can i use my battery charger as a trickle charge battery tender

[blackie1]

warning. I am an electrical and mechanical retard.

I already own a small 12V 4A 3 stage battery charger (which I have used once in  the past 2 years)

reading the instruction booklet the 3 stages are
1) a boost stage, which delivers 4 amps into the battery until voltage reaches 14.7 v it then switches to stage 2
2) absorption stage. charger output voltage kept at 14.7 v until charging current drops to 1 amp, then switches to stage 3
3) float stage. charger output current is reduced . battery is bought up to 100% re charged and maintained at this level.

my questions

1) could I chop off the alligator clips from the battery charger (positive /negative) and wire these up to a "hella" plug which I could then plug straight into my bikes power socket which in turn would charge my battery in situ.

 if that is possible then I would only envisage plugging it in to boost the battery up 24 hrs prior to my normal weekend ride. I would not have it permanently plugged in for any longer than that.

2) does that sound feasible.

or should I just loosen up the chains around my wallet and fork out the $80 for a proper little battery tender that is purpose made for the job.

[552255]

1. yes.
2. yes.
3. ?

....just my opinion, and I'm sure someone may have another.  Sounds like it is a trickle/float charger already.  The plug/clips are interchangeable I think, in operation.  If your riding once a week, does it even need to be plugged in?  I go 2 weeks or more without plugging in...again, just my thoughts.   Batteries seem pretty solid these days...a battery tender is about 40 bucks last time I knew.

[TimTyler]

Your charger seems fine to me.

If I were you I'd wire it to the bike with this: http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ

I keep mine on a tender all the time since my GPS and USB are always drawing a little bit of power even when the bike is off.

[blackie1]

thanks Tim (I will look into that)  and 552255

I live in new Zealand so about $80 nz for small battery tender over here

just coming into winter here so last couple of mornings have been -5 degrees celsius (23 fahrenheit) and I have noticed bike needs an extra couple of revolutions before firing.

have had this charger a couple of years without any real use so thought I could modify it to plug straight into my power socket.
sweet
I will give it a crack
thanks

[johnny]

have heard of some maintainers wasting batteries... thats why i recommend the deltran battery tender jr... its 100% pro and 100% yeeehaaa simotanoulsy...

so... if whats you gotts is a true maintainer like the deltran battery tender jr... i would put a powerlet hella on there and plug it in and forget about it... gotts to make sure you getts to polarity correct...

if your cord is sae... id get a sae to powerlet hella... that way you can still use your gator clips on something else... and of course you can go sae to sae directly to the battery with what time tiorler suggested and still use your gator clips for something else...

j o

[blackie1]

thanks for the advice Johnny,
I can get that deltrain junior locally for us$60 so will go with that. converting my current battery charger, adding a plug etc will only end in tears with my track record

damn. every time I see those power sockets on my bike I just want to plug something in there.
is that sick?

[johnny]

fill that hole... all you need is this...



j o