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  1. #1 battery tenders & chargers 
    Senior C-Moto Guru euphonius's Avatar
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    OK, it's winter up here in China and the rest of the northern hemisphere, meaning a lot of our bikes are spending most of their time sheltering in cold garages. For other reasons, I'd not ridden my JH600 since August, and had disconnected the battery leads in hopes of preserving the battery through the winter or until I'm ready to ride, whichever came first.

    I was surprised that the reconnected battery had enough juice to turn the engine, but almost immediately the battery light came on and it was clear there was not enough current (or is that voltage) to fire the fuel injection system. So I took the battery to a neighborhood scooter garage (aka totally chaotic fright shop with everything from tools to discarded parts to new product to last night's dinner piled in heaps on the floor). The guy said he could charge me in 30 minutes for 5 kuai. An hour later it was back in the bike and she -- shazzam! -- wouldn't you know she fired up right good, first try.

    I let her idle for about 10 minutes, thinking I'd be good for another start so I could run out for some gas and other errands on an almost warm Shanghai afternoon. Newbie mistake? When I came back all geared up, there wasn't enough juice to fire the injectors or plug (or both).

    So here's my question: Given that there are more months of winter and more months before my shoulder is healthy enough for longer rides, she's likely to be sitting for more long spells before we're back to a battery-friendly healthy riding schedule. What's the best way to coddle a 12v motorcycle battery during long periods of disuse?

    Riders in the US all seem to have Battery Tenders or Trickle Chargers that I guess you, what, keep attached to the battery all winter? I've checked eBay and taobao and see there are differences between what's available in China and in the US. US chargers seem to be bigger and fancier, costing $40 or so. China's look like laptop power supplies and cost 40 RMB or less! Both talk about having microcircuitry that calibrates the correct charging voltage, current and duration to optimize battery life.

    Are these things worthwhile? Or should I just head back to the local scootery for another 5 kuai charge?

    Here's an article saying you should keep your battery connected to a tender all winter.

    What's a good strategy here in China, especially if we are limited to local products?

    thanks in advance!
    Last edited by euphonius; 02-07-2011 at 10:05 AM.
    jkp
    Shanghai
    2010 JH600 "Merkin Muffley" (in Shanghai)
    2000 KLR650 "Feezer Ablanalp" (in California)
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  2. #2 Re: battery tenders & chargers 
    grumpy old sod jape's Avatar
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    To some extent it depends on the battery. A good battery can survive different conditions whether it is old fashioned lead acid or modern gel type. A bad battery just fails, sometimes slowly, sometimes fast. Vibration, poor alternator, abuse, overuse, all kill 'em!

    The best way is in fact to simply disconnect when fully charged and keep in a cold, dark place! A good battery will last over winter no problems and I know this from years of experience without power here before I paid for mains connection! Importantly, it will need to come up to room temperature to give good amps when reconnected, if still cold it may not give enough power even if still a good battery.

    The best 'tenders' are the proven 4WD type or marine battery 'managers' that will read the type, state and condition of all your batteries and provide charge to them all of whatever type, whichever, whenever. But if you only have one vehicle to watch then the cheapest China types should do as long as they are sold as 'automatic float chargers' NOT just as trickle chargers which can cook the thing. The 'automatic' ones check the battery state, charge as needed, do not overcharge. The circuitry is not complicated, the components not necessarily sophisticated for such a job.

    Batteries fail for more than one reason but losing charge right down, in most standard batteries, will certainly shorten their life. Then you cannot bring them back successfully. In some cases of lead acid batteries a good clean and new electrolyte will work. Sealed batteries don't allow this. I think they are so essential and important for safety with lights, indicator and horn as much as starting power that a good quality battery is a good investment though. It took 2 cheap chinese batteries failing (from the dealers) before I finally paid out myself for a good one (which was still Chinese). So get advice on makes available over there.

    The 'ideal' is a 3 stage charger and good quality batteries. So cost is just a choice, cheapo should be fine, to be quite sure, you spend on all components!

    Is the battery in a dark place? I ask because for many years I have just used a very cheap solar trickle charger and it keeps both bike and car batteries up to par. But we get enough sun even in winter here and I have a small light bulb in the circuit which drains it down a bit every night so it doesn't ever overcharge. Very occasionally if required I 'boost' it at 10 amps.

