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Battery Tender/Charger

Discussion in 'General' started by worthless, Nov 26, 2018.

  1. worthless

    worthless Well-Known Member

    For just normal over the winter use, any need to get the 1.25A Battery Tender Plus over the 0.75A Battery Tender Junior?
     
  2. Banditracer

    Banditracer Dogs - because people suck

    No, smaller one is fine.
     
    worthless likes this.
  3. worthless

    worthless Well-Known Member

    Thanks!! $19.99 on Amazon. Not sure if that's a Black Friday deal or regular, but, seems like a decent price.
     
  4. Motofun352

    Motofun352 Well-Known Member

    Just mu experience but the junior didn't last for me. I've got 4 or 5 of the big ones and they have lasted for many years....except when I dropped one. :(
     
  5. sdg

    sdg *

    I just got the 3 amp at costco for 40$
     
  6. TSWebster

    TSWebster Well-Known Member

    I have had AGM batteries fail when I used a regular tender. If your battery is an AGM and not a flooded battery, you should consider getting a tender designed for it.
     
  7. Mechdziner714

    Mechdziner714 More Gas Less Brakes

    Most of my small Battery Tenders have crapped out on me eventually.
    Have a look at Optimate, lots of options but there, but they tend to hold up better than BT products.
     
  8. I got one for the Multistrada and just realized it is for regular batteries and the lightweight Li batteries.

    It has lights on the front to let you know what is going on, and apparently it somehow detects which type of battery is plugged in and handles it accordingly.

    That might be something to look into if you are going to use it for multiple/race bikes.
     
  9. OldSwartout

    OldSwartout Well-Known Member

    I've had a BT Jr. for 15 years, use it to occasionally top up bike and car batteries if they haven't been used for 3 months or more. I don't leave it hooked up on anything, not needed on most batteries. I even use it to recharge nearly dead car batteries if I don't need them right away.
     
    Gorilla George likes this.
  10. Spooner

    Spooner Well-Known Member

    Is it an Optimate charger? They now have a tender that does both and they are awesome. Plus they don’t cook your battery like normal battery tenders.
     
  11. BigBird

    BigBird blah

    Just get a LiPo or whatever it's called battery, and don't even bother with a Tender.

    A couple minutes with the ignition on, and then fire it up and the bike starts right up.
     
    TurboBlew likes this.
  12. Smilodon

    Smilodon Wannabe

    I actually think the "Jr.'s" are better for a situation where you want to keep it on the bike all (or nearly all) the time. The full-boat ones are supposed to stay at a lower "maintenance" voltage (and they do), but over time, I have had these kill a bike battery (fine on cars). I have the "Jr.'s" on the bikes and keep a full-sized one around for occasional use on a car, or when I need to really charge a bike battery that is new are nearly dead. The little guys will not really charge a big bike battery, just "maintain" one that is nearly charged.
     
  13. sharky nrk

    sharky nrk Rubber Side Up

    I have lithium batteries in just about all my bikes now and I just don't think the Jr. sized tenders are strong enough to do the job if you let one slip. I am going to try the bigger regular tender next. I also have had two of the Jr. sized ones that are on sale now for 19.99 die on me. It is probably coincidence but made me stop and think.
     
  14. Prospect

    Prospect Hayai

    I tend to disconnect lithium batteries and bring them inside, are tenders really needed for lithiums in your experience? Recommendations?
     
    TurboBlew likes this.
  15. sharky nrk

    sharky nrk Rubber Side Up

    I have one or two bikes that just want to kill batteries for some reason and I have been too lazy to find out why exactly. One of them the completely stock though so I can't seem to imagine why it is so hard on them. That bike, even the lithium battery need a tender on it every so often, while others can go months without it and have no issue.
     
  16. BigBird

    BigBird blah

    i've gone at least over a year on my Lithium and just do the ignition on thing and they crank right up.
     
  17. gapman789

    gapman789 Well-Known Member

    Nice reminder of a thread. Just bought (6) jr's from Amazon.
    And the Optimate TM-471 charger for a Ballistic lithium battery, from RMATV.
     
  18. worthless

    worthless Well-Known Member

    They have a Jr size that is selectable for lead acid or lithium for $34.99 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...4df-15aac5223b10&pf_rd_r=VXB93F4A3EXXYR9R5AQF
     
  19. sharky nrk

    sharky nrk Rubber Side Up

    ^^ that is what I replaced the regular Jrs. that died with
     
  20. Banditracer

    Banditracer Dogs - because people suck

    You can get Jr's. for just Lithium too.
     

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