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Optimate telling lies

T

The Lone Ranger

Joined Jan 2009
543 Posts | 0+
I have an Optimate.
I also have a shagged battery :pirate
Optimate says its fine, green light but barely enough power to turn the motor over.
Dont believe your optimate, youll know when youve got a shagged battery :exclamation
Well, time for me to get a new one :burnout
 
when connecting your optimate ......... do you unplug it from the mains then connect to ya battery then plug back into the mains........this you need to do or it wont charge or condition ya battery

Just a thought cos i've heard peeps not doing this
 
You could have loose connexions or a bad earthing. My optimate played a bit when really cold though. It would show the battery was done (red light) when it was fine. Full of power and bike staring at once always. Since weather have been milder the optimate shows battery is fine now :dunno
 
Mines always telling lies, I went into the garage yesterday and it told me I was a good looking guy, a great rider, I have a HUGE ****, and that I'll go far in life..... Git..... :eek:
 
BB1000 said:
when connecting your optimate ......... do you unplug it from the mains then connect to ya battery then plug back into the mains........this you need to do or it wont charge or condition ya battery

Just a thought cos i've heard peeps not doing this
Click to expand...

I just switch it off at the plug, same as unplugging isnt it?
The battery is at at the end of its life, i think the test indicator can trick you into believing your batterys ok. Wether it indicates green or not the proof is if it starts the bike.
I Bought one of these
 
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i dont like em i just use a normal charger and every 3 weeks in winter i just give it a blast over night simple...

never had a prob with any batt on any bike inc this one ..
 
Got same with mine, bike just clicked on trying to start it, connected optimate and it showed green and all LED's lit, thought starter solenoid, but left optimate on over night and bike fired first press..Just use it as a charger now and don't believe the readings.
 
Optimates are the biz if used correctly,I always disconnect from the plug socket and the bike allowing it too reset. One of the early models I`ve had over ten years, recently started reverting to red,traced to poor connection in on bike plug,
Sandy V2
 
I bought a cheap optimizer and it was a piece of crap that never kept my battery conditioned; the final straw was when i connected it a small amount of smoke followed by flames coming out of it.

It was quickly disconnected and launched at the garden wall as punishment for its crimes.
 
Bloody things aren't necessary anyway,as long as my bike was started and warmed up every couple of weeks it was fine,same as the SV and that is still on the original battery from march 03.

The only time I've ever had battery probs on a bike was my new CCM R30 which had a smaller battery than my torch,and that was only capable of turning over the high comp Rotax single a couple of revolutions before dying.

I think most people with battery problems need to look at their bike electrics and get their battery properly drop tested,rather than constantly putting the thing on charge.

:nana Sits back and waits for a barrage of abuse.
 
IanG said:
Bloody things aren't necessary anyway,as long as my bike was started and warmed up every couple of weeks it was fine,same as the SV and that is still on the original battery from march 03.

The only time I've ever had battery probs on a bike was my new CCM R30 which had a smaller battery than my torch,and that was only capable of turning over the high comp Rotax single a couple of revolutions before dying.

I think most people with battery problems need to look at their bike electrics and get their battery properly drop tested,rather than constantly putting the thing on charge.

:nana Sits back and waits for a barrage of abuse.
Click to expand...

I agree mate, I never use one through the spring to autumn months at all. Sometimes the bike won't get fired for 3 weeks or so and it still turns over like a trooper. During the winter months I just hook up a normal batt charger every 3 weeks or so and leave it on for 4 or 5 hours then disconnect it.

I have an optimate but havant used it for years because i couldn't trust it. The bloody LEDs were always lying and I basically never knew whether my bike was charged or not. My R1 didn't get run or charged for 4 months last winter. It fired firt press of the button when I got it out the garage. The only reason I put a charger on the rsv is due to sprag clutch damage fears.
 
I use an optimate and not had any problems, though having said that ive only used it for a year.

I thought it was important especially if you got an Alarm :dunno
 
Hi Mark, yes it's probably more relevent with an alarm fitted,but having said that my SV has a Meta alarm fitted from new and I've never had any probs with that. All I do is start it and run it up to temp once every 2-3 weeks if it's not being used that seems to do the trick nicely.

One good thing about the TL/Sv motors is the centrifugal decompressor which gives the starter an easier time ( no sprag clutch probs there :thumbup)

Mille usually gets run regularly during the summer but the batteries are off both bikes now until the weather gets a bit better.
 
Thanks for the info Ian mate and Hi!

I have a Meta Alarm on this bike, its garaged all winter but the battery remains fitted. I believe after a certain length of time the alarm goes into sleep mode which in turn draws less power.
I do start it every 3-4 weeks and bring it up to temp but rest of the time its plugged into optimate.

I will keep an eye on these false reading issues that others have had problems with.

Cheers :thumbup
 
I found that there was nothing worse than when you`d get a nice day for a ride and the bike wouldn`t start.Never had that problem with the Optimate,plus I believe they extend the life of the battery
Sandy V2
 
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