battery tender use
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,370
Likes: 133
From: Epping, NH
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: South Riding, VA
Much less than running a light bulb. I have measured while mine is plugged in. It uses between 2 and 3 watts while in float mode - less than a night light. I leave my Deltran Battery Tender on the bike all the time it is not out being ridden - winter and all seasons.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 344
Likes: 0
From: Paris, TN
I just picked up a battery tender at WalMart. $20. Temps are getting in the single digits at night and 20's during the day. I went out yesterday at lunch to fire the bike up and ride it back to work (26 degrees), and the battery was too weak to do it. I had to jump it off with the car.
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
These guys have the good Battery Tender by Deltran:
http://www.retrocycle.com/CustomChro...arger_12V.html
If you save $20 on a cheap charger but it kills your battery it is less than useless. Keep your battery topped off all the time and its always ready to go and your battery will last longer. These things won't over charged the battery. And it uses so little electricity its not even close to a concern.
http://www.retrocycle.com/CustomChro...arger_12V.html
If you save $20 on a cheap charger but it kills your battery it is less than useless. Keep your battery topped off all the time and its always ready to go and your battery will last longer. These things won't over charged the battery. And it uses so little electricity its not even close to a concern.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 435
Likes: 1
From: mattituck new york
whut i does is this, thusly
...
i put it on a timer. the tender is only on 4 hrs a day. more than enough. don't gotta worry about stuffing too many amps into the battery. last year i checked on the bike in the garage and there was amps laying all over the floor. this ain't happened since i started using the timer
i put it on a timer. the tender is only on 4 hrs a day. more than enough. don't gotta worry about stuffing too many amps into the battery. last year i checked on the bike in the garage and there was amps laying all over the floor. this ain't happened since i started using the timer
Last edited by goo; Jan 9, 2010 at 02:47 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,178
Likes: 6
From: N.C.
...
i put it on a timer. the tender is only on 4 hrs a day. more than enough. don't gotta wory about stuffing too many amps into the battery. last year i checked on the bike in the garage and there was amps laying all over the floor. this ain't happened since i started using the timer
i put it on a timer. the tender is only on 4 hrs a day. more than enough. don't gotta wory about stuffing too many amps into the battery. last year i checked on the bike in the garage and there was amps laying all over the floor. this ain't happened since i started using the timer
Im going to get a timer also for mine. I had a battery tender on my boat and the acid level would be low in it come spring. I know the tender, trickle charges but day end and day out, I wonder if its over kill.
A timer set to 4 hours a day, would be the ticket. Also I crank my bike and run it at least 2 times a week, I wonder if all the tender is going to do for me is keep my battery a little warmer on cold nights in the garage.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,004
Likes: 0
From: new jersey
Here's the one I have. Plug it in and forget it. Works great.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MOTOR...Q5fAccessories
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MOTOR...Q5fAccessories