Does anyone know a good, inexpensive trickle charger to use on my battery when I won't be riding my GS500 for a few days? The battery seems to lose a little power and sometimes on cold days (20-40 or sometimes even 50 degrees F) I have to try multiple times before it'll turn over. It once didn't start at all a few days back, and I had to take my battery to the local bike shop to have it charged; fortunately it didn't cost anything, but it was a hassle.
If you have a Harbor Freight nearby, they have this float charger;
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42292
(http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/42200-42299/42292.gif)
I'm currently using a 12V DC power supply rated at 200 maH. Just swipe an AC adaptor from just about anything and cut the end off. Add a polarized battery connector from Radioshack to the battery and one to the adaptor and you're all set. I take my battery out of my bike and leave it out until I intend on going for a ride (damn unpredictable New England weather). Determine which wire on the AC adaptor is the positive and which is negative (use a voltmeter).
Granted this kind of charger won't work to completely charge a dead battery, but it works to keep it topped off.
(http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062212&cp=&sr=1&origkw=polarized&kw=polarized&parentPage=search)
I recommend the Battery tender JR. I got mine on sale for abuot $27.00, best money Ive spent so far. When we had a lot of rain here, I just plugged my bike in and drove my car. :thumb:
I would say you need a new battery soon. I would store my GS in the garage over winter for months and temps hit -30 C for weeks and the bike would start on the first hit....yes, I do have a battery tender but was too lazy to hook it up. LOL :icon_lol:
Thanks all for the replies; I think I'll go with the Battery Tender Jr. I don't think I need a new battery, since the one I have is fairly new. Maybe my GS's charging system isn't up to snuff.
I'll be moving to New England this year (wish it could be Portland, Maine, but there's more jobs in Massachusetts) so one thing I think I'll definitely be needing is a tarp to cover my bike from the rain in spring and snow in winter (or vice-versa). I live in east Tennessee and our weather has been unpredictable lately too. It was in the high 50's last night, low 20's tonight with an icy rain. And of course I went for a ride tonight instead of last :laugh: I don't drive so my GS and bicycle are how I get around, rain, snow, or shine.
Good choice on the Battery Tender Jr. I have one too that I use to keep my battery in good shape while it is stored for the winter.
+1 on the Battery tender JR. :thumb:
I bought one on sale at a local CycleGear for like $29. Well worth the money. I Just plug the bike in after a ride using the included quick connect cable. The charger monitors the battery voltage, then comes on automatically if the battery needs a little juice.
The Bike starts much easier and seems to run smoother with the battery at a full charge.
Wally World has a Schumacher 1.2A automatic charger with trickle function for $18 and change. Comes with a harness to connect to the battery as well.
My bike sat for about 1 year and the battery died. The acid was low so we topped it off and it was doing the same thing you described in cold weather. We were about to buy a new battery when we saw the underside of the terminals. They just needed to be cleaned because of the oxidation which is something a lot of people overlook and is probaby the number 2 reason (next to a weak battery) for weak starts. So try cleaning the terminals before you go spend money