Optimates

Tractor

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I have a 2001 R1150RT which I fitted with a new gel battery about a year ago. Recently had to fit a new starter which works fine. I use an Optimate 3 (SP) which is probably 8 years (or more) old to keep the battery charged. It has recently started displaying the dreaded red light (not he desulphate one at the bottom) but the bike seems to start and run OK.
The obvious first question - is it OK to use this Optimate on a gel battery ?
The instructions leaflet says .."Automatic charger for 12V lead-acid batteries of from 2 to 32Ah. Not for charging dry cell or Nicad batteries." Does not say should, or should not use it on a gel battery.
I am aware that there can be a problem with chafing on parts of the wiring loom due to overtightened cable ties, but dont want to start tearing that to bits if the Optimate is the problem.
 
What lights you get are irrelevant.


All any 'smart' charger will do is go through its programmed cycle, and report that it's doing the best it can.....

That means it will report a battery is fully charged, even though the battery is utterly shagged......the optimate has put in as much charge as it can though, so it says 'Ok, I'm done, fully charged, nothing to worry about'


That, in turn, means that a bike kept on an optimate is likely to let you down, suddenly and seriously, with no prior warnings.

They do what they say they do, but that's not always a good thing :thumb2
 
Fanum said:
What lights you get are irrelevant.


All any 'smart' charger will do is go through its programmed cycle, and report that it's doing the best it can.....

That means it will report a battery is fully charged, even though the battery is utterly shagged......the optimate has put in as much charge as it can though, so it says 'Ok, I'm done, fully charged, nothing to worry about'


That, in turn, means that a bike kept on an optimate is likely to let you down, suddenly and seriously, with no prior warnings.

They do what they say they do, but that's not always a good thing :thumb2
Click to expand...

Not sure what these words of wisdom are based on, but my '04 1200 has been regularly left on an Optimate when un-used for any length of time and is still on the original battery.

Modern batteries fail suddenly: I drove my Citroen Saxo home one night and the following morning the battery was fecked.
I drove my company Vauxhall Vivaro from the depot 20 something miles, parked up, did a job, returned to the van and not as much as a light on the dash would come on.

It is the nature of modern batteries. They fail instantly unlike old lead/acid jobs which gradually deteriorate.

:beerjug:
 
Only time I have had a red light was down to a bad connection. The two pin white plastic connector which comes with the Optimate is known to be a weak link.
 
Mr K said:
Not sure what these words of wisdom are based on, but my '04 1200 has been regularly left on an Optimate when un-used for any length of time and is still on the original battery.

Modern batteries fail suddenly: I drove my Citroen Saxo home one night and the following morning the battery was fecked.
I drove my company Vauxhall Vivaro from the depot 20 something miles, parked up, did a job, returned to the van and not as much as a light on the dash would come on.

It is the nature of modern batteries. They fail instantly unlike old lead/acid jobs which gradually deteriorate.

:beerjug:
Click to expand...

+1 Mr K

Used my GSA all last summer, then took it on a 10 day trip to Spain & all ok

Came back on the Santander ferry, rode 50 miles to stay with friends overnight

Next morning dead as a dead thing, jumped it off (drove 300 miles to Rainbow BMW on a full tank)

Bike wouldn't even restart to get it into their workshop

Battery utterly fecked
 
Not all models of Optimates are compatible with all types of gel battery.
IIRC older versions of Optimates (before Optimate 3) are not recommended for odysseys.

There's a list of compatabilities on the optimate website.
 
Our Gee said:
Only time I have had a red light was down to a bad connection. The two pin white plastic connector which comes with the Optimate is known to be a weak link.
Click to expand...

+1. First thing I do when I get the red light is unplug/replug everything and try again. Never failed yet. The Optimate connector mention is one culprit, the power socket on my bike another.
 
Mine is an old Optimate 3 - I see that the new Optimate 3 is suitable for gel batteries - I shall investigate further !!
 
Mr K said:
Not sure what these words of wisdom are based on, but my '04 1200 has been regularly left on an Optimate when un-used for any length of time and is still on the original battery.

Modern batteries fail suddenly: I drove my Citroen Saxo home one night and the following morning the battery was fecked.
I drove my company Vauxhall Vivaro from the depot 20 something miles, parked up, did a job, returned to the van and not as much as a light on the dash would come on.

It is the nature of modern batteries. They fail instantly unlike old lead/acid jobs which gradually deteriorate.

:beerjug:
Click to expand...

+1 on a 04 12GS with 81k on the clock. Optimate seems to have paid for itself. Optimate bought in 1997 and it only has a holiday when i go off on the bike (i.e. its turned off) Fair play to them. I wonder if the new optimates are as well made.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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