I killed my battery trying to start my '92 after sitting for about 3 months.. why it won't start it another issue.. but what do I need to do to recharge the battery? I got an old (20 year+) Dayton battery charger than says it charges at 6 or 12 volts @ 10 amps.. will this work or is it too powerful/weak? If so, what settings should I set it to? Is the GS500's battery a 12V battery? And how long would i charge it for?
If I should go buy something else let me know what you would recommend.
Thanks as usual guys.
10A is way too much for a motorcycle battery. About 2A is max, and 1A is probably about right. 1 amp would be about 14 hours, 2, maybe 8 hours.
All modern motorcycles, including the GS are 12V. Count the number of caps on the battery cells, and multiply by 2V. Lead/acid battery cells are 2V each.
It's nice to have an automatic battery charger that turns into an intermittent trickle charger once the battery is charged. You can leave the battery on an automatic trickle charge over winter, and that keeps it in good shape.
Drain the gas out of the tank and float bowls, and get some fresh stuff. That might help the starting problem.
Any recommendations for an affordable charger?
Make one with a radio shack adapter... Or buy one at walmart.
Cool.
Srinath.
I've got a Deltran Battery Tender Plus, but it costs like $50. You might want to try the "Jr." version. I found this good deal at Chaparral (http://www.chaparral-racing.com/Chaparral/productr.asp?pf%5Fid=321%2D2102&gift=False&HSLB=False&mscssid=0426F4791325041538F103F289873F72) for $19.97, which is $5 cheaper than in their 2001 catalog!