Trickle/Float charger

[bealus]

Hi, I need some advice from my fellow TV bikers.

I'm in the process of buying a

new 800 ccm bike in Thailand, however I will be out of the country for approximately 4 months annually.

I have a friend to take care of the bike during my absence.

One of my concerns is too keep the battery in good shape. Therefore I want to buy a charger.

My questions are:

1) Can someone explain the difference between a trickle and a float charger?

2) Do they come combined?

3) Is there a difference between charging lead batteries or gel/sealed batteries?

4) Can you out of your own experience recommend a specific type or brand for a charger?

5) Do you know where to buy such a charger either in Thailand (I live in BKK area); or ordering online abroad with confidence in delivery to my local address here in Thailand?

Thank you in advance for your advice or additional information!

[NeverSure]

A float charger will go off and on depending on the charge condition of the battery. A trickle charger isn't "intelligent" and will just keep a small charge going. Overcharging a battery can damage it, so you need to monitor a trickle charger.

I don't know where you can buy these in LOS, but I have several for motorcycles, farm tractors, excavator, lawn tractor etc. They work great and are cheap. They come will several different ends for different types of connections. Due to seasonal weather, these are attached all winter. They are also attached to any machine that gets used only periodically. For the price they save a lot of dead batteries and a lot of headaches.

I'll attach a link, and in case it can't be reached I'll also attach a pic. The price is US$19.88 but such things are cheap in the US. This is a float charger.

Cheers

LINK

Edited February 21, 2015 by NeverSure

[ttakata]

I used to use a Battery Tender, but in hindsight I would just disconnect the battery instead. A fully charged battery with nothing attached can stay good awhile. This site is informative.

www.atbatt.com/sealed-lead-acid-batteries/faq

Of course laziness and a charger is not a bad idea.

As mentioned; if you overcharge it might be explosive so get one with good safety circuitry.

You could also look on ebay for a 12v solar charger if an outlet is not convenient.

Edited February 21, 2015 by ttakata

[DILLIGAD]

Most chargers including ones available from good bike shops in LOS, are intelligent chargers with automatic features to switch on/off/trickle charge.. Mine came with a lead that's permanently fixed to you battery so I can be charged without even taking the seat off.

Edited February 21, 2015 by DILLIGAD

[RubberSideDown]

I've got a CTEK MSX 5.0- it's got selectable motorcycle or car modes, and it fairly high-tech as far as chargers go- I bought mine off eBay for about 3K, but I believe they can be found in LOS for around the same price.

[Gweiloman]

I used to use a Battery Tender, but in hindsight I would just disconnect the battery instead. A fully charged battery with nothing attached can stay good awhile. This site is informative.

www.atbatt.com/sealed-lead-acid-batteries/faq

Of course laziness and a charger is not a bad idea.

As mentioned; if you overcharge it might be explosive so get one with good safety circuitry.

You could also look on ebay for a 12v solar charger if an outlet is not convenient.

Solar charger sounds interesting but if bike is in underground car park?

[papa al]

A long wire, fiber-optics, or elaborate mirror system I guess.

[DILLIGAD]

A long wire, fiber-optics, or elaborate mirror system I guess.

Sounds like all smoke and mirrors, to me!

[bealus]

A float charger will go off and on depending on the charge condition of the battery. A trickle charger isn't "intelligent" and will just keep a small charge going. Overcharging a battery can damage it, so you need to monitor a trickle charger.

I don't know where you can buy these in LOS, but I have several for motorcycles, farm tractors, excavator, lawn tractor etc. They work great and are cheap. They come will several different ends for different types of connections. Due to seasonal weather, these are attached all winter. They are also attached to any machine that gets used only periodically. For the price they save a lot of dead batteries and a lot of headaches.

I'll attach a link, and in case it can't be reached I'll also attach a pic. The price is US$19.88 but such things are cheap in the US. This is a float charger.

Cheers

LINK

1ed5a140-6bc4-4d3c-a930-26e2aa1f8bf2._V333533895_.jpg

Thanks Neversure for explaining the difference between trickle and float charger, so the quest is on for a float charger here in LOS. Really amazed about the low cost in the US, even with import custom duties it should have an affordable price-tag here.

[bealus]

I've got a CTEK MSX 5.0- it's got selectable motorcycle or car modes, and it fairly high-tech as far as chargers go- I bought mine off eBay for about 3K, but I believe they can be found in LOS for around the same price.

Googled this type of battery-charger and it indeed turns out to be a pretty versatile and awarded battery-charger. Even found a Thai company to deliver it for 3.5 K, so this would be convenient.

Noticed that on the side a message shows up "Battery Charger for 12V LEAD Batteries, any idea you can use this device for gel batteries too?

[Garry]

I have a CTEK like RSD's post above. I run a Yuasa maintenence free battery. The longest I've had it on constant 24/7 monitored charging is 6.5 months when I was overseas working. My bike started on the second crank when I got back. Battery works fine and the CTEK is faultless.

[bealus]

I have a CTEK like RSD's post above. I run a Yuasa maintenence free battery. The longest I've had it on constant 24/7 monitored charging is 6.5 months when I was overseas working. My bike started on the second crank when I got back. Battery works fine and the CTEK is faultless.

That sounds pretty convincing; nothing can beat every day personal experience; so with RSD's and your reviews this thread really has delivered what I was hoping for. Will order the CTEK on line in Thailand for 3.5 K as already mentioned.

Usuaklly being 3 !/2 Months out of Thailand would be the max; so have a fair chance my bike will start at the first crank .

Big thanks to all who contributed to this thread and enjoy your biking in LOS!

