However - this says you are wrong? As I thought - trickle chargers constantly 'trickle' a low charge into the battery, float chargers do not. HOW DOES A FLOAT CHARGER WORK?A float charger (also called a storage charger, maintenance charger, or smart charger) will charge a battery at a similar rate as a battery self-discharges, thus maintaining a full capacity battery. However, the main difference between a trickle charger and a float charger is that a float charger has circuitry to prevent battery overcharging. Below are two examples of the internal printed circuit board of a battery float charger. A. These wires carry the 6 or 12 volt DC output current that goes to the battery. B. This is the printed circuit board that contains the "brains" of the float charger. This circuit board will do many things. One, it will reduce the input voltage of 110 volts AC (alternating current) to 6 or 12 volts DC (direct current)*. Two, it will continuously monitor the battery's charge status; fully-charged or undercharged. Third, if a battery becomes undercharged, it will automatically turn the charging cycle on. * The output current to charge a 12 volt battery is actually around 13.8 volts DC. But for simplicity, we'll state 12 volts. C. These wires carry the 110 volt AC (house current) into the printed circuit board. The voltage will later be reduced by the circuitry. D. These wires go to the selector switch to allow the user to switch between 6 or 12 volt battery charge. E. These LED indicators let the user know the battery's charge or charging status. Some float chargers use 1 indicator to show that there is power going into the PC board. Other chargers us multiple or multi-color indicators to indicate power to the PC board as well as the on / off state of charger going to the battery. Here is another example of the internal printed circuit board of a battery float charger. A float charger senses when a battery voltage is at the appropriate float level and temporarily ceases charging; it maintains the charge current at zero or a very minimal level until it senses that the battery output voltage has fallen, and then resumes charging. It is important to note that the appropriate float voltage varies significantly with the construction of the battery and the ambient temperature. With the appropriate voltage for the battery type and with proper temperature compensation, a float charger may be kept connected indefinitely without damaging the battery. NOTICE! As with the use of any type of battery charger, it is best to periodically check the electrolyte (fluid level) of your battery. On most batteries, you can remove the vent caps to add distilled water. However, on some maintenance-free batteries, you can't. If the water level should drop below the top of the cells, add sufficient distilled water to cover the cells. Do not use tap water as it contains minerals and deposits that build up on the battery plates. Most maintenance-free batteries are sealed. Water cannot be added to a maintenance-free battery - nor should you have to as the electrolyte usually does not evaporate when using a low amperage battery float charger. HOW CAN BATTERY LIFE BE INCREASED?Battery manufacturers define the end-of-life of a battery when it can no longer hold a proper charge (for example, a cell has shorted) or when the available battery capacity is 80% or less than what the battery was rated for. The life of lead acid (automotive-type) batteries is usually limited by several factors. Some you can't control. Some you can. ■ Cycle Life is a measure of how many charge and discharge cycles a battery can take before its lead-plate grids/plates are expected to collapse and short out. There's not much you can do about the life cycle of a battery. When you need to use your battery, you should use it. That's why you bought it. ■ Age also affects batteries as the chemistry inside them attacks the lead plates. As with battery life cycle, there's nothing you can do about the age of a battery - it is what it is. But lead-acid batteries like to be kept fully charged, all the time. If you don't plan to use your battery for weeks, months or years, try to keep it a cool/cold place. Since lead-acid batteries will not freeze if kept fully charged, store your battery on a float charger, in a cool/cold place to maximize its life. A battery that has frozen is usually void of its warranty! ■ Construction. The thicker the lead plates, the more abuse, charge and discharge cycles they can take. The heavier the battery for a given group size, the thicker the plates, the longer it will last. So you can use weight as one guide to buying lead-acid batteries. The heavier, the better. ■ Sulphation is a constant threat to batteries that are not fully re-charged. A layer of lead sulphate can form in these cells and inhibit the electro-chemical reaction that allows you to charge/discharge batteries. Many batteries can be saved from the recycling heap if they are kept fully charged. A battery float charger will keep your battery fully charged, without over charging. Also, make sure you periodically check the fluid level of your battery (if possible). The fluid level should always cover the internal plates. ■ Use the proper size battery for your vehicle. An undersized (or under-amperage) battery will prematurely fail because of the constant excessive load placed on it. Consult your vehicle's owners manual for proper battery sizing. ■ Don't deep-discharge your battery. This will occur if you leave your headlights on for an extended period of time which will quickly drain your battery, or if you leave your battery uncharged for an extended period of time (5 months or more). ■ Excessive vibration due to a loose hold-down clamp. Lead acid batteries don't like to be bounced around as the internal components can become loose. However, if you have one of the new OPTIMA BATTERIES, they are impervious to vibration. WHAT IS BATTERY SELF-DISCHARGE?Battery self-discharge is when a battery's charge slowly decreases over time, with no load on the battery. "No load" means that there is no power being consumed from the battery as would a vehicle's clock, radio display, computer, newer alarm systems, and the like. The battery self-discharge rate is a measure of how much batteries discharge on their own. The self-discharge rate is governed by the construction of the battery and the metallurgy of the lead used inside. For instance, flooded cell batteries as used for automotive applications, typically use lead alloyed with Antimony* to increase their mechanical strength. However, the Antimony also increases the self-discharge rate to 8-40% per month. This is why flooded lead-acid batteries should be used often, or if this is not possible, be left on a float-charger. * Antimony is a metallic element having four allotropic forms, the most common of which is a hard, extremely brittle, lustrous, silver-white, crystalline material. It is used in a wide variety of alloys, especially with lead in battery plates.
