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[papasmurf]

Presto, I have not owned a standard charger for decades and I suspect neither have many motorcyclists. Basically because they are not recommended for ordinary lead acid motorcycle batteries.
Using an Optimate type battery charger and having four motorcycle batteries and one car battery to keep in good condition I do not need to buy batteries very often at all. I can go for years and not buy a battery.
I have only changed the battery on the Royal Oilfield to a "stronger" one is because in my opinion the normal battery specified is not "man" enough to electric start a 500cc single. I don't have the option of kick starting it because I can't.

[Dennis C]

Good grief, reading back through this thread it looks like Jeff and I agree, that must be a first.

[Scalyback]

OOOHH!! Page 2!



Who remembers that game 'Battling tops'?

[scotty]

Just checked charging on new b5 quite impressed 14.2 volts at idle must have put in a decent alternator at last, earlier oned didnt put out much at all.

[jefrs]

A lithium should not be deep-discharged. It may be possible to recover from that state but not with a conventional battery charger. A lithium-specific charger should be used. http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/arti ... ge_cut_off




On the EFI models leaving the ignition on runs the O2 sensor heater which draws a fair amount of current, and will discharge any battery.

[jefrs]

Scotty, the B5/C5 alternator is a beast, I think I read somewhere it can provide 220 Watts, actually enough to run one of those 12 Volt travel kettles as well as all the lights at the same time.

[jefrs]

John R - if you have managed to deep-discharge the lithium it may not come back with even a normal lithium battery charger. Apparently they need slowly bringing up to minimum cell voltage which only a few specialised lithium chargers can do, or a laboratory with a box of tricks like a variable voltage controlled power supply. A good lithium should have a cut-out circuit to prevent deep-discharge.



Of possible interest Lithium batteries are not yet main-stream for vehicles meaning that we have a lack of chargers specifically for lithium batteries. We can obtain things like a 7-step charger that will maintain a lithium but they are dual-purpose for lead-acid too. Source - Berkshire Parts and Panels Ltd 0118 981 7555, wholesale distributor of vehicle batteries to south of England (also does retail over the counter and welding kit). They don't have a bench charger that can recover a lithium.



In other words if the lithium has deep-discharged and won't charge for you then it may be beyond economical as the kit needed to recover it costs more than the battery.

[Scalyback]

I left my ignition on over the weekend. Battery charged with a quite nice usual battery charger two years ago. Battery still going well.



Can't be sodded to say that these type lithiums are made to work with bikes and cars so strangely enough, they work with bike and car charging systems that also happen to work with lead acid cells.



i'll just repeat that... I left my ignition on over the weekend. Battery charged with a quite nice usual battery charger two years ago. Battery still going well.

[Scalyback]

You can all play with funny chargers, bang them with sticks, or s[end tons of money on 10 stage mothering chargers if you like. I just bunged the bloody thing in my bike and it has worked perfectly ever since. I was not bright enough to think about worrying over it.

[Dennis C]

Aah but, Scalyback you post isn't technical and complicated enough, careful people will understand.