Sorry! Yet another optimate query.

Rage Rider · Jan 8, 2009

Hi all, belated Happy New Year etc.

Basically I'm riding my RSV about once a fortnight and doing 50 miles at most so I've purchased an optimate IIIsp (£35 which wasn't too bad I thought) to see the beast through the winter. However the problem is that it lives outside and I can't leave it on the optimate all the time, much as I'd like to, so my only option is to feed the cable out of the bathroom window and I can't leave it connected if my wife or I want a bath or shower or we go out as we live in a ground floor flat.

At the moment I'm putting it on about once a week for between 16 hours minimum and 24 hours maximum and in the space of a week it's dropping from about 12.2 volts to 11.7 typically, so I was wondering if that is a normal loss when it's not been ridden for a week? Also is the way I'm charging it ok, or can the little and often charging harm the battery if it's generally not being ridden in between charging, if so what do people think is the best thing to do given my circumstances?

Don't say move or get a garage. :nana Thanks in advance for any advice. :thumbup

V_senna · Jan 8, 2009

Your doing nothing wrong there, if its keeping the battery alive it'll be fine.

I also live in a ground floor flat, and i've fed the wire through the window a couple of times myself (only when im at home ofcourse)

I normally just take the battery out and give it a charge over night, which will charge the battery properly, reading about the optimate (i've got the optimate 4 myself), it doesn't use a proper full charge when the battery is still on the bike (to protect the bikes loom) or something along those lines.

best of luck bud.

LEGS · Jan 8, 2009

Rage, it'll be fine. As long as the bikes starts first press of the starter without any delay then all's well. The cold weather is really the issue as it kills batteries. The Optimate will charge the battery to full capacity and then if left connected will condition the battery to keep it at it's maximum. It's not just RSV's that suffer with batteries, all bikes do, it's just that these V twins needs maximum ooomph for easy and safe starting due to the high compression of 2 large pistons. Best to connect the Optimate as often as is possible though

p.ludlow · Jan 8, 2009

My bike stays outside and i leave mine on a opt 3 all the time.The way i got round mine was to run a cable from socket indoors to a lockable box on outside of house to put the opt 3 in and keep it dry.Then just run cable stright to bike,and bobs ur uncle,works treat for me.

kaiser · Jan 9, 2009

ive got a cheap trickle charger wrapped in a plastic bag on a cable pushed through letter box, and connected to one of them qr permanent battery connector blocks.

Bike stood with dead alarm since 15 dec and put back on charge 31 dec

fired first prod yesterday

Normally just leave in plugged in all the time to stop the alarm draining it.

Rage Rider · Jan 9, 2009

Thanks for all the advice guys, MUCH appreciated! It's very reassurring to know that I'm not duffing up the battery!

I'm a lazy bugger at heart and I know I should put it on as often as poss but it can be a bit of hassle to keep connecting and disconnecting it but I also know I just need to do it and stop moaning!!! Although there were some interesting suggestions on ways I can keep it hooked up more often which has given me some useful food for thought so hopefully I'll be able to come up with a way to keep it hooked up and be lazy all at the same time. Magic.

Thanks again to everyone! :thumbup

patty · Jan 10, 2009

rage rider,
you thought of a way to keep your bat hooked up yet????

come on!!! it has been 1 day!!we dont want you getting lazy now:biggrin

pat.

Rage Rider · Jan 11, 2009

patty said:
rage rider,
you thought of a way to keep your bat hooked up yet????

come on!!! it has been 1 day!!we dont want you getting lazy now:biggrin

pat.

:dunno Unfortunately not but I have been pondering it and as I'm a lazy ******* it seems the easiest solution is just to put it on charge more often. Wow what a revelation hey, bit sad it took me 3 days+ to come up with that don't you think. :roll

1066RSV · Jan 12, 2009

LEGS said:
Rage, it'll be fine. As long as the bikes starts first press of the starter without any delay then all's well. The cold weather is really the issue as it kills batteries. The Optimate will charge the battery to full capacity and then if left connected will condition the battery to keep it at it's maximum. It's not just RSV's that suffer with batteries, all bikes do, it's just that these V twins needs maximum ooomph for easy and safe starting due to the high compression of 2 large pistons. Best to connect the Optimate as often as is possible though

Here here .......
The cold weather has just killed my battery on my YAM 600 but then it is left outside all the time.
Just what i needed this morning :roll getting puffed out bump starting the mule.
Thought for a moment i was goona have to take the RSV to work for a minute.

Might have to pinch the optimate 3 off of the RSV and give it a charge me thinks.....

AREESSMILL · Jan 12, 2009

Can I recomend a Solar Battery charger that you can just stick on charge.??

Search

Search

Sorry! Yet another optimate query.

Rage Rider

V_senna

LEGS

p.ludlow

kaiser

Rage Rider

patty

Rage Rider

1066RSV

AREESSMILL

Similar threads

New Posts