RideFast May 2018

RF Garage
TECH TIPS
Batteries and charging
Motorcycles are more likely than other vehicles to be stored in the wintertime and because of that they
need a trickle charger for motorcycles to keep the battery in good shape while they are stored. The
new models of trickle charger for motorcycles are actually smart battery maintainers with built-in
microprocessors, that not only charge and maintain your motorcycle’s battery, but also condition it,
increasing its performance and extending its life.
If you’re reading this article, your bike
ain’t starting, and you can’t take a
ride for at least a few hours and that
makes me sad for you. Hopefully, we
can get you up and running quickly, though.
Charging a motorcycle battery is not hard, but
there are some things you can do to make sure
you are successful. Let’s get to work!
Step 1. Temper your expectations
Small batteries, like the one in your motorcycle,
do not take kindly to being discharged. They really
don’t like being discharged and left that way for a
period of time. Sometimes batteries can be brought
back from the dead, but even when salvageable,
permanent and irreparable damage has been
done by both the discharge and subsequent rapid
charging you’re probably going to attempt. Expect
to buy a new battery, and if yours can be saved,
think of it as serendipity
Step 2. Figure out what kind of battery you have
Lead acid, absorbed glass mat (AGM), and gel
batteries can all be charged in the conventional way.
Lithium-based batteries (lith ion, lith-iron, lithium
phosphate, etc.) need special chargers depending
on manufacturer, which brings us to the next step.
Step 3. Figure out what kind of charger you
need
There are a few types of battery chargers. The
simplest type is a trickle charger, which converts
the AC power coming out of your wall to DC, and
blindly pumps it into your battery until it is turned off.
Note that this type of charger must be monitored
throughout the charging process. That phrase has
gone out of vogue somewhat, so you may also see
these referred to as “fully manual” chargers.
“Float chargers” are the next type of charger.
Modern float chargers get a battery charged and
then switch on and off automatically to keep the
battery’s charge rate at the optimal charge level. (If
you don’t have and use one of these, it’s probably
a big part of why your battery is dead). A Pro User
Charger is far cheaper than a new battery in most
cases. Just saying.
On the left is a float charger, which has a circuit
that monitors the battery’s state of charge. You
may hear a standard charger referred to also as
a “dumb” charger, because they don’t include an
automatic desulfation mode. In spite of the “dumb”
name, they are wonderful chargers for most battery
construction types. On the right is my ancient old
trickle charger. Rather than relying on circuitry, the
fail-safe here, is the watchful eye of the user. Each
type has their place (though the trickle charger
isn’t necessary if you have — and use — a float
charger!)
The final type of charger is a smart charger, which
monitors the battery’s charge progress. Normally,
it will charge at different rates in order to minimize
the damage done to the battery. Often these have
what’s known as a “desulfation” mode, which is
usually used to knock sulfur off the lead plates
inside the battery. It usually does this with varying
voltages and electrical “pulses.” Many times
those smart chargers cannot be used with lithium
batteries. The problem is that chemically, lithium
batteries are different from their lead counterparts,
and most have an on-board management system
that cannot cope with the pulsing. Look to your
battery manufacturer for guidance with this style
battery, as not all brands can be treated the same.
Chargers generally have a few different lead styles.
Some are for permanent attachment to a bike, like
the lead on the left. I use one of these on each of
my motorcycles, but I also keep a few of the clipstyle
leads handy for charging batteries off of the
motorcycle. It’s also helpful for friends who need to
borrow a charger
All of these chargers are available in varying
degrees of charging amperages. Charging
at a higher amperage is faster, but more
stressful for the battery and ultimately bad
for its future longevity.
Also note that many types of chargers
have circuitry built in to keep the
charger from applying current to an
object that is not a battery, so if a
battery is really low on juice, a float or
smart charger may not charge the battery.
In these instances, it can help to begin a
charge with a standard “dumb” charger until the
battery voltage is high enough for a float charger to
“see” the battery voltage. Note that two chargers
should never be connected at the same time. While
most people are best served by a float charger to
prevent something from happening to a battery
beforehand, trickle chargers still have a place in the
motorcycle world.
Step 4. Remove the battery
It’s a pain to pull a battery out of a bike. You’ll see
plenty of people hook up a battery charger with the
battery in the bike, but I caution against it for a few
reasons.
First, by removing the battery, you isolate your
electrical system. A bad battery is a minor problem.
A blown fuse, melted wiring harness, or fried ECU is
not. One good electrical spike is all it takes to make
that a reality. If the battery is out of the bike, it’s
unaffected by blips on the electrical grid.
Get that battery out to charge it! Though not
absolutely necessary, it’s a good precaution when
putting a charge to a battery that might be dead.
Removing the battery is also a good idea because
the temperature of a battery changes when being
charged. A chemical reaction occurs inside the
battery, and that reaction is exothermic — it gives
off heat! The solution inside a battery can even boil
38 RIDEFAST MAGAZINE MAY 2018