    An afterthought, some computer engine controllers require the battery left in the circuit so read what the manual says for the JH, don't know how sophisticated that is electronically speaking.
    Last edited by jape; 02-07-2011 at 11:04 AM.
    Kinlon R/T KBR JL200GY-2
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  3. #3 Re: battery tenders & chargers 
    Senior C-Moto Guru euphonius's Avatar
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    Thanks, Jape. It's a good quality lead acid battery that has always given strong charge, though this is its first winter of disuse. I'll see if I can find a decent tender in Taobao, and just keep the battery in my flat and on the tender until I'm ready to be riding regularly again.

    Would love to have a recommendation if there are any taobao denizens with good ideas.

    Would have been nice to get out and ride today, but wasn't in the cards.

    cheers
    jkp
    Shanghai
    2010 JH600 "Merkin Muffley" (in Shanghai)
    2000 KLR650 "Feezer Ablanalp" (in California)
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  4. #4 Re: battery tenders & chargers 
    grumpy old sod jape's Avatar
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    I added the bit in yellow after you read it Jeff, note the bit about temperature, many good batteries get dumped because of this point. I always reread and adjust my posts as I think more, but this is drawing upon years of experience with batteries of all kinds and no mains power and I have tried ALL the devices.
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  5. #5 Re: battery tenders & chargers 
    Senior C-Moto Guru euphonius's Avatar
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    Very much respect your experience. I disconnected both leads back in the late summer, and the battery sat there in the bike, in the dark, in a cool (now cold) garage. But it lost a good bit of its spunk. I probably will replace it eventually with a good-quality gel battery, especially if it starts having problems. I would like to give it one good charge (not the 30-minute special I got), and see how that holds up. Just don't know how to go about doing this -- both the device to do it and the method.

    I do like those Battery Tenders but I've not found any outlets here in China.

    thanks!
    jkp
    Shanghai
    2010 JH600 "Merkin Muffley" (in Shanghai)
    2000 KLR650 "Feezer Ablanalp" (in California)
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  6. #6 Re: battery tenders & chargers 
    grumpy old sod jape's Avatar
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    ... and to go on a bit more, this is my current (lol) battery and it is the best I have ever had. Because of my back at times I cannot ride for up to six months,
    Never had a starting problem since I got this battery.
    http://www.yucell.com/index.html
    Kinlon R/T KBR JL200GY-2
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  7. #7 Re: battery tenders & chargers 
    grumpy old sod jape's Avatar
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    Its about power, fast charge needs higher amperage so the 500milliamp ones won't do that, nor will a 1.5 or 2 amp.
    However the fast charge is where many batteries get their problems. Modern VRLA batteries (no unscrewable tops but not gel) might even expand under such a boost as gases cannot combine quickly enough. But a good long 2 amp charge will maybe bring it back as long as the device has an overcharge cut-off and I think most would in this day and age.. You won't know until you try I suppose!

    I saw lots of 3 stage/3 step intelligent battery chargers on taobao. 2.5 amp about 50 yuan.
    http://translate.googleusercontent.c...__igj82OIJC_3w




    Quote Originally Posted by euphonius View Post
    Very much respect your experience. I disconnected both leads back in the late summer, and the battery sat there in the bike, in the dark, in a cool (now cold) garage. But it lost a good bit of its spunk. I probably will replace it eventually with a good-quality gel battery, especially if it starts having problems. I would like to give it one good charge (not the 30-minute special I got), and see how that holds up. Just don't know how to go about doing this -- both the device to do it and the method.

    I do like those Battery Tenders but I've not found any outlets here in China.

    thanks!
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  8. #8 Re: battery tenders & chargers 
    Senior C-Moto Guru humanbeing's Avatar
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    Jape,
    Is compnets in this circuit reasonable ?
    http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=3318074971
    Last edited by humanbeing; 02-07-2011 at 01:15 PM.
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  9. #9 Re: battery tenders & chargers 
    grumpy old sod jape's Avatar
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    Cannot see inside black box!

    蓄电池全自动充电器 so maybe OK as it says 'automatic'

    It doesn't say if 3 stage, doesn't say if anti-reverse, doesn't say if overcharge protect.

    It is 1.8 amps so it is cheaper than 2.5 amps
    Kinlon R/T KBR JL200GY-2
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  10. #10 Re: battery tenders & chargers 
    Senior C-Moto Guru humanbeing's Avatar
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    Common config in 2.5A
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