klr 651 -----> capacity <------

DSN_KLR650
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eddiebmauri
Posts: 205
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 7:42 am

battery charger question

Post by eddiebmauri » Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:53 am

Hi, all . I have a wet battery (not maintenance free) and I keep it plugged up to a battery charger in the garage. I am moving to place with no garage, so no more keeping the battery attached to the charger. My question is, "my solution is to leave the bike sitting with no charger, then hooking up the charger for a few hours every week." I'll have to run an electric cord to where I park it. Anyone have any spin on that approach? Is that a good or a bad idea; to hook up the charger for a few hours once a week? Eddie (03' KLR "la poderosa")

Jeff Saline
Posts: 2246
Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2003 6:02 pm

battery charger question

Post by Jeff Saline » Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:16 pm

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:53:23 -0000 "eddiebmauri" writes:
> Hi, all . I have a wet battery (not maintenance free) and I keep it > plugged up to a battery charger in the garage. I am moving to place > with no garage, so no more keeping the battery attached to the > charger. My question is, "my solution is to leave the bike sitting > with no charger, then hooking up the charger for a few hours every > week." I'll have to run an electric cord to where I park it. > Anyone have any spin on that approach? Is that a good or a bad > idea; to hook up the charger for a few hours once a week? > > Eddie (03' KLR "la poderosa")
<><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><> Eddie, My suggestion depends on a couple of possibilities. Is the battery charger a float type charger or a "normal" charger with a set charge rate? If a "normal" charger what is the lowest charge rate it can be set? What is the voltage of the battery after setting for a week without charge? I have a Walmart slosh battery in my KLR and it gets the battery tender maybe once every 2-3 months if the bike hasn't been ridden. I measure the voltage and as long as it's above about 12.5 volts it doesn't get the charger. If it gets below 12.5 volts I put it on the tender for a day or two although the tender normally shows green within an hour or two. So maybe measure the voltage every now and then and only put it on the charger when it needs it. If you have a "normal" battery charger maybe be careful if it won't go down to a 1-2 amphour charge rate. The KLR battery is a 14 amp hour battery. If it's completely discharged it would take about 14 hours at a 1 amphour charge rate to reach full charge. At 2 amphours it would take about 7 hours. Much more than 2 amps and you risk cooking the battery and causing internal damage from the heat generated during charging. The last time I was living in Germany my vehicle charging system quit working. Instead of repairing it, maybe once every 3-4 days I ran an extension cord out of the bedroom window and connected it to a small battery charger. I'd leave it overnight without problem. This was a low to no crime area. Worked well for me for about 6 months until I sold the vehicle for $200. I even took it to Austria for some high altitude adventure and the battery was dead enough before we were out of Germany we had to push start it. But with a points ignition the engine ran fine. In tunnels turning the lights on would cause a miss so we'd just tuck in behind another vehicle and run dark. Those were fun and exciting times. I doubt you'll need the charger at all if you tend to keep the revs up above 3,000 when you are riding and the battery is healthy. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT . ____________________________________________________________ Learn how to be an author and get published. Click Now! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTIZkUwTlYWMgMFAuxQ8YMyINIyewsjz5gHgG741lfjtnzOfxm0TaI/

Richard Decker
Posts: 86
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 2:01 pm

battery charger question

Post by Richard Decker » Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:44 pm

Honestly, I've never put mine on a charge... I just start it up once every two weeks and leave the choke on for 15 mins then shut it down, durring the winter months. When it's riding season I dont charge it at all. Just ride :) -Rich
On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 10:13 AM, Jeff Saline wrote: > > > On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:53:23 -0000 "eddiebmauri" > > > writes: > > Hi, all . I have a wet battery (not maintenance free) and I keep it > > plugged up to a battery charger in the garage. I am moving to place > > with no garage, so no more keeping the battery attached to the > > charger. My question is, "my solution is to leave the bike sitting > > with no charger, then hooking up the charger for a few hours every > > week." I'll have to run an electric cord to where I park it. > > Anyone have any spin on that approach? Is that a good or a bad > > idea; to hook up the charger for a few hours once a week? > > > > Eddie (03' KLR "la poderosa") > <><><><><><><><> > <><><><><><><><> > > Eddie, > > My suggestion depends on a couple of possibilities. > > Is the battery charger a float type charger or a "normal" charger with a > set charge rate? If a "normal" charger what is the lowest charge rate it > can be set? > > What is the voltage of the battery after setting for a week without > charge? > > I have a Walmart slosh battery in my KLR and it gets the battery tender > maybe once every 2-3 months if the bike hasn't been ridden. I measure > the voltage and as long as it's above about 12.5 volts it doesn't get the > charger. If it gets below 12.5 volts I put it on the tender for a day or > two although the tender normally shows green within an hour or two. > > So maybe measure the voltage every now and then and only put it on the > charger when it needs it. > > If you have a "normal" battery charger maybe be careful if it won't go > down to a 1-2 amphour charge rate. The KLR battery is a 14 amp hour > battery. If it's completely discharged it would take about 14 hours at a > 1 amphour charge rate to reach full charge. At 2 amphours it would take > about 7 hours. Much more than 2 amps and you risk cooking the battery > and causing internal damage from the heat generated during charging. > > The last time I was living in Germany my vehicle charging system quit > working. Instead of repairing it, maybe once every 3-4 days I ran an > extension cord out of the bedroom window and connected it to a small > battery charger. I'd leave it overnight without problem. This was a low > to no crime area. Worked well for me for about 6 months until I sold the > vehicle for $200. I even took it to Austria for some high altitude > adventure and the battery was dead enough before we were out of Germany > we had to push start it. But with a points ignition the engine ran fine. > In tunnels turning the lights on would cause a miss so we'd just tuck in > behind another vehicle and run dark. Those were fun and exciting times. > > I doubt you'll need the charger at all if you tend to keep the revs up > above 3,000 when you are riding and the battery is healthy. > > Best, > > Jeff Saline > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT > > . > __________________________________________________________ > Learn how to be an author and get published. Click Now! > > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTIZkUwTlYWMgMFAuxQ8YMyINIyewsjz5gHgG741lfjtnzOfxm0TaI/ > > > -- - Rich Decker Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Tengai Mark Van Horn
Posts: 1922
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2002 8:31 pm

