Battery Maintenance During Storage

[mgwtrike]

This subject comes up on a tractor/boat/Goldwing web-sites I visit and wondered how you handle keeping your battery maintained when idle.

Many turn to inexpensive battery maintenance/trickle chargers, then are left plugged during the winter months for extended period without trouble.

I use them also but refuses to keep them plug in 24 hours a day, and use them occasionally.

How do you keep your battery fully charged when you can't ride for months?

 

[beenthere]

I use batt. tender Jr's 24/7 all winter on all summer mower,tractor, bikes & etc. works fine.

 

[Gold Rush]

I use batt. tender Jr's 24/7 all winter on all summer mower,tractor, bikes & etc. works fine.

Battery Tender Jr. here also. I ride my Wing daily so don't need to keep on tender. On occasion it will set for a few days so the tender gets hooked up. I keep a tender on my backup house power plant and use to do the same on the motor home I once had.

 

[jaxbobg]

I used to have a trickle charger, but had to limit the amount of time on the battery because they essentially deliver a continual low amp charge regardless of battery condition.

About 4 years ago, a neighbor told me about the Battery Tender Jr. for my trikes. I bought one and have never looked back. The microprocessor controller monitors the battery charge state and delivers a low amp flow until the battery is fully charged, after which it switches to a "Float/Maintenance Charge Mode" (according to the literature).

Now, I never give a thought to leaving the BTJR hooked up, even for weeks at a time. I would never again buy a conventional trickle charger.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

I use a battery maintainer, all the time! Unit is plugged in every time the bike is parked in the garage.
What's interesting to me is the bike is a 2006. STILL on the original battery. I'm trying to see just how long it will go. However, on the Battery Tender web sight, it is recommended to replace the battery every 5 years, even using their product!

 

[Solidbob]

I use the Battery MINDER Plus and have since they were available as they do all functions automatically. I leave them on most everything that I don't drive or ride regularly / Boat, Cars, Trike, anything with a Battery !!! Have never lost a battery from over-charging and the de-sulfation mode is also automatic. On sale right now at Northern Tool for 19.95 a bargain, here's some detail and a link with a video so you'll know what to look for.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332201_200332201

epper:

[h=2]Features + Benefits[/h]Top of page

• Full-time battery monitoring automatically tests battery every microsecond, supplying only the current needed to maintain battery at full charge
• Charges and maintains from 1 to 4 batteries at a time (12V batteries parallel-connected or 6V batteries series-connected)
• Does not overcharge, regardless of time connected
• High-frequency pulses safely remove sulfate from battery's plates that prevent the batteries from holding a full charge
• No need to add water to maintenance-type batteries during long, non-use storage
• Stops boil-out and ends water loss
• Isolation transformer and smart chip technology ensures safe, long-term performance

• Automatic reset thermostat prevents damage to charger when unit is connected to faulty battery
• Weatherproof when used with an approved outdoor electrical receptacle; conformal-coated circuitry ensures trouble-free life even in high-moisture marine environments
• Blinks when charged
• Allows battery to be stored safely at 0° to 120°F
• Made to ISO 9002 Quality Certified Standards
• Comes complete with Quick connect/disconnect battery clips
• Not for use with aircraft batteries

 

[87Trike1200]

I use the Battery MINDER Plus and have since they were available as they do all functions automatically. I leave them on most everything that I don't drive or ride regularly / Boat, Cars, Trike, anything with a Battery !!! Have never lost a battery from over-charging and the de-sulfation mode is also automatic. On sale right now at Northern Tool for 19.95 a bargain, here's some detail and a link with a video so you'll know what to look for.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332201_200332201

Looks like a good find... Thanks!

 

[dogman513]

Plug in battery tender, leave it, its all good!

 

[Mick]

My battery has a Battery Tender Plus on it. After the streets get salted the trike is put away until the salt is washed away in the Spring. Sometimes as early as November and as late as May. All of that time the battery sits on the tender in an unheated garage with the trike covered. My trike also sits on Harbor Freight floor pads so I dont have the issue with moisture when the temp and dew point are different than the garage when its opened to get the car in and out.

 

[mgwtrike]

My trike also sits on Harbor Freight floor pads so I dont have the issue with moisture when the temp and dew point are different than the garage when its opened to get the car in and out.

Hmm I just read not long age that is not good to park our bikes on concrete floor because of the dampness, but why spend the money on floor pads, wouldn't any plastic sheet be cheaper?

 

[Mick]

Hmm I just read not long age that is not good to park our bikes on concrete floor because of the dampness, but why spend the money on floor pads, wouldn't any plastic sheet be cheaper?

After the 1st winter with the trike in the garage I knew I had to do something about the floor and temp difference. When the Missus and I was at harbor freight one day we saw them and we knew we had the answer for the trike. They dont move once placed down and wear like iron. Any oil drips or coolant drips just wipe up. And if you trash one unexpectedly just go to harbor freight and get more. It also turns out if your kids or grandkids have the alphabet pads they will also lock in with these.Back then I think I paid less than $25.00 for the whole pile of them and to me it was money well spent.

 

[FRR]

I cut a couple of pieces of carpet and use them to park my Trike on. Serves the purpose and doesn't cost a dime.

 

[John Luciano]

Replaced living room carpet a few years back.cut it into 5x 10 strips. Every year or so I put a new one down. Old one get dirty and holds moisture. Looks like almost time for new carpet in the Den

 

[Craigar]

Battery Tender. Installed the "pig tail" connectors on 3 motorcycles and 2 quads.
I rotate between all of them... need to buy another... the one from Northern looks good and priced right.