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Bikes, Hints'n'Tips => FZS600 Fazer => Topic started by: arch33angel on 22 October 2011, 04:51:20 pm

Title: Battery Chargers
Post by: arch33angel on 22 October 2011, 04:51:20 pm
Hi, has anyone any recommendations for a good battery charger? Been meaning to get one for ages but there are so many out there it's a minefield. No doubt some are good and some are crap. Thanks, David.
Title: Re: Battery Chargers
Post by: solorider on 22 October 2011, 06:38:21 pm
get a optimate http://www.accumate.co.uk/it010003.html (http://www.accumate.co.uk/it010003.html)
Title: Re: Battery Chargers
Post by: Major Rant on 22 October 2011, 10:42:46 pm
Depends how "techy" you want to get and how cheap you want to be.
 
Optimate is good if you've got £50-£80 to spare and you want no hassle - just leave it connected.
 
I use a Lidl 500mA battery conditioner thing that cost £5. - I have it on a timer (1 hour a day)
It tops the battery up to 13.5V and then stops charging. For most purposes its as good as an optimate.
 
I used to use a standard car battery charger with a 10 ohm series resistor and monitored it with a voltmeter
(that cost £0.00)
 
Avoid:
- A car battery charger directly connected to the battery.
- Any charger or "trickle charger" for "small batteries" that doesn't self-limit at 13.5V (There are plenty out there )
- All solar battery chargers unless you KNOW that they cut off at 13.5V
(There is a lot of bollox talked about solar battery chargers - the phrase "current limited" is meaningless)
(Come to think of it ... there's a lot of bollox talked about battery chargers generally)
(But then ... there's a lot of bollox talked generally  :rollin )
Title: Re: Battery Chargers
Post by: born to be mild on 23 October 2011, 09:55:51 pm
I recently got a Dr Bike battery conditioner which cost me around £25 sorry,I cant remember where it came from but I think I got it via Amazon, google it anyway It works fine as you can leave the battery connected and it will top up as its a proper conditioner not a trickle charger which I nearly bought as unlike the good Major Im crap with electrics, for instance I used to connect my Speed triple's battery to a car charger like a pillock which soon saw it off !