Stand alone battery charger?

[SteveMc278]

I need a battery charger which I can leave next to the bike connected to its battery so it can get an occasional boost. I don't have an AC domestic power supply where I keep my bike.
Was thinking on the lines of those booster/jump start units which you charge up at home and then carry it out to the vehicle but in my case the booster pack will need an automatic shut off for when the bike battery becomes fully charged.
Something which also switches over to maintenance/trickle charge once the bike battery has reached full charge, would be perfect.
I did start emailing various suppliers but got a lot of 'we only sell the products and know nothing about what our products actually do' kind of caper.
Sure I've removed the battery from the bike and charged it in doors but this involves interfering with the battery leads too often and is just generally an awkward thing to be doing in winter when I just want to be riding the thing.
What I'm looking for might not actually exist but hopefully some of you knowledgeable people can help? 

[Arbie]

I think oxford products do a solar powered  charger. Whether its any good I dont know or if it would suit your needs.

[darrsi]

As long as your battery is in good condition then simply riding it is good enough to keep the battery power up.
Probably been well over 2 years since i last gave my battery a small boost.
It will obviously have more chance of being affected by extremely cold weather if left out in the elements though.


I would've thought most battery chargers either switch off or trickle charge past 80% these days.


I know all the ones i use at work do.

[SteveMc278]

.......your battery.....will obviously have more chance of being affected by extremely cold weather if left out in the elements though.

darrsi - this is just it ie it can deteriorate whilst being left out in the elements. So I want to kybosh that by giving it a boost. But I don't have an AC power supply.

I think oxford products do a solar powered  charger. Whether its any good I dont know or if it would suit your needs.

Yup - the solar power debate. I believe these items only gives a maintenance charge whilst only boosting up the power very slowly and of course not at night.

Does anyone know if those 'car - jump start booster packs' would be safe to connect to a motorcycle battery for a couple of hours or will that overload the bikes battery and the bikes internal wiring/electrics?

[SteveMc278]

Messed up the 'quoting previous messages'.  So scrub my last post. Have tried again here:

I think oxford products do a solar powered  charger.

I believe these items only give a maintenance charge whilst only boosting up the power very slowly. And of course not at night.

......your battery.....will obviously have more chance of being affected by extremely cold weather if left out in the elements though.

This is just it, ie it can deteriorate whilst being left out in the elements. So I want to kybosh that by giving it a boost but I don't have an AC power supply.
Does anyone know if those 'car jump start booster packs' would be safe to connect to a motorcycle for a couple of hours or would this damage/overload the bikes battery/internal wiring/electrics?

[darrsi]

You don't really want to start blasting power into a small rechargeable battery if you want to charge it on a regular basis, it can affect the lifespan.


As i said before if your battery is in good nick, it shouldn't really need boosting as long as the bike is being ridden every week.


If it's not being ridden, over winter for instance, then just remove it, otherwise why not invest in a battery, it sounds like you may need a new one anyway?

[mobile mouse]

Hi,
I think what your looking fore is this:
Antigravity Micro Start XP-1

You can google it for yourself, it's brought in from the US, it's available on ebay look for the UK supplier.

[tweetytek]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/OXFORD-SOLARISER-SOLAR-BATTERY-CHARGER/dp/B000R593JW

5 out of 5 on Amazon - so I bought one - works great ! stuck outside above my garage door with trunking through the wall and into the garage. Charges in the day no prob. Foccd if you arrive home on a dark winter night tho !

My wifey used to use a 500cc maxi scooter from Taiwan. It was shite in winter. So I drilled some holes in the number plate at the top and connected up some Mono RCA type sockets , wired upto battery lines, and fashioned a -ve and +ve lead from this charger then just plugged it into the back of the bike at night. Worked a treat. When we sold the scooter we just made up another number plate for £18.

I was thinking of installing one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC12V-Cigarette-Lighter-And-Acessory-Socket-Power-Outlet-For-Car-Boat-Motorcycle-/181371372982?pt=UK_Car_Interior_Accessories&hash=item2a3a9385b6 ; the above charger comes with a ciggie lighter plug  - happy days. Might put this under the top box or somewhere discrete but accessible ; I'd throw the lighter away - probably can get them without the lighter - I just haven't finished searching , yet.

[darrsi]

Hi,
I think what your looking fore is this:
Antigravity Micro Start XP-1

You can google it for yourself, it's brought in from the US, it's available on ebay look for the UK supplier.

Does look like a handy, albeit expensive bit of kit.
The thing is if you keep running a battery flat in very cold weather it'll eventually peg out on you anyway.