battery charger question

Post by Tengai Mark Van Horn » Mon Jun 29, 2009 1:06 pm

Buy a Yuasa AGM battery and fuggetaboutit. Mark

Rick McCauley
Posts: 526
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 1:28 pm

battery charger question

Post by Rick McCauley » Mon Jun 29, 2009 3:15 pm

Don't you have an outlet in your living room? Bring the big guy in, and park him next to your chair. Quality time for you and your KLR. I am sure your wife would understand Rick A17
--- On Mon, 6/29/09, eddiebmauri wrote: From: eddiebmauri Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Battery Charger Question To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Date: Monday, June 29, 2009, 11:53 AM Hi, all . I have a wet battery (not maintenance free) and I keep it plugged up to a battery charger in the garage. I am moving to place with no garage, so no more keeping the battery attached to the charger. My question is, "my solution is to leave the bike sitting with no charger, then hooking up the charger for a few hours every week." I'll have to run an electric cord to where I park it. Anyone have any spin on that approach? Is that a good or a bad idea; to hook up the charger for a few hours once a week? Eddie (03' KLR "la poderosa") [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

dooden
Posts: 3355
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2001 3:37 pm

battery charger question

Post by dooden » Mon Jun 29, 2009 3:30 pm

My Battery Tender came with 2-Way connectors. I placed one on the battery terminals and allow it to hang on the left side up under the cover. Now using the other half of the connector I took my small chargers and cut the ends off them and installed 2-Way connecter on them. Also this gave me direct power from the battery, in case I feel like putting a 2-Way on say a 12v plug outlet to run a compressor or plug in a phone to charge it. Most auto parts / RV stores will have these connectors, BIGGEST thing is to make sure that the plug that goes on the bike is to make sure that the "+" connector is the one that is shielded by the molded end of the plug. Did this to my bike, 4 wheeler, lawn tractor and something else too. Now I can just plug the charger directly into the battery as needed. Dooden A15 Green Ape
--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "eddiebmauri" wrote: > > Hi, all . I have a wet battery (not maintenance free) and I keep it plugged up to a battery charger in the garage. I am moving to place with no garage, so no more keeping the battery attached to the charger. My question is, "my solution is to leave the bike sitting with no charger, then hooking up the charger for a few hours every week." I'll have to run an electric cord to where I park it. Anyone have any spin on that approach? Is that a good or a bad idea; to hook up the charger for a few hours once a week? > > Eddie (03' KLR "la poderosa") >

transalp 1
Posts: 203
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:07 am

battery charger question

Post by transalp 1 » Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:11 pm

As Dooden mentions, you can get SAE connectors to match your Battery Tender in the trailer/hitch accesories area of most auto parts stores, WalMart,etc... Don't forget to add an inline fuse, though. No fuse holder handy? Cut the (+) wire on the connector wire & attach a female half of a spade terminal to each. Shield with heat shrink tubing and then stick a 2A blade fuse in the terminal ends. Ta-da! No need to buy a ready made fuse holder! eddie
> [Original Message] > From: Dooden > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> > Date: 6/29/2009 4:30:12 PM > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Battery Charger Question > > My Battery Tender came with 2-Way connectors. > > I placed one on the battery terminals and allow it to hang on the left
side up under the cover.
> > Now using the other half of the connector I took my small chargers and
cut the ends off them and installed 2-Way connecter on them.
> > Also this gave me direct power from the battery, in case I feel like
putting a 2-Way on say a 12v plug outlet to run a compressor or plug in a phone to charge it.
> > Most auto parts / RV stores will have these connectors, BIGGEST thing is
to make sure that the plug that goes on the bike is to make sure that the "+" connector is the one that is shielded by the molded end of the plug.
> > Did this to my bike, 4 wheeler, lawn tractor and something else too. > > Now I can just plug the charger directly into the battery as needed. > > Dooden > A15 Green Ape > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "eddiebmauri" wrote: > > > > Hi, all . I have a wet battery (not maintenance free) and I keep it
plugged up to a battery charger in the garage. I am moving to place with no garage, so no more keeping the battery attached to the charger. My question is, "my solution is to leave the bike sitting with no charger, then hooking up the charger for a few hours every week." I'll have to run an electric cord to where I park it. Anyone have any spin on that approach? Is that a good or a bad idea; to hook up the charger for a few hours once a week?
> > > > Eddie (03' KLR "la poderosa") > > > >

Skypilot
Posts: 116
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:46 pm

klr 651 -----> capacity <------

Post by Skypilot » Mon Jun 29, 2009 8:01 pm

I managed to try it on my ride south many years ago. The odd part was that I didn't have to pee for two days. Food tasted a bit funny though I firmly believe that if you can find the actual equator line, and drive on it, going in the same direction as the earths rotation, you actualy have to stop and take gas out of your tank! Sadly [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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