[Litlos]

I had a Ctek on my car battery in Australia for a few years. It was only the 800mA model as that was all I needed for maintaining the battery. Usually about 6 months between visits. Turn on the ignition, let the electric fuel pump run for a few seconds and it would fire up first time.

I really wanted the 2 amp Ctek (discontinued now), but they were out of stock and I got talked into the 800mA unit, but I never had a problem with the battery being low on charge so for maintaining a battery it worked fine. Most of the Ctek type chargers suit the various types of batteries and some have different modes for different sizes.

Cheers

[ksamuiguy]

www.granitedigital.com

Great info, prices, explanations and they ship to Thailand.

I have recovered 3 supposedly bad batteries with their charger.

Maintenance free batteries, look at youtube videos how to add water.

I have had my truck battery in-place 5 years, it is still like new.

[RubberSideDown]

Another nice thing about the CTEK 5.0 is that it will charge a dead car battery- my daughter was playing in my car a couple weeks ago and turned on the lights, and I didn't notice as it was daytime- by the time I saw the lights fading out, it was 10pm and I didn't want to bother any neighbors, so I hooked up the charger, which did the trick.

The less-expensive 0.8 will work great for maintenence applications, though, but it has fewer functions than the 5.0.

[ll2]

ctek is nice and you an find one at any Honda bigwing.

[bealus]

Another nice thing about the CTEK 5.0 is that it will charge a dead car battery- my daughter was playing in my car a couple weeks ago and turned on the lights, and I didn't notice as it was daytime- by the time I saw the lights fading out, it was 10pm and I didn't want to bother any neighbors, so I hooked up the charger, which did the trick.

The less-expensive 0.8 will work great for maintenence applications, though, but it has fewer functions than the 5.0.

Can't go wrong with the CTEK after so many recommendations, thanks for the extra info

[bealus]

ctek is nice and you an find one at any Honda bigwing.

Thx for the info!

[bealus]

www.granitedigital.com

Great info, prices, explanations and they ship to Thailand.

I have recovered 3 supposedly bad batteries with their charger.

Maintenance free batteries, look at youtube videos how to add water.

I have had my truck battery in-place 5 years, it is still like new.

They offer an enormous variety of products and have many different battery chargers for sale; that look indeed professional. Will bookmark this site and thank you for sharing it!

[joesanunu]

The remote control car/airplane guys use lots of batteries and store their batteries in the refrigerator, no?

Does this work for lead acid batteries too I wonder?

[joesanunu]

I have a CTEK like RSD's post above. I run a Yuasa maintenence free battery. The longest I've had it on constant 24/7 monitored charging is 6.5 months when I was overseas working. My bike started on the second crank when I got back. Battery works fine and the CTEK is faultless.

That sounds pretty convincing; nothing can beat every day personal experience; so with RSD's and your reviews this thread really has delivered what I was hoping for. Will order the CTEK on line in Thailand for 3.5 K as already mentioned.

Usuaklly being 3 !/2 Months out of Thailand would be the max; so have a fair chance my bike will start at the first crank .

Big thanks to all who contributed to this thread and enjoy your biking in LOS!

Now, what about the fuel? What fuel are you leaving in the tank?

Are you keeping to full? A full tank reduces condensation inside the tank.

Are fuel stabilisers available in Thailand?

[In the jungle]

I have two CTEK chargers. Bought in the UK.

Despite being expensive they have both been unreliable. With both of them the problem is the same. The 'mode' button (see photo in bealus' post above) works intermittently. They will, eventually, switch on but you may have to press the button fifty times to a achieve that result.

I also have two much cheaper chargers from B&Q (a DIY chain in the UK). These are their own brand manufactured by Torq in China. From memory around THB 500 each. They have been reliable, have a max output of two amps and they work well. I seem to recall there were three different models with different output currents. I chose the smallest.

[johng]

How about some DIY ?

http://www.electroschematics.com/6888/solar-battery-charger-circuit/

[billphillips]

Maybe a new battery will cost less than "a battery conditioner" type charger.

[In the jungle]

Just looked at B&Q's website. I assume I cannot post a link here. Easy to find.

The charger I mentioned is GBP 19.64 (about THB 1000).

Photograph and information on the website.

[papa al]

My friend Charlie uses this one:

Ebay.

[billphillips]

I think a new battery would be far less money and hassle. Zero running cost too.

[bealus]

My friend Charlie uses this one:

charger.png

Ebay.

Unbeatable price for sure!

[bealus]

I've got a CTEK MSX 5.0- it's got selectable motorcycle or car modes, and it fairly high-tech as far as chargers go- I bought mine off eBay for about 3K, but I believe they can be found in LOS for around the same price.

Just received mine by post, ordering on line with a Thai company for 3,5 K; looks pretty easy to handle

[Dellboy218]

Yes there is a difference to charging the wet type battery and the gel type. The big old car battery charger you buy from most hardware stores, unless it specifically says for gel/sealed batteries, will probably wreck your sealed/gel battery. These chargers are very basic internally with a rough DC output. The front panel current meter is likely to be an old moving iron type which are very slow to react and will only show the a general average. This will not show anywhere near the current peaks caused by the rough output so it will probably be charging the battery at a higher rate than you think it is. This higher rate can cause the battery to 'gas off'. In a wet battery this is not a problem, you have filler caps and they have vents in them to allow the gas to escape, I think everyone has seen a wet battery bubbling away. This gas by the way is Hydrogen so do not try smoking over a charging battery. Your sealed/gel batteries have no such vents except an emergency one which prevents an explosion. The charger mentioned on here, the Ctek and others provide a smooth and generally, a low charging current to prevent gassing. The Ctek is available here in Chiang Mai from at least one motorcycle shop that I know of. Another make is Optimate, I have an older version of this type which has always kept my bikes ready to go after laying idle for 3 months at a time.