Everybodys Curious about how to Charge the Gel-Battery

[bmwrich58]

....and so am I!

So today I E-Mailed Deltran the manufacturer of the "Battery Tender" here in the States as to what can be used to charge the "New Gel-Battery". When I get my reply from them I will post it for all to read.

In the meantime,here is their web-site:
http://batterytender.com/

If any of you people belong to the BMWMOA club,here in the states,in the April issue of the MOA magazine,
Stu Oltman #100544 wrote a piece on Gel-Batterys with the help of a "Yuasa Battery Product Engineer" to help distinguish the truth about gel-batterys and AGM batterys.


quoted from the April issue of BMW Motorcycle Owners News (BMWMOA)
Charging Gel vs. AGM
According to Deltran,makers of the popular "Battery Tender" line of battery chargers,their "Battery Tender Junior" is safe for BMW gel batteries,but the "Battery Tender Plus" model should not be used for charging gel batteries. They report:
"In the same vein that 'Xerox Machine' is used to refer to any paper copy machine,'Gel battery or Gel-Cell' is often used (incorrectly) to describe Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) sealed maintenance free batteries.
This is unfortunate because 12-volt AGM batteries require higher recharge voltages (14.5 to 15.0 VDC), while 12-volt true Gel batteries require lower recharge voltages (13.8 to 14.2 VDC).
In other words,these lead acid battery types are on opposite ends of the 'charging voltage spectrum.'
A battery charger that is optimized for charging one type (Gel or AGM) will either not recharge or overcharge and very likely damage the other type.
"Today,BMW is the only motorcycle manufacturer (since April,2003) that installs a true 'gel' battery at the factory."

 

[turbine_2]

....This is unfortunate because 12-volt AGM batteries require higher recharge voltages (14.5 to 15.0 VDC), while 12-volt true Gel batteries require lower recharge voltages (13.8 to 14.2 VDC).

Interesting.

Now, bearing in mind that a couple of us with recent bikes have had problems with batteries dying prematurely I wonder if the charging circuit on the newer GSs is running a little low or something... Must get my volt meter out this weekend and have a look.

 

[bmwrich58]

Hi Dave,
Hopefully,Deltran will reply sometime today. It's currently 6:15am in Chicago and Deltran in Florida is an hour ahead. Their offices don't open until 8am so I have another hour before they open.

 

[Honister]

Recharging GEL batteries

The Optimate 111 is claimed to be capable of charging all types of 12V lead/acid batteries from 2 to 32 Ah including GEL type.


The instructions quote " In the charging stae a constant current of 0.6 amps is delivered and the rising impedance of the battery causes the charging voltage to increase to 14.3V when the Optimate starts the absorbsion & verification stage. The charging voltage is now limited to 13.6V ..... etc etc" " The floating support charge is 13.6V"

Hope this helps.

 

[bmwrich58]

And the Reply is.....

Rich, You can use the Jr on the GEL batteries because the low amperage will not charge too much or too fast. The Battery Tender Plus was produced in a model for AGM batteries and standard lead-acid batteries as well as a model especially programmed for true GEL batteries. The part number is 021-0156 and you can order one form Halon Marketing, 1-800-343-9763.
Thank you.
Tim Mattingly, Customer Service Representative
Deltran
801 US HWY 92 East
DeLand, Fl 32724

 

[Frank Warner]

commonsense viewpoint

The people you want to talk to are the battery manufactures!

From a commonsense viewpoint; the battery should be operable in a normal motor vehicle.. i.e. one set up for a ‘normal’ battery. As the ‘normal’ vehicle has a ‘normal’ charging system then a ‘normal’ battery charger should be capable of charging it under ‘normal’ conditions. The problems occur when you get the exceptions .. Eg dead flat battery, a special charger..

 

[bmwrich58]

From a commonsense viewpoint; the battery should be operable in a normal motor vehicle.. i.e. one set up for a ‘normal’ battery. As the ‘normal’ vehicle has a ‘normal’ charging system then a ‘normal’ battery charger should be capable of charging it under ‘normal’ conditions. The problems occur when you get the exceptions .. Eg dead flat battery, a special charger..

What exceptions????

What I am talking about is "charging" or keeping the battery charged during "lay over" or non-operational use,a no load situation.

A commonsense view point.....????.....

Of course during actual use, the battery is being charged yes,... but it is also being discharged as well as it powers the lights etc, a load is being applied.
That is where the difference is, and why certain chargers can and cannot be used on certain types or different batterys as explained earlier in my original post.

So if the "Gel-Cell battery has a constant load on it, then "yes" a nominal standard battery charger will work.
But sitting there with just a "clock ticking or powering the computer to stay alive", well that isn't enough of a draw or load to justify the use of a normal battery charger. If they did, your bike or battery would probably be dead 90% of the time!
If those two "load devices" did draw the battery that low and the battery required a charger "full time" just to stay a live, then there is definately problem.
Either the battery is not applicable for it's job (too small), or the load drawing devices are taking to much power to operate and should be changed to something that uses less power/draw.