Keeping bikes on Optimate
- Trogladyte
- Posts: 192
- Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2020 8:13 pm
- Location: Felpersham
- Has thanked: 68 times
- Been thanked: 89 times
Keeping bikes on Optimate
Do you?
I don't, despite having 2 Optimates. I don't because I have always had some anxiety about leaving electrical things switched on, and unattended. I think I got it from my dear old Dad. It took years for Torque Wench to train me to stop unplugging TV and video every night, losing all her presets, and making her get up and plug the fuckers in every day.
I sometimes plug in an Optimate in the morning, leave it all day, but have to go out there and turn it off at night, cos I can't sleep if I know it's on.
Am I taking sensible precautions, or am I being a great big GURL?
I don't, despite having 2 Optimates. I don't because I have always had some anxiety about leaving electrical things switched on, and unattended. I think I got it from my dear old Dad. It took years for Torque Wench to train me to stop unplugging TV and video every night, losing all her presets, and making her get up and plug the fuckers in every day.
I sometimes plug in an Optimate in the morning, leave it all day, but have to go out there and turn it off at night, cos I can't sleep if I know it's on.
Am I taking sensible precautions, or am I being a great big GURL?
- weeksy
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23301
- Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:08 pm
- Has thanked: 5434 times
- Been thanked: 13022 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
I don't. Although i have a NOCO Genius not an Optimate.
Over winter i go in the garage about every month or so and put them on for 3-4 hours and then whip it back off.
I don't do it because i'm taking precautions, i do it because IMO they don't need more than an odd hour here or there.
Over winter i go in the garage about every month or so and put them on for 3-4 hours and then whip it back off.
I don't do it because i'm taking precautions, i do it because IMO they don't need more than an odd hour here or there.
- Yorick
- Posts: 16665
- Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:20 pm
- Location: Paradise
- Has thanked: 10208 times
- Been thanked: 6860 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
I don't bother. I have an alarm on the GSXR and it does drain the battery a bit. But when I plan to use the bike, I have a connector direct to the battery that I plug the charger into overnight.
-
- Posts: 3711
- Joined: Sun May 03, 2020 10:11 pm
- Has thanked: 260 times
- Been thanked: 1255 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
I think smart chargers on continuously, have knackered a few batteries.
- MingtheMerciless
- Posts: 3541
- Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:42 am
- Location: Scarfolk on Sea
- Has thanked: 2928 times
- Been thanked: 1875 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
Lead acid batteries like being maintained, their biggest enemies are cold and heat along with deep discharge (ex-Telecoms tech here with over 20 years experience looking after telecoms battery backed power supplies). Optimate charger I wouldn't have a problem with being left on all the time (dodgy Chinese knock-off no way). Do you unplug your cooker, dishwasher, central heating boiler, washing machine each night? What about your mobile phone charger, door bell, router? All of those are drawing power, maintaining clocks, presets, charging Li-ion batteries etc you don't ofter hear of them burning houses down.
"Of all the stories you told me, which ones were true and which ones weren't?"
"My dear Doctor, they're all true."
"Even the lies?"
"Especially the lies."
"My dear Doctor, they're all true."
"Even the lies?"
"Especially the lies."
- Skub
- Posts: 12123
- Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:32 pm
- Location: Norn Iron
- Has thanked: 9777 times
- Been thanked: 10080 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
Yes I do.
As soon as I'm finished with the bike for the day it goes on the Optimate. During the Winter it'll be in continuous use for months.
That's what an Optimate is for,look at it as a battery manager rather than a charger.
As soon as I'm finished with the bike for the day it goes on the Optimate. During the Winter it'll be in continuous use for months.
That's what an Optimate is for,look at it as a battery manager rather than a charger.
"Be kind to past versions of yourself that didn't know what you know now."
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955
- Dodgy69
- Posts: 5424
- Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:36 pm
- Location: Shrewsbury
- Has thanked: 1741 times
- Been thanked: 2065 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
You can leave them on , no worries. If you've got multiple bikes, just get extra leads and swap it every weekend.
Yamaha rocket 3
- derek badger
- Posts: 898
- Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:12 pm
- Location: Surrey Hills
- Has thanked: 769 times
- Been thanked: 1135 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
I've had one on the MT09 for 5 years. Longest I've had a battery survive on a bike.
- mangocrazy
- Posts: 6801
- Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2020 9:58 pm
- Has thanked: 2383 times
- Been thanked: 3571 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
All my bikes are on Optimates/Accumates, but they are plugged into a cheap 7-day timeswitch that activates for 4-6 hours on a Saturday night (not quite sure why I chose a Saturday, but...). That's more than enough to keep a battery topped up.
- GuzziPaul
- Posts: 418
- Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 12:45 pm
- Location: Chelmsford
- Has thanked: 59 times
- Been thanked: 195 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
The Le Mans is on anAccumate, boring old lead acid battery ( same as used on a ride on lawn mower) that get left overnight once a week, currently on charge now as I've been in the garage.
The Tuono is on an Optimate and, its on it's fourth battery since 2004 when I got it new. Last two have been Motobatts, I got the Optimate a couple of years ago as it was a bit of a pain swapping one charger over two bikes and the Tuono likes a healthy battery.
That gets left on for about a week at a time one week on one week off as I'm mostly in the garage on a weekend. I can see the green light flashing away through the garage window when I go for a piss in the middle of the night, always a good reminder it's plugged in.
