AGM battery charger/maintainer

[XV1100SE]

I just put a Deka AGM battery in my bike. I had a charger for lead/acid batteries and gave it away because it doesn't work on AGM's and I've heard you need a "smart" charger/maintainer for these.

Any recommendations on what to get ? "Battery Tender" ?

I've seen this one at Canadian Tire (1.1 A) - http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/3/Batteries/BatteryChargers/PRD~0111926P/Noco+Genius+G1100+Smart+Battery+Charger/CROSSSELL~0111941%20Battery%2BTender%2BPlus%2B%2B1.25A%2BCharger%252FMaintainer.jsp?locale=en

 

Or this one (3.5A) - http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/3/Batteries/BatteryChargers/PRD~0111927P/Noco+Genius+G3500+Smart+Battery+Charger/CROSSSELL~0111941%20Battery%2BTender%2BPlus%2B%2B1.25A%2BCharger%252FMaintainer.jsp?locale=en

[plumberman]

I bought a deltran battery charger international off ebay . Had it a year now with no problems . Has a micro processer , came with 4 extension cables so i mounted it on the wall and can reach both bikes . Charges 2 batterys at once . I think it was $90.00

[Snaggletooth]

Don, personaly, I wouldn't worry about it. I've had the DEKA ETX18L in my '84 now for over 4 years. It's never been on a tender or charger. Never found a need to. Even during the winter storage months it held a high charge never dropping below 12.6.

 

The AGM's are known for extemely low storage discharge rates. This one has proved that.

 

There have been times I've seen AGM's discharged extremely low and a smart charger would not sense them. Found a trick around that. Jump the discharged battery to good battery and just let them sit for a while. The discharged battery will pick up enough juice from the good battery to then be picked up by the smart charger and go through a normal charge cycle.

 

The AGM's do require about a 15 volt rate to charge properly but at no more than 2 amps from the info I've been reading.

 

Mike

Edited March 11, 2013 by Snaggletooth

[Snaggletooth]

Interesting read on AGM charging.

 

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/general/hrdp_1009_how_to_charge_a_agm_battery/viewall.html

[Sylvester]

I have used the Yuasa tender for three years on my AGM without any problem.

 

[BradT]

Don, personaly, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Agree. Should really not be a need for a charger, unless you do a bunch of short rides around town, but even then should not need one.

 

A good battery should be able to sit around for a week or two without getting a good charge from a decent ride and work fine.

 

Brad

[Jayceesfolly]

Don:

 

I have a Deka AGM battery and have never used a charger on it yet. 3 years old and it sets all winter without a problem. The battery sits in an unheated garage all winter. I bought an Odyssey battery charger for it and have never used it. Voltage only drops about .2 volt over the winter and the starter cranks right over in the Spring, every time, without a problem.

 

Spend your money on some safety chrome instead of on a charger.

 

Jim

[saddlebum]

This was put out by Odyssey regarding chargers

[Cougar]

+1 on the Yuasa tender for my Deka.

[XV1100SE]

A...A good battery should be able to sit around for a week or two without getting a good charge from a decent ride and work fine.

 

Brad

 

I'm not worried about the summer. Over the winter the bike can sit 4-5 months. I usually start it once a month and run it for 20 minutes (revving it occasionally) to keep the fuel moving. It's during the winter I wonder if a charger would be beneficial.

[Condor]

Unless you are in need of some serious battery charging, any 12.9vdc/1 amp maintainer should work just fine on an AGM. Personally I'm with the rest that don't have a problem letting an AGM sit over the winter. I've also had a couple of Odyssey PC680's in the office for 3-4 years now and when I put the smart charger on them every year...just because... they top off in 2-3 minutes at less than 2 amps. A couple of years ago I had rectifier problems on the way to Cody Wy. I sucked the DEKA dry at 8.9vdc. I thought it was a goner. Got to the motel and put it on the charger over night and it was reading FULL in the morning. Tossed it back into the bike and it's still in there....

[awsmsrv]

I use the CTEK US800 & it has been great. Still got the original battery in my '06 RSV. I guess it's hard to truly know if it's making the battery last longer, but, I'd say 7 years & still going strong is pretty good. You can find them online for less than $50, or even less than $40.

[SilvrT]

You can find them online for less than $50, or even less than $40.

 

so if they are less than $40, they must also be less than $50 ....

[awsmsrv]

so if they are less than $40, they must also be less than $50 ....

 

Can't slip anything past you.

[BradT]

I'm not worried about the summer. Over the winter the bike can sit 4-5 months. I usually start it once a month and run it for 20 minutes (revving it occasionally) to keep the fuel moving. It's during the winter I wonder if a charger would be beneficial.

 

For 4-5 months I personally believe if you disconnect it from draining source, put a trickle charger on it for a few hours half way through the winter is better than keeping it on a trickle charger. Again my opinion but there is no need to start it over winter, just put a fuel additive in tank and let it run into the carbs and you will be fine.

 

I take the batteries out and leave them on a shelf in the garage for the winter.

 

Brad

[saddlebum]

I have a two pin trailer type connector to my MC battery and on my 2 amp trickle charger. I plug a cheap wall timer into the wall set it come on for a1/2 hour every day. Plug the charger into that and plug the other end into the MC. I put the battery in in 07 and it was still going strong up to this year. Ironically I did absolutely nothing to it this winter due to the fact that I intended to replace it with a deka and yet this past Sat I stuck the key in and it cranked the bike over pretty good for a battery I basically turned my back on. It was just a stock Yuasa Bat.