I just bought the SuperSmart battery tender from the local Harley-Davidson store and it says never to set the charger above the battery. I want to keep the battery in the bike and my outlets are all above the battery. So is my only choice would be to use an extension cord? Anyone know why you could'nt plug it in above the battery? What could happen? Thanks for any replies.

 

I am trying to figure out why having the charger above the battery would be a problem. The only connection are wires. I am at a lose as to why this would be a problem. I hope someone will give us an answer!

Wait maybe what they are saying is to not have the charger sitting directly over the battery. Could be a fire danger with the hydrogen and oxygen release when charging. However, if the charger is a few feet away from said battery I think it would not be a problem if it was physically located higher than the battery.

 

I went out to my garage and looked at another charger I bought for my mower and it says to not place the charger "directly above the battery". So I guess having the charger sitting higher then the battery as long as it's not sitting directly above the battery would be alright as you stated.

 

The old wet batteries would "gas off" during the charge, Hydrogen gas is lighter than air and could lightoff from a stray spark from the charger. My charger is sitting on a block of wood on the garage floor lower than my battery. It's also on an extension cord.

 

+1 The gas from the battey acid, mixed with a possible spark from the charger cycling off and on = KABOOM!
Not a pretty sight.

 

Absolutely makes no sense to me as long is it isn't near the battery.

 

I went and bought a power outlet strip and screwed it to the wall lower than my battery and I plugged my charger into it. So now it's about 12 feet from the bike and it's lower than the battery. I'm sure I made more out of it than I needed to but I like to do things right and I was'nt sure on what was correct. If anyone has any more input I'm listening, if not thanks for everyone who did.

 

I've always known not to have the charger too close to the battery while charging it for the purpose that everybody else stated earlier about the gases being a possible fire hazard. I keep my charger about 4-6 feet away from my battery when I'm charging it.

 

it means not too close as with older batteries it put off gasses. If you have a tender you should get a pig tail with it and then just connect the tender to the two prong connector. No need to remove the battery from the bike. It really does not matter how high or low it sits in refrence to the battery. Just not close enough to ingnite the gases when they are out off.

 

Thanks for your reply. I have a pigtail on the battery now and have it hooked up as you stated. I was'nt sure if the tender had to be lower than the battery. I now know it does'nt just so it's not near the battery. I figured it was better to ask and be safe rather than be sorry later if I was wrong.