The Tuono is on an Optimate and, its on it's fourth battery since 2004 when I got it new. Last two have been Motobatts, I got the Optimate a couple of years ago as it was a bit of a pain swapping one charger over two bikes and the Tuono likes a healthy battery.
That gets left on for about a week at a time one week on one week off as I'm mostly in the garage on a weekend. I can see the green light flashing away through the garage window when I go for a piss in the middle of the night, always a good reminder it's plugged in.
-
- Posts: 1801
- Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2020 8:52 pm
- Has thanked: 498 times
- Been thanked: 650 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
But you trust the fridge and the washing machine? Maybe they could keep an eye on the TV for you.
To a kid looking up to me, life ain't nothing but bitches and money.
- Trogladyte
- Posts: 192
- Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2020 8:13 pm
- Location: Felpersham
- Has thanked: 68 times
- Been thanked: 89 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
True. But the fridge and TV aren't on the end of a very old underground mains spur that feeds the shed, with a a further extension via a bit of cable into the garage, which though reasonably solid is pretty damp. And its all a fair distance from the house and, unlike the fridge and TV, it involves a process that routinely creates explosive gas. So its not really quite the same.Asian Boss wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 6:14 pm But you trust the fridge and the washing machine? Maybe they could keep an eye on the TV for you.
-
- Posts: 1801
- Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2020 8:52 pm
- Has thanked: 498 times
- Been thanked: 650 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
I meant the TV.Trogladyte wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 9:58 pmTrue. But the fridge and TV aren't on the end of a very old underground mains spur that feeds the shed, with a a further extension via a bit of cable into the garage, which though reasonably solid is pretty damp. And its all a fair distance from the house and, unlike the fridge and TV, it involves a process that routinely creates explosive gas. So its not really quite the same.Asian Boss wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 6:14 pm But you trust the fridge and the washing machine? Maybe they could keep an eye on the TV for you.
To a kid looking up to me, life ain't nothing but bitches and money.
-
- Posts: 917
- Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 7:00 pm
- Location: East of West
- Has thanked: 723 times
- Been thanked: 695 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
I used to leave my bike plugged in most days and then read that using a timer to switch the optimate on for just an hour a day when the bike's not in daily use is sufficient to protect the battery.Trogladyte wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:04 pm Do you?
I don't, despite having 2 Optimates. I don't because I have always had some anxiety about leaving electrical things switched on, and unattended. I think I got it from my dear old Dad. It took years for Torque Wench to train me to stop unplugging TV and video every night, losing all her presets, and making her get up and plug the fuckers in every day.
I sometimes plug in an Optimate in the morning, leave it all day, but have to go out there and turn it off at night, cos I can't sleep if I know it's on.
Am I taking sensible precautions, or am I being a great big GURL?
Worked fine on my last few bikes. VFR 800 was hard on the battery when starting, as is my Harley 1200.
I also had to shake off the habit of switching everything off. My dearly departed dad taught me tons of good stuff; this isn't one of them.
- Taipan
- Posts: 13799
- Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
- Location: Essex Riviera!
- Has thanked: 15815 times
- Been thanked: 10176 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
In winter I'll happily use them for a vehicle not in regular use, as ming says, cold temps kill batteries. In summer i don't normally bother as most vehicles get used and the warmer temps don't kill batteries. If I did have something that wouldn't be used for a month or more i'd plug it in though.
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
Never use them. My bikes are five and six years old. Both on their original batteries. I use a conventional charger on trickle until they show fully charged every six weeks or so. Sometimes longer. As long as the batteries are never allowed to completely discharge they should stay strong for ages.
The KTMs are fairly easy on batteries. Although imobilisers are still armed they go into dormant mode and don't sap much power. Got a ten year old Ducati and that needs more regular charging.
The KTMs are fairly easy on batteries. Although imobilisers are still armed they go into dormant mode and don't sap much power. Got a ten year old Ducati and that needs more regular charging.
-
- Posts: 1713
- Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2020 11:49 am
- Location: Biarritz in Summer, Cornwall In Autumn, Courchevel in Winter
- Has thanked: 1946 times
- Been thanked: 1292 times
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
My mate has a very large shed, inside are a horde of bikes plus an Audi TT, VW T4, BMW 3?? tools, pushbikes etc etc.
He insists that as many sockets as possible are turned off every night. The Kettle, the toaster, the GF grill, the projector, the amp all have to be switched off.
2 optimate style chargers plus a dehumidifier (in the pit) stay on. The shed hasn't burnt down yet !
He insists that as many sockets as possible are turned off every night. The Kettle, the toaster, the GF grill, the projector, the amp all have to be switched off.
2 optimate style chargers plus a dehumidifier (in the pit) stay on. The shed hasn't burnt down yet !
Re: Keeping bikes on Optimate
As above really Optimates or whichever flavour are not just a charger, they are a battery tender, they monitor charge levesl only top up when required, carry out de-sulphation if required and generally look after the battery its not just a trickle charger.
case in point, my mates 1200 Bandit is 21 years old, always been on an optimate from day 1, its still on its OE battery, which is some kind of record
All my bikes live on an optimate all the time and the only battery I've had to buy in the last 15 years was one for the BMW....which are renowned for eating batteries
case in point, my mates 1200 Bandit is 21 years old, always been on an optimate from day 1, its still on its OE battery, which is some kind of record
All my bikes live on an optimate all the time and the only battery I've had to buy in the last 15 years was one for the BMW....which are renowned for eating batteries