Knackered optimate or fecced battery

[BBROWN1664]

Any suggestions how to check an optimate?

Whenever I plug it into the bike it says "DE sulphate" and doesn't seem to charge at all. The battery seems to be ok as in so much as I can tell. It seems to hold a charge and with a jump start will start again after a few miles riding and then start OK for weeks to come. Leave it too long though and as I would expect with an immobiliser/clock etc, the battery gradually dies even though it is connected to the optimate.

[darrsi]

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/124556-Optimate-Problems

[darrsi]

http://www.touratech-usa.com/media/fromoldsite/media2/01-130-0010-03.pdf

[BBROWN1664]

I will try the croc clips and see if that makes a difference.

[Grahamm]

It does sound like a duff connector on the charger.

I had similar issues because local cats like to get into my shed and jump on the warm bike and would often knock the connector slightly out of true.

Best thing, though, is to go to a local garage and put the battery on a Load Tester (Drop Test) just to make sure it's ok.

[BBROWN1664]

Well, the battery was focced as a result of a pushed back pin in the connector making a poor connection.

£75 later (and a jump start) for a new connector and battery, its running again.