own 3 battery tenders. Yet, somehow I always have 2+ batteries go dead over the winter. Consistency!

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  16. #16
    Lifer zxme's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    My cheap Schumacher Tender went on my ZX12 for 7 years that I owned it and never an issue

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  17. #17

    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Where the hell is the battery on the V-Strom? Lol. I think I’ll ride this year.

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  18. #18
    Lifer
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Under the seat. Should be a tender lead on it already. Or at least there was.

    You know, if you ever want to part with that thing...

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  19. #19
    Lifer OneCheekRider's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Quote Originally Posted by nhbubba View Post
    I have a small cache of battery tender brand tenders. I think they are great. the newer ones are lighter, more compact and seem to hold up to more abuse than the older ones.

    I got suckered into buying one of the Noco Genius chargers that g-man and some others here gushed over. Overall I am unimpressed with it. It is nothing special. I am not sure it does anything more than the cheapo schumacher charger I bought at walmart eons ago. It just looks prettier.

    So, yeah. Noco for charging and tender. Battery tender for maintaining charge.


    I would like to have a nice jump pack at some point. Not sure I would use it enough to justify owning it though.
    My trusty Battery Tender Jr is no longer trusty. On paper, it looks like the Noco Genius 1 will satisfy my need of charging/maintaining my 6 motorcycle batteries, but I wonder if it is really any better than the updated version of the Battery Tender Jr. I like that it switches between lithium and lead acid and that it can also bring a battery back that is completely dead (my old Jr cannot). Or am I overthinking this for a <$30 charger lol
    https://smile.amazon.com/NOCO-GENIUS...954770&sr=8-35

    edit: nevermind, Noco is out -- they do not use the standard SAE connector that is on every one of my bikes.

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    Last edited by OneCheekRider; 07-28-20 at 06:11 PM.

  20. #20
    Banned G21forme's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Quote Originally Posted by OneCheekRider View Post
    My trusty Battery Tender Jr is no longer trusty. On paper, it looks like the Noco Genius 1 will satisfy my need of charging/maintaining my 6 motorcycle batteries, but I wonder if it is really any better than the updated version of the Battery Tender Jr. I like that it switches between lithium and lead acid and that it can also bring a battery back that is completely dead (my old Jr cannot). Or am I overthinking this for a <$30 charger lol
    https://smile.amazon.com/NOCO-GENIUS...954770&sr=8-35
    Napa 90 302 brought a 35ah 12volt back from the grave I was sure was dead. Now I know we live in different worlds but I prefer solar for my battery tending but if need be I prefer a solar charge controller online with my charger/tender and batteries. Works the balls on my 100ah deep cycle, but it is powered by a 100watt panel.

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  21. #21
    Lifer
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    The "back from the grave" feature they advertise is not nearly as effective as they say.

    There is a sae adapter available for reasonably short money. Still. It's very lame they do not include it in the box for that kind of $$$.

    Overall I am very meh about it. I love the newer tender Jrs. I have several. They will only tend though. Not really a real charger.

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  22. #22
    Banned G21forme's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Quote Originally Posted by nhbubba View Post
    The "back from the grave" feature they advertise is not nearly as effective as they say.

    There is a sae adapter available for reasonably short money. Still. It's very lame they do not include it in the box for that kind of $$$.

    Overall I am very meh about it. I love the newer tender Jrs. I have several. They will only tend though. Not really a real charger.
    The back from the grave feature is bullshit anyway. If you're talking 10-11 volts meh but 3 is not happening. I brought my 35ah 12v back to like but at best it's an oversized cell phone charger now. Even a 400 watt inverter cries and beeps and yells at me when I'm trying to blow up a floaty. Batteries are like hookers with daddy issues, you can never really bring them back. Imho

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  23. #23
    Banned Rambunctous's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    It's not the charger but the 110V you use to power that charger. Seabrook puts out the good stuff. Those coal fired plants put out crappy 110V.

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  24. #24
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    I have two rules for batteries and chargers and I cannot remember the last time I threw out a battery that I boght and charged.

    Yuasa brand
    Battery tender brand

    My garage is heated. If a battery that is low on charge is frozen, it is toast. Cheap batteries are prone to internal shorts.

    I don't use the lightweight batteries. I'm not racing any more and I have heard more horror stories from the expensive lightweight batteries than I care to mention.

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  25. #25
    Lifer Garandman's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking advice on battery charging and maintaining

    Quote Originally Posted by dompel View Post
    Thanks guys. I wired up the pigtail and I'll leave it on there so its easier to charge. I realized i don't have to worry about maintaining it with the other devices attached to the battery because they are all switched.
    Keep my GSXR on a Battery Tender Junior. Pigtail comes out right side and is zip tied to passenger peg support.

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