Battery and Heat

[5x40]

Today we rode approx 150 miles in 90 degree weather.
After we returned home I let the trike cool down for several hours before putting the battery tender on it. this is my normal procedure, been doing it this way for 20 yrs on my rides...the battery tender has been connected for approx 4 hours and it's still showing red and green lights...usually after an hour the green light will be on and the red off. this is the way it should read...my question I guess, can the battery become so over heated that it will not charge. could the heat have damage it? the trike is not two yrs old yet. I have removed the bt for the night.
will connect it back tomorrow...

 

[screwball]

For whatever it is worth, I don't use a battery tender unless I don't intend to use the trike for a couple of weeks. It takes about 3 weeks for my battery to run down enough to not start the trike. I live on the desert of SoCal and just changed the battery on my '09.

Good Luck

 

[RcSuD]

Unless you have a bad battery that won't hold it's charge, there is no need to use a battery tender daily. If you're gonna park it for 3 or 4 weeks, then it might be worthwhile.

As far as heat goes, I suppose it's possible to boil over. Check the cells and top them up with clean distilled water before hooking up the tender again.

 

[Sinical]

In agreement with the above replies.....if the trike is being ridden regularly, there's no need to use the battery tender.

On average, a traditional battery should be good for approx. 3 yrs., a maintenance free battery should be good for around 5 yrs. (sometimes longer)

If you've got a traditional battery that you can service, you can check the fluid level as suggested and top off with distilled water.

If you've got a digital multi-meter, set the meter at 20 DCV and check the battery cold. A reading of 12.8V would be ideal. Then fire up the trike and test it again while idling. Reading should be anywhere's between 13.5V to 14.5V. Anything below or above this range might indicate a faulty voltage regulator or a failing battery.

Guess there's also an outside chance of an electrical bleed that might be draining juice, which could explain the red light/green light, but I'd run the above tests first.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Mine is plugged in whenever it's parked in the garage. A tender is meant to keep the battery at peak level, which makes a battery last longer.
The ups and downs of plugging it "once-n-a-while defeats" the purpose of a tender and makes it more like a charger!
I'm still on the OEM battery(2006) and am going to see how long it lasts. :AllGood:
I do not understand a cooling down period prior to plugging in
FYI, my tender still shows green as soon as the tender is plugged in:clapping:

 

[Moe55]

You could check the fuse for the battery tender. If that is blown it will only show charging but power never gets to battery.

I connect the battery tender when ever the trike is parked. Last two batteries lasted 7 & 8 years. Changed both because they were that old did not want to take a chance both tested good.

 

[Bubba49]

Unless you have a bad battery that won't hold it's charge, there is no need to use a battery tender daily. If you're gonna park it for 3 or 4 weeks, then it might be worthwhile.

As far as heat goes, I suppose it's possible to boil over. Check the cells and top them up with clean distilled water before hooking up the tender again.

How do you check the cells and top them off on a sealed battery? My 09 TG and my 11 SG trike both have sealed batteries. As a matter of fact, I just bought and installed a new battery for my SG trike and it was definitely sealed.

Bubba

 

[BinIdaho]

Battery tender plugged in after every ride.....to each their own.

 

[5x40]

Battery tender plugged in after every ride.....to each their own.

Yep, me too...been doing so for over 20 yrs on motorcycles. do the same w/c6 corvette...our HD dealership puts pigtails on ALL bikes before they go on the showroom floor.
I am guessing there must have been too much heat build up....disconnected it last night, reconnected it this morning and less than an hour, red light off and only green on....All is good again!!! thanks All for your responses...

 

[RcSuD]

How do you check the cells and top them off on a sealed battery? ...............Bubba

You can't. Just use them until they don't hold a charge any more.

Using a battery tender daily IMO is not necessary, but it probably doesn't hurt.

 

[Sully]

For a sealed battery, all you need to ck are the volts with a meter. (No water).
You don't really need the tender on all the time, but with all the electrics, alarms and stuff running, it can't hurt. I run mine when it's put away and I run one on the boat when not using. They tend to the battery, like they should. ThumbUp

 

[tom w]

I use my tender in the winter. It never sits long enough in the other 3 seasons to need it. hadn"t thought about using it on the pontoon. Good idea.

 

[GARYD]

I also plug the BT in every time I come home and have for 20+ years - just habit. Since it doesn't charge the battery until it needs to - what's the harm? This way I KNOW it's topped up and ready to go.

If you don't hook it up all the time - that's OK too. Whatever floats your boat. ThumbUp

I had a problem with the Infotainment unit and my dealer asked if I hooked up to a BT. I said yes. He said that was the problem. The new batteries and the BT aren't made for each other. Other dealers say different. Too bad they can't get the stories straight. :AGGHH:

 

[woodmnctry]

Seldom put the tender on -- might use it in the middle of snow season when the bikes have been setting for 3-4 mo.

 

[tom w]

a good question is ; how old is your battery ? mine was on the bike when I bought it in 2010. how long before that ? not a clue.

 

[HDB0B]

2014 - Comes with a factory installed battery tender plug ... so I plug it in when parked in the garage to a 1.25 amp Battery Tender unit. With the factory security system there is ALWAYS some drain on the battery. FWIW A battery can only be properly tested with a voltage meter when a LOAD is placed on it. Have your battery load tested if you think you have a battery problem.

 

[Sinical]

2014 - Comes with a factory installed battery tender plug ... so I plug it in when parked in the garage to a 1.25 amp Battery Tender unit. With the factory security system there is ALWAYS some drain on the battery. FWIW A battery can only be properly tested with a voltage meter when a LOAD is placed on it. Have your battery load tested if you think you have a battery problem.

One can actually do a load test with a digital multi-meter:

http://www.ehow.com/video_2330193_check-motorcycle-battery.html

ThumbUp

 

[mcdonaldroadcapt]

Relocated my battery to the trunk, left side. Much happier and cooler there plus very convenient if problems were ever encountered on the road. Took up very little space.