ANOTHER BATTERY CHARGE QUESTION

[robjet]

OK , when I bought my 2010 1200gs the dealer fitted the wiring for a optimizer ( so theres just a plug below the seat area to connect to )
I,ve just been connecting it up to my charger this way .

my question - having read a few posts about the way the bikes are set up ( ie canbus system ) should I be doing this ??

 

[macca]

Hi Robjet,
I just connect the croc clips to the battery terminals direct, and leave alone. 3 years now and no probs. As long as your assembly is to the terminals direct I can't see a problem.
seasonal salutations,

 

[Mr K]

6+ years of connecting my Optimate straight to the battery. Still on original battery.

 

[wessie]

Just carry on as you are.

The electrons aren't fussy about the route they take to join their friends in the battery.

By having the lead connected directly to your battery you are bypassing any possible interferencefrom the stupidly complex electronics.

 

[robjet]

cheers guys I'll leave it alone then

 

[Oldrat]

Rob, You will find that your optimate, whilst designed to be permanently connected only needs to top up the battery occasionally to keep your electrickery stuff in trim.

Specially designed chargers like the optimate can and do sometimes cook batteries. There's nothing wrong with keeping it on charge all the time, but I'd set it on a timer so that it automatically charged once or twice a week to keep it tip top and reducing the chances of cooking your battery.

 

[Greg Masters]

Rob, You will find that your optimate, whilst designed to be permanently connected only needs to top up the battery occasionally to keep your electrickery stuff in trim.

Specially designed chargers like the optimate can and do sometimes cook batteries. There's nothing wrong with keeping it on charge all the time, but I'd set it on a timer so that it automatically charged once or twice a week to keep it tip top and reducing the chances of cooking your battery.

I have to entirely disagree with that.

The charging programme for an Optimate will always add an initial charge on connection to the battery (0.8A for an Optimate IV). The battery is then tested for holding its charge before moving to a float charge mode (usually <200mA).

By constantly reconnecting the charger, you start the charging programme again each time.

Park the bike; connect the Optimate; do not disconnect until you're about to ride the bike again (an hour; a year - it doesn't matter!).

Greg

 

[Oldrat]

Try typing "optimate problems" into google.

About 879,000 results (0.25 seconds)


or
ctek battery charger problems

About 178,000 results (0.24 seconds)

HTH

 

[wessie]

Try typing "optimate problems" into google.

About 879,000 results (0.25 seconds)

HTH

They will refer to the original Optimate and the short lived mk2 version.

I have one of these devices and there is a problem with the algorithm & hardware. If you have a power outage, which is quite likely in some parts during winter, the older Optimates do not reset themselves. They also consume power from the battery as there is no protection to prevent this current flow. Hence, if you do not go down to the shed and manually reset the device after the power outage you will eventually get a flat battery. The only way to reset the device is to remove the device from all power sources i.e. disconnect the battery lead and remove the mains plug. Count 10 seconds to allow the capacitors to discharge and reconnect. This poor implementation has resulted in many stories of dud chargers, dud batteries and the charger ate my battery: mostly caused by people not reading the instructions.

There are very few early Optimates around now. Any Optimate that is mk3 or later will be fine. It's idiot proof. Greg's post specifically refers to the mk4 optimate which should be suitable for all R-GS batteries as it has an algorithm to cope with the newer AGM batteries.

 

[Greg Masters]

Try typing "optimate problems" into google.

About 879,000 results (0.25 seconds)


or
ctek battery charger problems

About 178,000 results (0.24 seconds)

HTH

I don't need to.

I have an Optimate connected to my bike every moment it's in the garage. The OE battery lasted a few weeks short of 10 years.

Greg

 

[Oldrat]

Thanks for the info on new Optimisers guys, I'm always willng to be educated, and thats not hard on electrickery. Although you haven't actually said that there is anything wrong with a weekly charge, providing it's done by disconnecting the unit as stated. Is that the case or are you saying that it is more harmful than a continuous charging cycle?


At least you've assured me that I don't need to buy an optimate for both of my bikes, as it gets disconnected and moved around, which seems to fit your criteria.

There's nothing wrong with keeping it on charge all the time

Rob, as I previously stated,you'll be fine.

 

[Greg Masters]

Here's a graphic of the charging cycle for the Optimate III.

As soon as possible, you need to get the battery into a charged state ie past the bulk charge Optimate phase and onto the float charge cycle.

The charging cycle is nothing like a regular battery charger which would simply apply a fixed voltage to the battery with the current dropping off as the battery voltage increases. There is no 'float' charge with these - they will eventually screw your battery through overcharging.

No such problems with an Optimate. Leaving the Optimate continously connected is the best way to go.

Greg

 

[Balders1450]

OK , when I bought my 2010 1200gs the dealer fitted the wiring for a optimizer ( so theres just a plug below the seat area to connect to )
I,ve just been connecting it up to my charger this way .

my question - having read a few posts about the way the bikes are set up ( ie canbus system ) should I be doing this ??

YES!

 

[Dainese Brave]

I've used Optimates for years without any problems...but always wired directly to the battery.

I leave them on constantly, and feel that's how they're designed to be used(?).

I'm in the market for a new charger for another bike...it'll be an optimate 4 without question!

 

[stever1]

O.K, i`ll ask the obvious question, whats the difference between the Optimate 3, and the 4 ?.

 

[wessie]

O.K, i`ll ask the obvious question, whats the difference between the Optimate 3, and the 4 ?.

See my post above. The mk3 was designed before AGM batteries were widely used, certainly before I bought my GS in 2001. The mk4 has a revised algorithm (computer program) to cope with the AGM electro-chemistry. There are other revisions too: electronic components moved on in the 5 years, so the mk4 is more efficient using less power to do the same amount of work as the mk3. They changed the display to provide more information and introduced weather-proof connectors.

Back story: early adopters found that the likes of Hawker who make the Odyssey range of AGM batteries recommended a specific type of charger for their AGM batteries. That was 6 years ago and the main brands of battery chargers have caught up. Just look at the Argos catalogue: even they have chargers that work with AGM batteries. Some people have yet to recalibrate their heads to this fact and will keep banging on that you must have an "ABC123" or your bike will explode.

 

[wessie]

Thanks for the info on new Optimisers guys, I'm always willng to be educated, and thats not hard on electrickery. Although you haven't actually said that there is anything wrong with a weekly charge, providing it's done by disconnecting the unit as stated. Is that the case or are you saying that it is more harmful than a continuous charging cycle?

Your method of swapping the charger from one bike to another will be fine. Unless you have a very greedy alarm on the bikes, swapping every week is not necessary. Assuming you leave the bikes parked up for several months over winter then once every 6-8 weeks would keep a good condition battery topped up.

 

[Oldrat]

It's worked for me over the last 4 years, but thanks for the background folks, much appreciated