What if... you don't keep your CB on a tender?

[ride4now_imp]

Hey guys, in Florida I live in a condo with no access to a private garage so I keep my CB at a local storage unit. Since I've kept the bike there, it's been plugged in and on a battery tender. I don't ride much in the summer...way too hot, but I do manage to get out at least once every month or so; more so the rest of the year. I just had to move to anther storage facility however this one doesn't have power so at present the bike is not plugged in. Does anyone ride their bike infrequently like me and not keep it on a tender? Have you had any issues? I keep my other two bikes at my home in Georgia and they're on a tender. But I do keep a car up there that is not on a tender and I've yet to have any issues. What do you think? Am I just waiting for trouble here with the CB?

 

[Randy B]

After my accident my bike sat off a tender for about a year or so. When I went to fire it up there was no issue at all. Turn the key on, prime the pump, hit the start button and she fired right up without missing a beat.

 

[the Ferret]

R4N it used to be that a battery not on a charger would lose about 1 % per day, so in 30 days it would lose 30% of its charge, in 90 days 90%. I don't know if that is true of these new glass mat tech batts. The problem being with not keeping it on a charger I think, is that batteries dont like the cycle from low charge to full charge, back to low charge etc, and it probably wont last as long as one well maintained and kept near full charge. I do know that once these glass matts go, they go instantly. Start one time, flat dead the next time you go to start it. There doesnt seem to be any warning that your batt is on its way out. They are either good, or shot it seems.

I am not a battery tech just going by what I have been taught and what I have observed from years in the business and personal experience.

Others I am sure, will have a different opinion and life experience.

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

All these modern bikes have a constant current drain. I keep all my bikes on some kind of tender. The batteries will go flat. The trickle chargers are inexpensive. No good reason not to use one unless there isn't any power available.

Once a month should be more than enough to keep it charged up as long you get out for an hour or so at a decent cruising speed.

 

[dsinned_imp]

A Lithium ion battery may be in your future. Expensive battery but specifically for long term storage applications.

 

[emptysea]

My bike sits for two weeks at a time or longer without the benefit of a tender. I don't really think you'll have an issue. However, how about keeping a spare battery on a tender at your house and bringing it with you when you go to pick up the bike?

 

[uscgmac_imp]

I would just make it a point to ride it a little more, even if you don't want to. Or you could hire a bike walker, kind of like a dog walker, lol. Someone who can take it out for you once a week. I'm sure you would get plenty of offers, lol.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

 

[use2b_imp]

I also live in Florida and ride all summer but mostly early and late during the very hot days. but all my toys have tenders and the batts last so much longer . even have a 6volt on my 48 GMC and one on my lawn mower
have you considered =
http://www.harborfreight.com/15-watt-solar-battery-charger-68692.html

 

[Bighonda14_imp]

About a year ago the battery unexpectedly died in my car, and I bought an item similar to this. It jumps my car if ever needed, but also has a 120 volt outlet to plug in any item desired. If I was in your situation I would buy something similar to this, full charge it at home, then put it in the storage unit with my bike with the battery tender plugged into it and attached to my bike's battery.

https://www.amazon.com/Rally-Portab...TF8&psc=1&refRID=H6PAB2DPVVTAS2CWKGYZ

 

[riceburner_imp]

If it starts no problem with once a month use,just resign yourself to buying a new battery more often than you would if it got regular use.No big deal,just a little extra expense,be careful of solar charge setups,they need charge regulators and blocking diodes to prevent reverse current discharge when the sun goes down.Overcharging will probably kill it sooner than low usage.

 

[flynrider]

About a year ago the battery unexpectedly died in my car, and I bought an item similar to this. It jumps my car if ever needed, but also has a 120 volt outlet to plug in any item desired. If I was in your situation I would buy something similar to this, full charge it at home, then put it in the storage unit with my bike with the battery tender plugged into it and attached to my bike's battery.

https://www.amazon.com/Rally-Portab...TF8&psc=1&refRID=H6PAB2DPVVTAS2CWKGYZ

BH,

I don't think that would work very well. We had a discussion about a similar solution on a security website, looking for a solution to keep a low power alarm system operating in a building without electrical service. It seems the conversion from DC to AC, then back to DC again, eats up most of the power from the battery. A few users that tested that combination said their portable power source was drained in less than a day.

 

[ride4now_imp]

Thanks all. As I said, I don't have access to power (at least not yet) and unfortunately, since it's in a storage unit, I don't have access to sunlight so solar would seem to be out. I could do the extra battery thing I guess... but probably what I need to do is just ride it a bit more often and then when the battery does go, perhaps replace it with one of those longer lasting gel battery's. As I mentioned, I keep a car in Georgia and it's not on a tender and I've yet to have any issues so hopefully I'll have the same result with the CB.

 

[kmoney_imp]

I think there is very little parasitic drain on the battery in these. There is going to be the clock and some keep-alive for the functions in the ECU. It should be able to sit for weeks at a time and not kill the battery. That said, if it partially discharges, you it will begin to sulfate and have a very short life.

If you have no access to power, consider a quick disconnect system (or just remove the negative terminal by yourself every time).



https://www.batteriesexpressinc.com/mobile/Product.aspx?id=41277

 

[riceburner_imp]

I haven't looked in the fusebox yet,isn't it under the seat? maybe just pull the main power fuse for storage and stop minor parasitic drain? A knife switch in the ground wire should kill everything and be a lot less than 34 bucks, even homemade if you have some copper rod or bar laying around.you'll have to reset the clock Everytime you kill all power,the ecu will probably also have to rebuild it's runtime database to get fuel efficiency back,kind of like when it was new and it got better the more you rode it.just wondering.