Trickle Charger frequency

[ddeboer]

Hello-1983 GS1100E-I would like to know how often I should hook up a trickle charger to my battery? Should the bike been hooked up to a charger any time it sits? Can anyone advise on charging frequency?

Also, is it normal for a battery to make a slight boiling sound when being charged? I just installed a new battery, closely following instructions. The battery contents did make a boiling sound when I charged the battery for the first time.
Thankyou in advance

[koolaid_kid]

What type of battery is it? There are generally 3 types: AGM, Gel and lead acid.

[Steve]

What type of battery is it? There are generally 3 types: AGM, Gel and lead acid.

Technically-speaking, they are all "lead-acid", it's just how they are put together.
And, a true "gel" battery won't have the amp capacity to spin the starter on a regular basis, so what many people call "gel" batteries are simply sealed or "maintenance-free" batteries.
AGM is not a brand, it refers to the construction type, Absorbed Glass Mat. They put thin sheets of fiberglass between the interleaved lead plates to keep them from touching and shorting out. Because they can get the plates closer, without touching, they can put more of them in, which increases capacity.

Which type of battery do you have? It sounds like you have the typical "flooded" or "wet" battery, that's OK.

What type of charger do you have? If it is too high a capacity, yes, it will boil the electrolyte in the battery. Recommended limits are 1/10 of the battery's amp-hour rating. Most of our bikes have a 14 Ah battery, so your charger should not exceed 1.4 amps. It should also be an automatic type of charger. Even better, it should be a "maintainer" type that will turn off when a full charge is reached, then monitor the battery gets low enough.


How often should you connect it? How often do you ride? How good is the charging system on your bike?
If your bike has a decent charging system and you ride at least once every week, you should never have to use an external charger, If you have an AGM battery, you can go longer between rides, but why would you want to?

Now it's your turn to answer some questions.

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[koolaid_kid]

Steve, you are technically correct; I was speaking of the manner in which they are marketed. If it is a "wet" battery, or the oldest style lead acid battery, where he had to pour in the acid after he purchased it, then I can see it bubbling on the first charge.
The automatic trickle charger is often marketed as a battery tender, ddeboer.

[Steve]

The automatic trickle charger is often marketed as a battery tender, ddeboer.

Just don't confuse "battery tender" with "Battery Tender", which is a registered trademark.

Still need clarifiation on his "trickle" charger, though. For a car, a "trickle" charger can be up to 6 or even 10 amps. That is WAY too much for a bike.

But, we just continue to guess, until he comes back to answer some of our questions.

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[ddeboer]

Hello and thankyou for your replies.

The new battery I just installed is the lead acid type where I had to pour the acid in the battery myself. I followed the manufacturers instructions carefully. The battery did boil during the initial charge. Is this normal and will it continue to boil when being chharged in the bike on a trickle charger?

I can't see the battery on the bike to due to the crazy restricted access to the battery and am not comfortable with the battery 'boiling' while tendered and the bike in the garage.Had to replace the battery as I apparently boiled the old one dry. Hence the question about charging frequency. My trickle charger is 1.5 amps.Thankyou.

[eddard]

As Steve has pointed out, there's a big difference between a trickle charger and a battery tender, regardless of amperage capability. You can easily ruin a battery in 24 to 48 hours with a trickle charger, but a battery tender can theoretically be left hooked up all winter if desired.

I don't use trickle chargers anymore, but when I did, I never left them attached for more than 12 hours or so, and any charger that causes "boiling" is suspect for me.

[chuck hahn]

Im use the Battery Companion that i got at Meijers. Its a 2 amp slow trickle with auto shut off and on. When the battery drops about 2 or 3%, it kicks back on. But even a tender is worthless without maintaining the battery fluid levels REGULARLY.

[Steve]

The new battery I just installed is the lead acid type where I had to pour the acid in the battery myself. I followed the manufacturers instructions carefully. The battery did boil during the initial charge.

Thanks for the reply, now I am curious about what the directions said.

How long after filling the battery did you apply the charger?

It is generally recommended to fill the battery, rock it back and forth, letting it hit the counter each time, to dislodge any bubbles that might be stuck to the plates. After several hours (preferably overnight), rock it a few more times to see if any more bubbles come up. Top off the fulid level, THEN you can apply the charger.

If you apply the charger and there are dry spots on the plates due to bubbles, that dry spot is basically ruined for the life of the battery.
Click HERE to read more about this.

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[koolaid_kid]

Gotta love it. Reminds me of the days when I used the lead-acid (O.K., Steve, wet) batteries. Just a general PITA all the way around. They leak and do not last as long as AGM.
Boiling on the first charge doing it the way you did it is normal. Not the best, but normal.
Use it until it dies, then get a good battery, (AGM or what ever is the current leading best-bang-for-the-buck battery).
On your bike, access to the battery is a PITA. Make a !2V+/- non-switched connector (trailer connectors are excellent for this) and make it easy to access.
A true tender (no matter the brand) is safe to use all the time. With your battery, not bad to use it regularly.

[ddeboer]

Hi-thankyou for the replies. I do have connectors attached to the battery with any easy plug in for the battery tender.The 1983 GS1100E battery access is a PITA.

I'm thinking I may have boiled my last battery due to a faulty tender as the tender green light never came on signifying the battery was charged. It was always the amber light that was on signifying the tender was in charge mode.

My fear is the battery will start boiling again while hooked up to the tender (not trickle charger) and I will not be able to monitor because of the poor battery access.Is their a danger in the battery boiling apart from ruining the battery? Thankyou.

[Mysuzyq]

My fear is the battery will start boiling again while hooked up to the tender (not trickle charger) and I will not be able to monitor because of the poor battery access.Is their a danger in the battery boiling apart from ruining the battery? Thankyou.

Possibly ruining another new battery is reason enough to spring for a new tender (even the cheaper 'Junior' versions work well), IMHO. My tender is a Yuasa Junior and I left the battery in the bike for 7 years straight, connected to the tender during the winters.....no problems. With the '82/'83 bikes, a decent AGM battery with a Tender pigtail connector is the way to go, esp. if still using the factory airbox etc. No hassle with checking water levels every year, and the AGMs last a long time, absent any charging issues with the bike.

[lonerider00]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-VOLT-MOTOBATT-WATERPROOF-BATTERY-CHARGER-1-AMP-OUTPUT-3-YEAR-WARRANTY-/190709064613?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item2c672563a5

I got mine from a different vendor, but it's the same unit and works like a charm (comes with both the pigtail attachment for permanent hookup to your bike and the roach-clips for hooking it up to other vehicles), those wet batteries usually only last a year or two anyways (depending on how long they sit for) when it dies, buy yourself an AGM or TRUEGEL, they cost a bit more, but also last a lot longer!!

[Steve]

I have a couple of THESE from Wal-Mart and also a couple of the earlier version.

For less than $20, it's hard to beat.

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