Smart Trickle Chargers To Preserve Your Motorcycle Battery
A garage is not complete without a motorcycle battery charger.
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Battery trickle chargers are a necessity in the motorcyclist’s garage. Chargers controlled by a microprocessor are designed to keep your battery “healthy” throughout its shelf life by maintaining voltage slightly above its typical fully charged level. This keeps the battery below the gassing voltage to prolong life. If your bike’s going to sit for an extended period of time, a trickle charger will prevent the battery from dying. If you’re nursing a dying battery, trickle chargers can help top it off to provide the charge you need to start your bike, but it’s only a temporary solution. Typical lead-acid batteries will need to be replaced about every five years. Here are three chargers to check out.
Battery Tender 6V/12V, 4A Selectable Lead-Acid & Lithium Battery
Battery Tender’s “Junior” model is another great choice, if you’re looking for a more affordable option.
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Deltran’s Battery Tender has practically become an eponym for smart trickle chargers. The Battery Tender’s microprocessor adjusts “hundreds of times per second” to deliver the right amount of charge. This model can also be switched to 6V, in case you haven’t converted your vintage bike’s charging system to 12V yet.
Black & Decker BM3B Fully Automatic 6V/12V Battery Charger/Maintainer
As part of a conglomerate that also manufactures other tools, you can say that Black & Decker knows maintenance equipment.
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While Black & Decker isn’t known for moto-specific products, its battery charger is optimal for batteries found in your motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile, or lawn mower. The Black & Decker battery charger has a handy reverse connection indicator to alert you when you’ve hooked it up to the incorrect terminals. Remember: Red is positive and black is negative.
Motopower MP00205A 12V 800mA Fully Automatic Battery Charger/Maintainer
For 12V batteries only, the Motopower charger offers all the features you’re looking for to maintain the health of your motorcycle’s lead-acid battery. Like the other options here, it includes alligator clips and a ring terminal harness to attach permanently to your battery—which you can also use to power heated gear or a GPS.
