I live in Minnesota and store my bike in an unheated garage. So I need to hook my battery to a tender. However, I've heard two ways to do this.

1. Connect the tender and leave it on.
2. Connect the tender for 3-4 hours/week, then disconnect.

I've read that some of you do the first and others do the second. My Service tech says to do the latter. He said I could cook my battery leaving it connected. I know that many of you subscribe to the theory that it should be connected any time you aren't riding the bike. My question is:

What are the mechanisms that would support one or the other as opposed to personal preferences. Is there any scientific basis for one or the other?

Thanks

 

My '03 ultra has the original battery in it. The guy I bouht it from bought Harleys battery tender and hooked it up everytime it was in the garage. I do the same. It has sat for 2 months at a time and when I start it, it fires up fast . So 8 yrs is proof that the battery can last a long time when hooked up whenever its not being used.,,

 

Huge difference between a battery tender and charger, the tenders shut off when the battery is charged, chargers just keep putting out amps, that is why you can leave a tender on forever and you must remove a charger. My tender stays on 24/7

 

i hooked my first tender up begining of last month, i bought a tender so i could plug it in and leave it be till it was time to ride again. a charger on the other hand needs to be removed after the battery is charged up

 

My tender from Sears (2 amp) stays connected 24/7.....
Mostly the green "Charged" lite is on 99% of the time....
Occasionally I see it throw a trickle charge (amber lite) to the battery.

Bike comes in handy for the radio while I'm on the treadmill and then the tender charges it back......LOL

 

i have three bikes on battery tender jrs from dec 1 til the end of winter ?, two have original batterys 99 superglide & 07 nightster , roadking 01 has new battery. battery tender is like trickle charger little bit when needed other than that its on float mode

 

Leave the tender plugged in. It suppose to be automatic, so it will "unplug" it self when its shuts off then cycle back on

 

Thanks. Appreciate the feedback. I'll plug mine in and leave until it gets warm enough to ride regularly.

 

I live in cold azz MN too. I have always used battery tender Jr.'s. Any time my bikes aren't being ridden I leave them plugged in all year around. I have dual batteries in my '67 Camaro and my F-250 Superduty Diesel and leave them plugged in as well. Never had a problem with battery damage.

 

Any battery charger that has a float mode can be left plugged in 24/7. Mine (I have three) are from Walmart and made by Schumacher and cost about $15.00 and are the same as any Battery Tender or any charger that has a float mode. Because the battery will not slowly discharge, less of the lead in the core is consumed by recharging and thus the battery lasts longer as it retains more of its potential.