Battery Tender.....

glider

Best to start any testing with a fully charged battery.

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DDogg

Snow, no not yet. I rode to work this morning and it was 40 degrees. The only good thing about the cold, bike runs great. But not in the snow. Hopefully not for 4 to 6 more weeks.

dangerdan

Zamadan could you post or send PM on what type of tender you are using.

Thanks

NEWHD74FAN

One thing that was not brought up is the fact that if you deeply discharge standard batteries, that it will damage it. If you have done this several times as you recently suggest, it is now likely "toast". This following is from a Johnson Controls briefing (a battery design & manufacturer for Kirkland, Sears, amongst others) way back when I worked for Paccar Automotive.

Most batteries today are made to be fully and continuously charged, designed to meet the "quick high current delivery requirements for starting modern high compression engines". With the advent of additional electrical demands, electronic ignition and fuel injection, alternator power has increased to ensure a positive battery surface charge is maintained. On the other hand, a Marine Deep Discharge type battery is designed to be slowly discharged to a very low value without damage, but must also be slowly recharged to insure long life.

If an automotive battery is deeply discharged, the plate materials will likely loosen from their fiberglass/composite grid backing and will shorten it's serviceable life. A typical failure will be that it will no longer hold a charge or be incapable of high demands where starting, electronic ignition and fuel injection must have a minimum of 10 Volts with starter draws as high as 100 Amps or more.

That is why most of your motorcycle battery users of the on-going poll, who use a Battery Tender will actually get the 5-7 year life expectancy out of their batteries.

DaveInPA

Is a tender only needed during cold weather? I don't use one now. The bike doesn't get ridden every day, but close to it. I haven't noticed any battery problems.

I need my bike under a bike barn cover (like the cycleshell). I have outlets near enough that I could run an extension cord to the tender and keep it hooked up under the cover. At what temp should I start using one?

glider

It's more a matter of time not ridden than the temps although that will kick the life out of the battery too with no riding.

I would say anything over a week and hook up the tender. Some leave it on all the time but I try to only use it periodically to charge the battery till the light turns green even though they have a float mode.

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MilitaryMike

I was thinking about buying a battery tender, but so many to choose from. What would you all recommend for my 08 Heritage?

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smitty901

I will get ripped for this but not the 18 dollar one from walmart.
I have and have had the one from HD for some time it works well.
Shop quialty not cheap.
Some come with the pigtail some not. It is a good idea to install on and use it makes thing so easy.
Be carefull there are a lot of small chargers out there that maybe confused with battery tenders they are not the same thing.

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wildspirit97

nothing wrong with not buying from Walmart....IMO but if your gonna try and boycott China Products you might find your options limited at the HD shop too

smitty901

I am so hard core I searched for 2 months for a new coffee maker not made in China. Did you know there are none made in the USA. Do you know what it is like to have to wait for you first cup of coffee till you get to Kwik trip in the morning for 2 months.
even my HD leathers are US made. I will not buy the china ones.
For many Items you are just out of luck anymore if you want to avoid China.
But Walmart sells a lot of cheap junk and you see people comparing the walmart cheepy to a quialty product price.

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