Cut n paste from a Yank website...does not make a fact. It's a mix of truths, untruths, marketing speak and year 5 electronics speak... Mainly marketing speak.
I was trying to help here....I'm not going to bite any more. You can take a horse to water, but sometimes the best thing to do is drown it.
We only have what we read Why not give us a definite answer regarding float chargers / trickle chargers - do optimates constantly trickle etc. A few of my mates are convinced Optimates and other chargers knacker batteries if left on. What is the truth of it all, I ask you....
We'll probably never know lol. I've kept bikes on optimates for months and they have been fine. Was worried bout cooking battery (scare stories) so now do a weekly cbsfgd, hopefully thereby cycling the battery more anyway. So far battery still ok. Take ya pick I reckon, probably both methods fine
It doesn't matter what the words are. The Optimates cycle a charge profile into the battery. Then they let it naturally discharge (self discharge) together with whatever else is draining power on the bike. With the Multistrada that's the key sense, with others it may be alarms, trackers etc. Once it reaches a predetermined voltage level it will start to charge it again using constant current (this helps to control heat within the battery) until the voltage is back up to the ideal level. There is nothing within the Optimate design profile that would cause a good lead acid battery (sealed type) to fail. Over the last 40 years of motorcycling I used various makes of similar design, at least 3 or 4 died several were damaged (mainly dropped). The latest batch of 4 had 1 fail within 3 weeks, but the seller swapped it without question. It's been two years now, all 4 "chargers" are in daily use. 2 on Ducati, 1 on a large van and 1 on a car. I would not use an Optimate to charge a battery under 10.5 volts. I would use the big charger (see MPL) above
To be fair if you are unconvinced that an Optimate is safe to leave connected 24/7 then only connecting it for 2 days every week or so is absolutely fine. My concern with this approach is that you may forget, so the weekly timer idea is a good one. Remember these types of chargers are not suitable for recovery of a deeply discharged lead acid battery. Deep cycle battery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article has a fighting chance of something useful once its complete.
Well @DoctorW your down vote is noted and expect my free help any time soon... Edit...Ignore. type "DoctorW" then select; Job done.
I know a bit about the Elektrickery BUT I'm not as advanced as you @AirConTechnical I can only tell you that the CTEK I use does feedback & CTEK themselves warn you of the fact. It will drain a battery over time. Its been a good charger for me and quite a few others on here like the brand, why they choose to have the charger configured that way I have no clue, may be cost cutting or they may have some other reason. As I don't design battery chargers I have no clue why, but I can state categorically that it does and I'm pretty sure it will not be the only one out there. I simply posted as a warning that it's worth checking whether it's in the minority of chargers or not, I just do not want to see somebody's day out feked or worse still a battery shagged.
Hi Aircon - think I may have hit thumb down in error m8. Per earlier post was good to get a measured explanation on these things(of which I know little!) I charge my 749 once a week (2 weeks when on hols) for about 4-5 hours which is what it seems to take to get "2 greens"
When in doubt always follow the manufacturers instructions. It may be something to do with how they sense the level of charge. I've had a quick check on there website, but I can't see any instructions or guides. Good point well made.... I've never come across this make (despite owning a UK company of a very similar name). Note that the Optimate can be left connected, without mains power. I can detect no measurable current returning to the charger when the power is off.
@Aircontechical you finally got me up off may ass to check the instruction sheet If anything you are correct and I am wrong in the real world. YES there is a back current as CTEK call it however it is 1 Ah/month which recognizing my typical regime of using a charger once every 2 weeks, then that wold amount to 0.5Ah, which is small if your regime is charging every couple of weeks or even once a month. So if my info has been bum I do apologize, though in my defence m'lud it does exist and therefore checked
So the reverse current is about 1.4mA (assuming 28 days in a lunar month and 12V potential). It will self discharge faster than that. Assuming a seasonal use of the bike, even a connection of 6 months (October to April) without power would be fine.
One of my mates is convinced that using a sidestand will eventually bend your frame so always uses a centre stand or paddock stand. I on the other hand see no evidence for this and think he's a f**king idiot. I'll go with the manufacturers advice of leaving the thing connected 24/7 if I'm not using the bike, and my supplementary experience of using Optimates for years.
Yes but would he still be a fucking idiot with a bent frame if it did? :Happy: He does sound like a fucking idiot I must admit... I use so called 'float chargers' which actually switch off totally (they cost about £15) but they don't do the electrotrickery that an optimate does - but I don't need this - also use a couple of Optimate 4's too which I already had. Prefer the cheaper option as it does what I need for a good price.
