Battery charger

[Octain]

I have three bikes, a random battery(long story) and a 72 Chevy truck that I do the Steve way. All's good on the eastern front.

[mvalenti]

Thanks again, I'll get that unit, 21 bucks is cheap.

Just two issues:
1. The charging rate is WAY too much.
2. Although it says "fully automatic", it never really shuts off.

Better would be THIS UNIT for about $21.

As others have mentioned, a lower charge rate is better, especially with these smaller (compared to cars) batteries. The "charger/maintainer" will charge the battery fully, then turn off and go into a "monitor" mode which will monitor the voltage and turn on only when necessary. Essentially, it does the same thing as tkent's suggestion of only charging a few hours a month, but you don't have to remember to check it.

.

[Pchitti]

I got the $19 one a few months ago. Only one they had in stock at the local rural wally world with computer controlled float charging.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Schumacher-XM1-5-Maintainer-1.5-Amp/15140193?action=product_interest&action_type=title&placement_id=irs_top&strategy=PWVAV&visitor_id=56333414205&category=0%3A91083%3A1045959%3A1074767%3A1043587&client_guid=6f754b32-665d-44d3-8575-88c4f17b56c3&config_id=2&parent_item_id=13005742&guid=b9d36e7b-c4b1-4b32-a685-8a300aa449b6&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&findingMethod=p13n

[mvalenti]

Well, I think using this charger

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Schumacher-SS-51A-PE-10-Amp-Fully-Automatic-and-Manual-Ship-N-Shore-Charger-with-LED/20851254?findingMethod=Recommendation:wm:RecentlyViewedItems

has boiled my 1 yr old battery... I have added DI water and tried to resurrect it, but its not holding a charge... I will run the stator tests as well as the reg/rec test also, just to make sure its not the charging system at fault. Thought I was home free this summer with the dyna ignition and coil install... drat....

[BiomedDR]

I have a Battery Tender Jr and it works very well for my purposes.

750mA charge rate (good for small powersports batteries), automatically goes into "maintenance mode" when the battery is charged, so you can leave it on all winter if you like.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender...battery+tender

I have that unit also. I use it for my motorcycle and lawnmower. It is a great plug it in and forget it unit.

I also have an actual 2,10,15 amp charger for when I want to charge a battery faster.

[Wingsconsin]

The Battery Tender (a registered trademark) and its little brother, Junior, are both good units, but the Schumacher unit that koolaid_kid and I linked to do exactly the same thing for considerably less money.

If you absolutely insist on spending more money, though, you can go to Sears and get that same Schumacher unit, but it will now have a "DieHard" label on it and it will cost about $10 more.

.

If you wait for them to go sale ..then apply ones employee discount... and buy them on a Friends & Family day (10%off) ...They are really affordable and the Craftsman label is no big deal...(I have 3 of them and a Battery Tender Jr and a Schumacher Battery Maintainer - 3 motorcycles, lawn tractor)

[Allie]

Edited for cinematic effect

I also have an actual 21,015 amp charger for when I want to charge a battery faster.

Your post has quite a bit more 'snap' this way, doesn't it? Not to mention 'crackle' and 'pop'...

[BiomedDR]

Your post has quite a bit more 'snap' this way, doesn't it? Not to mention 'crackle' and 'pop'...

Hey I could charge a battery in an instant with one of those!

[mvalenti]

Your post has quite a bit more 'snap' this way, doesn't it? Not to mention 'crackle' and 'pop'...

LOL! now thats funny

[Grimly]

For those this side of the pond; Lidl and Aldi both offer maintenance chargers for around £12 / €15. In the last few years I've gathered four of them and leave them dotted around doing duty - not lost a battery because of them, yet. Only drawback is, unlike the CTEK they're based on (CTEK make them for Aldidl) they don't have an auto-resume if mains power fails, but it's no biggie to remember to re-set them.
Prior to that, I was using a normal iron core trickle charger on a timer and current-limiting resistor, which worked well enough, but certainly wasn't fit and forget.