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[Riggers]

Many thanks for all your comments guys. What I was really trying to get at is whether there is any essential difference between the three different types i.e. Optimate, Oxymiser, or phone charger type??? If they're all essentially the same I reckon I might as well buy a £5.99 jobbie.

[Dennis C]

Hi Riggers, No they are not all the same, the £5.99 one is just a fixed voltage output and will destroy a bike battery if left on all the time, the Optimate and similar will monitor the battery and charge as required and can be left long term, they also tell lies, I have one and on more than one knackered battery the Optimate says it is fine, I also have a similar type from Lidl which to be honest seems to work better than the Optimate and only cost around £15.00.

[Fido]

I use an Optimate 3+ and keep it plugged in all the time as recommended by my dealer. No issues in two years. Haven't compared it with anything else.

[grunda 12]

more fuel ,the tricle charger thast i,ve had years has a cut out when the battery is topped up also "i will tell you this"!!in a glaswegian accent my diesel bullets battery was as dead as the proverbial parrot when i bought it 3 years ago nearly and my little trickle charger brought it back from the brink so its not all bad news is it ?and like pete f said paul goff doesnot sell shite! atb paul p.s the black sheep is flowing!

[Riggers]

This one adverised on e.bay (sorry Mr H but I don't think you sell these) clearly states that it WON'T cook the battery if left on all the time - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-ATV-CAR-Q ... 3f12b3632e - so unless one of you fine fellows tells me otherwise I think this is the one for me!

[Alan R]

Hi RIGGRS !! ------------ I have a couple of similar units from Clarke Tools ( also rated at 12v 500mA ) and they do exactly what it says on the tin !! ie Supply a TRICKLE charge to MAINTAIN a battery that's already at or near a full charge.....My batteries are of the lead/acid type-- I don't know how they would behave on gel types !!---------- PS Your VM28 Mikcarb jettings have proved A-ok on my Classic 500 this year (including an 8.5:1 piston and comp. plate giving approx 7:1CR )...So many thanks for those useful sizes posted earlier on !!

[Alan R]

sorry----------meant to add}---- They are NOT a battery condition monitor type (ie not like the Optimiser for instance) and, like PETER F says, don't leave them on ALL the time. I treat mine as Mini-chargers----- you wouldn't leave a full-size charger on all the time, and unattended --would you ??

[Riggers]

Thanks for your input Alan (and everyone else of course). I've ordered one of the little blighters and we'll see how well it performs - or otherwise! - I'll post the results on here when I've given it a full trial run. Glad the carb setting have worked OK for you, they were arrived at after hour upon hour of tweeking, adjusting and testing. Luckily I live within a few minutes of a decent bit of fast road (a rare commodity in East Yorkshire) where I can test the bike at all speeds. Cheers. Tony.

[John R]

Alan and others, it was a gel battery that my Optimate brought back from the dead.

[Alan R]

not one of these then ???===>=====>======>======> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-VZ-800 ... Battery-YT ====