Battery charging

[wan3417]

I have attached additional wires to the terminals of my bike's battery (so as to avoid removing it from the bike everytime it is charged) and intend to do a quick charge. Would this screw up any of the electrical components of the bike?

[Redman]

I have attached additional wires to the terminals of my bike's battery (so as to avoid removing it from the bike everytime it is charged) and intend to do a quick charge. Would this screw up any of the electrical components of the bike?

No, assuming the positive one doesnt come in contact with the bike ground.

[Normk]

Depends what you mean by "quick charge". A "quick charge" or "fast charge" in trade terminology means a high current charging rate which is only a concern as to over heating the battery unless voltage is taken above the normal electrical system set point.

The VRR set point is dependent on temperature to some degree so you may get away with charging voltage in the mid-to high- 14 volt range but the VRR may choose to intervene to limit voltage at much lower levels if temperature is warmer.

If quick or fast charging it is best practice to remove the battery from the machine so that the case has maximum cooling, a battery failure or boil-over will not spill onto the machine, and so that a charging voltage above the voltage regulator set point cannot damage the voltage regulator.

If you are intending to use a smaller capacity charger (something less than 12 amps maximum) then that rate is unlikely to overload the regulator but I never take the chance.

My bikes always have a two wire plug installed in order to connect a maintenance charger so routinely charge the batteries when not riding for a time. This is not a quick or fast charge rate however as the charger is only capable of a few amps. and is one of the smart variety.

Not sure if that answers your concerns.....?

I have attached additional wires to the terminals of my bike's battery (so as to avoid removing it from the bike everytime it is charged) and intend to do a quick charge. Would this screw up any of the electrical components of the bike?

[Normk]

Someone should smack me along side the head as I seem always to believe that everyone knows....

An extremely important point to consider when charging a battery which is installed in a bike is whether the VR is a shunt type (load type/Zenor type).

If the charger has enough capacity to drive the voltage up to the regulator's set point, a Zenor type regulator will begin to shunt current to ground. At that point it becomes a struggle between the regulator's ability to handle the amount of current being shunted and the charger's ability to deliver current above the set point voltage. In a good world the regulator will prevail and the charger's circuit breaker will keep cutting out.

In a poorer world the regulator will burn up.

Some of the regulator manufacturers state that charging in that manner is one of the biggest causes of regulator failure.

This is the same problem encountered when jump starting a bike from an automobile. I had not appreciated that some shunt type regulators shunt within the stator leads which is completely different than shunting output to ground.

The thread linked by bakalorz regarding VRR function is fascinating and fills in some spaces for me. Very grateful for the opportunity to access this information and for his generous assistance. It is seldom that I find information of this quality on the web.

In order to learn something there are four requirements:

1) Someone/something who knows
2) The willingness to communicate the information
3) Opportunity
4) The ability to communicate within a common frame of reference

I've hit it lucky here!

Sure wish the GS had my ST1100's 60 amp. alternator though.

[Steve]

Sure wish the GS had my ST1100's 60 amp. alternator though.

It's even more fun to have a Wing with a 95-amp Compufire alternator.

.

[koolaid_kid]

It's even more fun to have a Wing with a 95-amp Compufire alternator.

.

Oh, go have a cup of cappuccino and kool your jets.

[duaneage]

I charge mine on a solar panel charger, it doesn't overload the battery and doesn't cost anything to run.

[Nessism]

The battery mfg'ers typically recommend no more than 1.2 amp for a 12 A-h battery. I wouldn't push my luck with charging faster.

[duaneage]

It's really about heat buildup and the battery's capacity for taking a charge. After starting the bike the battery is depleted but regains it's charge within a few minutes of exposure to 13.5 volts or more.

my solar panel puts out 22 volts with no load. Amazingly high. On the battery the voltage starts out around 12.85 and climbs slowly to around 13.2 and remains there. The battery is not hot, only slightly warm. At night it takes a break and during the day starts over.

I've done this for years and every spring I have a 100% charged battery ready to go. I got 5 years out of my AGM battery, I just replaced it this year. That's about par for a good battery these days, of course YMMV.

If you happen to run your battery down due to a starting problem or leaving the lights on, use a slow 2 milliamp charge rate to bring it back. The GS might overcharge it and overheat the battery. Let it run for 12-14 hours at the low rate.

[Normk]

So you're the one responsible for running down the sun by charging batteries!!!

The weather is getting colder, day by day, have you no mercy?

I charge mine on a solar panel charger, it doesn't overload the battery and doesn't cost anything to run.

[koolaid_kid]

duaneage, where did you place the panel? IIRC it needs to be outside, preferably in direct sunlight.

[Steve]

Oh, go have a cup of cappuccino and kool your jets.

.