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General => General => Topic started by: YamFazFan on 11 February 2017, 07:27:24 pm

Title: Optimate Battery Charger Question
Post by: YamFazFan on 11 February 2017, 07:27:24 pm
Would a 12 volt Optimate motorcycle battery charger be suitable for charging a car battery?


Many thanks YFF
Title: Re: Optimate Battery Charger Question
Post by: fazersharp on 11 February 2017, 07:46:45 pm
Dont know but I have a YAM branded one that can also do cars but there is a switch to turn it to car mode but I dont know what the difference is

EDIT after Jos post to be clear mine is not an optimate with yam branding but a CTEK with yam branding
Title: Re: Optimate Battery Charger Question
Post by: joebloggs on 11 February 2017, 08:26:33 pm
My optimate has a setting for car batteries
Title: Re: Optimate Battery Charger Question
Post by: fatbloke62 on 11 February 2017, 09:09:00 pm
i've used mine for years on the car as well as the bike
Title: Re: Optimate Battery Charger Question
Post by: Frosties on 11 February 2017, 10:24:18 pm
If it's say an Optimate 3 without a car function mode then it will be fine but will take days to charge say a 60AH car battery. Outputs for bike batteries are lower. So yup will be fine but may take a lot longer than a dedicated car charger or bike charger with switchable output.
Title: Re: Optimate Battery Charger Question
Post by: darrsi on 11 February 2017, 10:46:47 pm
In the real world a battery is a battery.
A bike charger will most certainly charge a car battery, but the ampage on a car battery will obviously be higher so will just take longer.
My "battery man" at work goes by the rule that chargers should pump out a quarter of a batteries ampage.
Ie: a 12amp battery should have a 3amp charger, or less, to avoid overcharging or frying it.
But a bike charger falls well within those limits.
As long as it has a trickle charge mode it'll be fine.
Title: Re: Optimate Battery Charger Question
Post by: darrsi on 11 February 2017, 10:49:18 pm
If i remember correctly a trickle charge bounces around the 10% charging mark once a full charge is near.
Title: Re: Optimate Battery Charger Question
Post by: YamFazFan on 12 February 2017, 07:32:07 pm
The charger is an Optimate 3 without the switch for car batteries. Sounds like it will be OK, but just take a long time.

Ta for replies :)
Title: Re: Optimate Battery Charger Question
Post by: darrsi on 12 February 2017, 07:42:38 pm
The website says it has a 0.8 amp output, which is very low.
Title: Re: Optimate Battery Charger Question
Post by: tommyardin on 12 February 2017, 11:36:00 pm
My battery conditioner put out less than 1amp, it an Oxford unit
Title: Re: Optimate Battery Charger Question
Post by: ProdigalSon on 28 February 2017, 07:28:07 pm
No good if I wanted a quick start but I use my Optimate 3 to keep the battery on my car topped up and that's a 95Ah . :)