Battery Tender Use

[Anonymous]

Who has a pigtail connected to their battery for ease of use and who keeps it connected when not riding?

[argonsagas]

I would NOT recommend a pigtail attached to the battery for charging.

Apart from the possibility of shorts from contact with the frame, etc., there is the reality that, apart from its needs being met while riding, your battery is best charged OUT of and AWAY from the bike.

The single most important thing you can do for your battery is to keep its fluid level up where it should be.

If you need to charge the battery, take it OUT and charge it.


It is probably safe to say that more bikes are lost because of fire caused by improper battery handling than all other causes of fire.

[Anonymous]

If it was so dangerous, why would Battery Tender (the company) have it as part of the product/package?

The whole thing is insulated.

[Anonymous]

I've been using the "pigtail" on the Battery Tender for many years on my GS bikes. I never thought I was doing anything unsafe, nor do I think so now. I respectlfully disagree with Ron Martin.

Even as I write this, my bike's battery is on the tender, while on the bike.

Nick

[argonsagas]

Nick, with all respect to the "respect of opinion" the single most common problem with charging ON, or IN bike, is that disconnects cause sparks, and if these take place at the battery terminals, then they invariably have the potential of hydrogen ignition.

I have also charged my batteries while on the bike, but the key for safety is to disconnect the charger from the "live" current supply, BEFORE disconnecting ANYTHING at the bike.. The disconnect must be done well away from the bike, and away from any, all, and every possibility of igniting the hydrogen.

It is IMPERATIVE that safety be observed at all times.

There are ways and means of accomplishing almost everything in contravention of existing limits, but that does not change the fact that there cannot be any reasonable argument that the safest way to ensure safe charging, and to minimize the risk of fire, is to remove the battery from the bike.


Actual risk of the moment can vary, depending on circumstances, but, no matter how or why you wish to argue it, removing the battery is ALWAYS the safest thing to do.

[Planecrazy]

Hi Ron,

While I don't disagree in theory with what you're saying, the reality is that, in my opinion, most people (myself included) don't typically consider removing the battery every time we want to charge it.

I created my own "pigtail" (out of an internal computer power plug) for use with a homemade trickle charger years ago for my 550, and set it up so that the pigtail extended out of from behind the side cover when it was in use. I always connected or disconnected the plug with the charger unplugged and never gave a second thought to sparking battery fumes because the plug was in the open air.

The bottom line, in my opinion, is that if most people are going to charge the battery while installed in their bike (and I believe they will), the best thing you can do is to advise them to install the pigtail so that it is well away from the battery (extending the leads if necessary), and be mindful of your otherwise very good advice regarding the potential hazards. There ... I went and did it for you

Regards,
Steve 8)

[Anonymous]

put it on the center stand when charging to make the fluid level, make sure the vent drain tube is hooked up, unplug the charger before hooking it to battery or unhooking, AND! make sure its an auto charger that will stop charging when battery is fully charged so you dont blow the battery up while in the bike cause that would suck.

[mcycle-nut]

If you have to charge your battery all the time, there is something wrong with your charging system. If any of my bikes are off the road for any length of time, the batteries are pulled and the tanks and carbs are drained. I put the batteries on the battery tender every month or so.

[Anonymous]

On my GK, the lead from the battery posts to the plug-in that connects to the Battery Tender lead is well away from the posts. I remove the left sidecover and there it is. As a matter of habit, Ron, I make that connection before plugging the Tender onto the wall outlet.

I last rode the GK on Friday, and I don't anticipate getting on it again till Thursday. While I'm well certain that this week-long idleness won't cause any trouble, I have the battery plugged in for two reasons:

1. It's easy to do so. Takes no time to remove the sidecover and plug in the leads.

2. When I start the bike again, it will come to life immediately, effortlessly, with a fully-charged battery. This adds to battery life and electrical charging component life -- starter, stator, reg/rect...

It's a pain in the a$$ to remove the battery for these short-range charges, so I see no problem in continuing what I'm doing.

Nick

[Anonymous]

Why do you guys have to keep your batteries trickle charged? Is it a cold climate thing? My GS will turn over willingly and fire up fine after a week to 10 days idle. If the bike's not used for an extended period I disconnect a terminal as a precaution against any possible small current leakage.

[Anonymous]

I keep mine charged that way strictly as a preventative measure. It's easy and quick to do, and gives me added assurance that the GK's 20-year-old marginal charging system won't be taxed too much.

It's not necessary to do this, but, again, it's easy and quick, and doesn't hurt any.

Nick

[Anonymous]

I've got a friend with a pair of old Kawasakis that he doesn't ride too often. He used to have to boost the things whenever he wanted to ride them so he's been very happy with the battery tender's he's bought for them. Now he can go out and ride the things away as if he'd parked them the night before.

Steve

[moto_dan]

I just purchased a BT plus and intend on connecting pigtails to my bikes. Acoording to BT's literature they have spark proof circuitry even when connecting the leads to the battery which is a great safety feature.

[chuckycheese]

Great

I think the Battery Tender is one of the best, safest, handiest, money saving gadgets I've ever bought. I'm satisfied it's saved me lots of money that I would have spent on batteries. As far as it being dangerous, there's no way it would be sold in the US if it were for a number of reasons:

1. The consumer safety natzis in the US would ban it if they could even "dream up" a reason to do so. :roll:

2. As soon as a couple of motorcycles blew up as a result of the Battery Tender, the company would be sued into bankruptcy.