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Battery Tenders?


NightRider

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This is going to be a rather..."interesting" question so bare with me. :D

How do battery tenders work? I've seen some where you can connect them to a wall outlet, and then to the battery of the bike? I could be wrong, but i thought i saw something where you need to connect something to an outlet of the bike? This is for an 84. I doubt there are any outlets on it.

I've also heard of floaters? Again no idea. The battery is weak, and i've jump started it with a car a couple times. But...i'd like to bypass and just be able to start the bike the 1st damn time.

Any idea's or suggestions? Or explain how these work, and how much of a noob i am. :D

Bike is 84 Honda Sabre 700 btw.

Thanks.

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it's a little battery charger that plugs into the wall, and to an outlet you install on your bike (via the battery)

it keeps the battery fully charged at all times...

personally, I don't like them. They mask battery problems just as well as they prevent them. If i have a problem with my battery, or a drain on it, I'd rather find out about it in my own garage at home when trying to start it at the beginning of a ride, NOT at a stop during a ride.

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it's a little battery charger that plugs into the wall, and to an outlet you install on your bike (via the battery)

it keeps the battery fully charged at all times...

personally, I don't like them. They mask battery problems just as well as they prevent them. If i have a problem with my battery, or a drain on it, I'd rather find out about it in my own garage at home when trying to start it at the beginning of a ride, NOT at a stop during a ride.

It sounds like your battery is weak. Battery tenders are great for when the bike will be sitting for a long period of time. For regular use, I don't recommend them. My bike both sat over the winter without a battery tender and are fine.

Ask ReconRat about the battery dying while out on a ride....

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I had to pick up a new battery because mine was weak from sitting over winter. Sounds like a new battery would get you going.

As far as the plug on the bike, there is some hook ups that you connect to the battery so you don't have to keep gettin the battery out or whatever and it has a connector that you can just plug the charger into if it has sat for a while. A good battery should last a while unlike my old one. It was crap from the time I bought the bike.

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...Ask ReconRat about the battery dying while out on a ride....

shup, I left the key on. I'm still using the same battery. It still works...

edit: I only use the battery tender over the Winter, inside the house. Best not to try to hard freeze a battery.

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it's a little battery charger that plugs into the wall, and to an outlet you install on your bike (via the battery)

it keeps the battery fully charged at all times...

personally, I don't like them. They mask battery problems just as well as they prevent them. If i have a problem with my battery, or a drain on it, I'd rather find out about it in my own garage at home when trying to start it at the beginning of a ride, NOT at a stop during a ride.

How hard is it to install the outlet? I appreciate the reply's. I did a search on battery tenders and it took me to batterytender.com Everything just kinda seemed like rocket science. lol. :nono:

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Leaving a lead-acid battery (the kind in a car or motorcycle) in a discharged state for a long time will hasten its failure. That's why it's a good idea to put a charger on the battery over the winter if you aren't going to be riding. A battery that has been allowed to totally discharge over a long period of time will usually need to be replaced. The "trickle" or "float" chargers will maintain the battery's charge without overcharging it like a normal charger will do.

Also, a fully charged battery is more able to withstand cold temperatures without damage than a discharged one.

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I just picked it (the bike) a few days ago. It runs well when it starts. But obviously during the winter, the battery wasn't properly maintained. I'm also pretty sure the radiator fan is draining the battery. I'm just curious as to how long a new battery would last. Where as, i was hoping the tender...could just keep the current battery charged. Does that make sense?

Thanks again to everyone for the info.

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Walmart has a cheaper version of the battery tender. Does exactly the same thing for about $10 - $15 cheaper. I've been using one for the last 3 years. Only use it during the winter months. I took it off last Tuesday and won't get it back out again until end of riding season.

Good luck.

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shup, I left the key on. I'm still using the same battery. It still works...

edit: I only use the battery tender over the Winter, inside the house. Best not to try to hard freeze a battery.

Ah, I was thinking that battery was weak anyway, and leaving the key on was the final straw.

Our Ninja has what appears to be the original battery in it, the bike had less than 2400 miles when I got it last April, and I highly doubt it had been maintained properly, in fact, the bike was out in the cold when I went to look at it, and buy it. I'm hoping that it has a while left in it, too! It's s sealed AGM battery, so maybe someone did change it out.... :dunno:

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