[flyinged320]

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I have a 1983 Aspencade and always wondered if I can charge my battery with the connections still hooked up. Since it has a digital dash, I am concerned that a 2amp charger might burn up the electronics. I have always removed the ground wire prior to any battery charging, but it is somewhat of a nuisance. Am I safe to leave the battery connected to the bike while I am charging it?



Thanks, guys.

 

[oharaLTD]

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a 2 amp trickle charger or battery tender will do fine. I use a 1.5 amp battery tender when my bike has to set for long periods of time. I use a two wire trailer connector to hook it up.

 

[plainmech]

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no you won't hurt it:action::waving: how would you jump it off, same thing

 

[flyinged320]

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Thanks, Plainmech and OharaLTD. I was hoping it would be OK to charge the bike's battery this way.

 

[sandiegobrass]

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2 amp not an issue..

Just a little caveat.. yes, charging or jumpinga "good" battery is acceptable, but high amperage charging or boosting a battery that has high resistance or an open cell can provide high voltages and AC"ripple" that the electronics may not tolerate.. For example, some time ago, my using a 40 amp charger/booster to start my 83 GL1100 with a bad battery ended up being a disaster... it killed the 7v regulator, fried the turn cancel box, burned out the headlight and instrument lightsbefore it finally fried the main dogbone fuse... only thing wrong was a high resistance battery..

 

[flyinged320]

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Thanks, Sandiegobrass. I definitely will keep that in mind. I plan on replacing this battery soon. It works fine, unless I don't run the bike for a week or so, then it gets weak. I hope I never need to jump start it...so far, so good.

 

[gido]

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Going weak after a week (?) may not be the sign of a bad battery. My Aspy can do the same thing. I guess that's why the PO mounted a master cut-off switch and also a cut-off switch for the headlight. The clock and the radio memory slowly draw the battery down.

 

[flyinged320]

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Good point Gido. When I am not going to ride for more than a week, I usually take the negative lead off the battery and that helps. But this battery is about 3 yrs old and may not hold a good charge. I always try to keep a trickle charge on it and that helps. I think it is a cheap battery, anyway, as it came with the bike when I bought it 3 yrs ago.

 

[William_86]

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no prob to use a bigger one.

 

[T.Hambley]

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On my 1500 I have run a lead from the battery up into the right hand passenger cubby hole under the speaker.

If the battery needs charging I connect a trickle charger to the lead, when not required the lead is coiled up and store in the cubby hole.



Terry

 

[Rudy]

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sandiegobrass wrote:

2 amp not an issue..

Just a little caveat.. yes, charging or jumpinga "good" battery is acceptable, but high amperage charging or boosting a battery that has high resistance or an open cell can provide high voltages and AC"ripple" that the electronics may not tolerate.. For example, some time ago, my using a 40 amp charger/booster to start my 83 GL1100 with a bad battery ended up being a disaster... it killed the 7v regulator, fried the turn cancel box, burned out the headlight and instrument lightsbefore it finally fried the main dogbone fuse... only thing wrong was a high resistance battery..

That is a strong argument to only jump from a good battery or to have a good battery in the load circuit if running a large charger with it.

 

[CALEBNDAD]

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Anyone thought of installing a small solar unit for trickle charge. And what about a battery cut off if you are not comfrotable charging with the wires hooked up. Would also stop voltage drain...

 

[r.hesse]

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a commom low power motorbike-charger (charging amps about 10% of battery capacity) will surely not hurt anything.

I made up an external charging wire for convenience, too. working fine.

Jump starting only from another battery, never take a power device, it will likely sizzle your elecronic devices.

Same thing on cars.

 

[flyinged320]

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You all gave me great advice...and for that...I thank you.

 

[GSMacLean]

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I do exactly that. I bought this battery tender, it comes with two connections - one with alligator clips that you can clip on the battery when it is out of the bike (i.e. all winter), and one that you install directly into the bike, wired onto the battery (it has its own fuse). You then just plug the bike in when you're not riding it, and it keeps the battery charged perfectly.