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How often do you use your Battery Tender, if you ride a lot ?

ES44AC

Member
I ride my Spyder RTS at least 5+ days a week to and from work and for pleasure. I have not hooked up my Battery Tender Jr since it was cold. Do you guy's and gal's use it when you ride frequently?
 
Battery Tenders are, for me, just a winter thing. I guess if I were going months between rides during the summer months it'd make sense but as long as it runs every couple weeks, I don't see it the least bit necessary.
 
I only use mine during the winter when my :ani29: is serviced and put away from approximately late November until maybe early April. Otherwise, I am riding pretty much every day and do not need to charge up or maintaint he battery. But it is a must when put away for winter storage.
 
I use mine twice a year once in the middle of winter again just before first ride in spring, do the same on my motorcycle and it's seven years old hoping for 8
 
BATTERY TENDER

If I'm not riding it's on the Tender ...... I don't think the Battery was properly set-up prior to delivery, because it has always seemed weak when trying to start it...... According to another Dealer the charging system is working properly, but I don't know that for a FACT ........... Mike :thumbup:
 
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If I'm not riding it's on the Tender ...... I don't think the Battery was properly set-up prior to delivery, because it has always seemed weak when trying to start it...... According to the Dealer the charging system is working properly, but I don't know that for a FACT ........... Mike :thumbup:
If you have a voltmeter, check the voltage at the battery with the engine running. If it's around 14v dc, then your charging system is probably fine. If lower, like 12v, then you might have a problem.
 
I do the same as Mike and do this with all my bikes. If it's not being ridden and just sitting in the garage, its on the tender. It takes about 5 seconds to plug it in.

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Same here...

I only use mine during the winter when my :ani29: is serviced and put away from approximately late November until maybe early April. Otherwise, I am riding pretty much every day and do not need to charge up or maintaint he battery. But it is a must when put away for winter storage.

....exactly the same in our cases. (the 4 of us)
 
battery tender

Question: would it not be a good idea just to disconnect the battery, for long term storage?

I don't care for battery tender that supply constant .75-1.00 amp charge. I use a battery anailizer for any of the long term bikes. The Battery Anailizer by Schmacher, supplies a charge rate as needed. This happens around 90-95% of max charge voltage.

I am not calling out "Battery tender comany" only talking about the charger systems.


Good Luck
 
If you have a voltmeter, check the voltage at the battery with the engine running. If it's around 14v dc, then your charging system is probably fine. If lower, like 12v, then you might have a problem.
So do you just have to open the battery compartment and test it with the voltmeter?

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Battery tender

I use mine year round on all my bikes.

Riding 5 days a week you probably don't need to use it, but for any prolonged inactivity (greater than a week) I would plug it in.
 
BATTERY TENDER

Question: would it not be a good idea just to disconnect the battery, for long term storage?

I don't care for battery tender that supply constant .75-1.00 amp charge. I use a battery anailizer for any of the long term bikes. The Battery Anailizer by Schmacher, supplies a charge rate as needed. This happens around 90-95% of max charge voltage.

I am not calling out "Battery tender comany" only talking about the charger systems.


Good Luck
........." BATTERY TENDER " is actually a Brand name ....for a battery maintainer ...... and they do not supply a constant charge ( to the best of my knowledge ) ...they supply a float charge as needed by the battery ......This is why they are called a MAINTAINER .......not a CHARGER ...............Mike :thumbup:
 
If I know I won't be riding for more than a week, as mentioned, it's on my Battery Tender Jr.
Super easy to connect to the pigtail I installed to the battery.
 
Everyday regardless of the amount of use, unless away from home.

AJ
I ride my Spyder RTS at least 5+ days a week to and from work and for pleasure. I have not hooked up my Battery Tender Jr since it was cold. Do you guy's and gal's use it when you ride frequently?
 
Here's my take, to add to the mix...

Twins = Tender
Triples = Tough - "not so tender"
:bowdown:

The triples have a higher capacity proper alternator; the twins have a stator thing which doesn't start recharging the battery until 3500 revs.

I always use/d the battery tender on my RS/ST models if I'm not riding every day or so... learnt the hard way.
Jeff hasn't used one at all on his F3.

I can't talk about putting them away for winter, cos luckily we don't need to do that.
 
Depends....

How long the ryde is and how much added items using the battery you have added to your machine. The more consumption the longer it takes to charge back. From what we see here it seems the older RT's have the least hold on the charge. I have an RS with minimal extras and don't use a tender even if I don't ryde for a couple of weeks...rare...we also ryde all year round. :thumbup:
 
NEVER! We are on our 3rd Spyder. I ride year round, 5 days a week going to work. Never bought a battery for any of the three Spyders.
 
BnG: if you have a tender cord attached, you could test right at it by sticking the test probes in it, no need to open the bike up. On F3 the battery is in the frunk... easy reach. I know other models have it well hidden.

In general, though, I recommend measuring at the battery as first choice.

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In the rare occasions that the :spyder2: is not ridden regularly I seem to be okay with no Tender for at least three weeks. The Tender goes on for more than that period of time. I usually take the :ani29: out to get a full charge before the Tender goes on for the winter sleep.
 
During riding season I don't used a battery maintainer,but when the bad weather comes and the bike goes under wraps then I hook it up.
 
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