aliveagain
Needs a life
Posts: 5033
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posted January 01, 2005 11:47 AM
battery tenders
I need 2 battery tenders,1 for the camper and 1 for the bike.Who has the best price on them?Whats their life span?
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I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.
  
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MadMike
Moderator
FEAR THE BLACK FLAG!!!!!!!!
Posts: 6579
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posted January 01, 2005 09:48 PM
Tenders will last quite a long, long time. I would go to my local Interstate Batteries Dealer. and they almost always have them in stock...
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fattkaw
Expert Class
Posts: 277
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posted January 02, 2005 08:49 AM
go to sears exact copy of a tender and cheaper. plus no screw arounds when or if it goes bad. I have the sears style and they have been working non-stop for two years. both my battery tenders died after a year. that was the old style and new advanced tender.
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slug
Pro
Out in search of my mind...
Posts: 1433
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posted January 03, 2005 06:15 AM
i've never owned a battery tender nor used one
bike storage i just lift the (-) battery cable and life is good.
same for vehicle storage. if the battery is fully charged when you park it, you've got many months before it'll self discharge enough to be a worry for restarting.
the bike got stored every other 3 months for 2 years after i bought it, and never once had an issue starting or with the battery.
the battery was installed in 10/97 and hasn't been changed yet (OEM Yuasa battery) (stills tarts bike every time)
sometimes i think the battery tender people have created a 'need' for their product more than actually exists. for a longer term storage (over 6 months) i can see doing a battery charge every 6 months or so just to keep it excercised and fully charged. But honestly i think a battery tender is a waste of money for short storage times.
i also wonder at the long-term affects on the battery of always having it on a float charge. I understand they are designed to float while running, but i wonder if they don't tend to get damaged if they are left on a float for weeks or months at a time.. Many people i talk to complain of a 2 year battery life, and 'even with' keeping iton a battery tender every time they store it.
good luck with whatever you decide on!
  
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Scooter
Zone Head
Posts: 899
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posted January 03, 2005 11:30 AM
For several years I've been putting the batteries on a shelf and plugging the charger(set at 2 amp) into an outlet adapter screwed into one of the light sockets of the garage door opener. Every time you open the door it charges for whatever your timer is set to. Mine's 3 min. I just swap batteries every week or so.
As for the 2 yr life, I wonder if they're doing the initial charge properly. Or does their dealer fill the new battery, charge it for 10 min, install it and send them on their way? A new batt should be initially trickle charged overnite before use. Sold my '89 Pacific Coast in 2000 with the original battery still working fine.
Pop got me a tender for Christmas last year. Even after any of the bikes had sat for literally months unattended the tender would only charge for a minute and shut off once it was hooked up. So they couldnt have lost much.
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EastBayDave
Needs a job
Posts: 2245
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posted January 04, 2005 04:43 PM
I bought one of the first Battery Tenders when they first came out. I can't remember how long ago; must be at least 10-15 years ago? I use it all the time, & have never had a problem with it.
I just swap it between bikes every couple weeks; when I happen to be in the garage & remember to move it. It runs non-stop during the colder/wet winter months. Generally don't use it during riding season/warmer months when I ride the bike enough to keep them charged.
The stories you've heard about them bring batteries back to life are true. I forgot to swap it one winter for months. The ZX12R's wouldn't even crank it & the light barely lit dimly. I hooked it up for a month straight; & the next time I tried the bike it fired right up.
Guess I'm a believer...
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Enjoy the ride!
02' ZRX1200
00' ZX12R sold
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Otis
Needs a job
Captain Kickstand
Posts: 3028
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posted January 06, 2005 05:50 AM
You don't need two, just set the two batteries side by side and switch the tender connections between them every couple weeks, not a big deal.
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EastBayDave
Needs a job
Posts: 2245
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posted January 07, 2005 12:26 PM
Has anyone else noticed the ZX12R's battery seems to slowly drain? I'm on my second battery, & if I don't ride it at least once a month it slowly goes away. I assume it's the ECU/clock/etc....constant drain?
Anyone else noticed this? Don't happen w/the ZRX1100...only the Ninja.
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Enjoy the ride!
02' ZRX1200
00' ZX12R sold
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vozizm
Needs a job
Got Nothing Witty To Say
Posts: 4417
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posted January 11, 2005 05:48 AM
i use the battery doc..
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