Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the battery?

Johnnymac · Apr 18, 2013

Re: Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the batt

Well, after having left my charger plugged into the accessory socket, the light on my charger went from green to solid red.... so somehow, if I don't disconnect the fuses, it will not charge properly.

850cmndo · Apr 18, 2013

Re: Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the batt

illf8ed said:
My '72 is plugged into a Battery Tender now with a green light showing. Should not be a problem with zener bleeding off current as the charger current is pretty low anyway.

Mine has been on all winter which includes today the foreseeable future. Gawd.....

SGOUD · Apr 18, 2013

Re: Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the batt

Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the battery?

Here is what I did : smallest household plug I could get, removed the 2 spades off, used 2 different sizes brass bolts and filed the proper size, filled the cavity with epoxy ET VOILÀ ... A dedicated plug for less than a couple of dollars!!!

DogT · Apr 18, 2013

Re: Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the batt

How do you maintain polarity, or doesn't it matter? Yeah, I don't have one of those plugs, but if I did, you'd be sure I'm make something rather than $30. It's easy enough, unless you're not worried, and I worry all the time.

Dave
69S

SGOUD · Apr 18, 2013

Re: Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the batt

DogT said:
How do you maintain polarity, or doesn't it matter? Yeah, I don't have one of those plugs, but if I did, you'd be sure I'm make something rather than $30. It's easy enough, unless you're not worried, and I worry all the time.

Dave
69S

The socket on the bike is built with the positive side bigger than the negative side; that's why I have two different sizes of bolts filed to the proper diameter.

Johnnymac · Apr 18, 2013

Re: Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the batt

Guys, I narrowed it down to the podtronics. If if disconnect the fuse going to the battery from podtronics, I can charge with the battery tender. If I leave it connected, the battery will not fully charge. Anyone else notice that?

DogT · Apr 18, 2013

Re: Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the batt

The Podtronics probably has a voltage limiter in it, much like the Zener, but transistorized. A diode could be used to 'disconnect' the podtronics, but it would also limit the charge to the battery, it would be much easier just to take the fuse off the battery and hook up your charger directly to the battery. Just my 2C. I mean how hard is it to take the fuse off? I know life is not easy, heck, I'm 70 this year and it feels like it.

Dave
69S

komet · Apr 19, 2013

Re: Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the batt

Walridge Motors in Canada stock the socket and plug. Come as a set, not seperately and were on special at Christmas for about $17. The terminals and insulating washer are extra.

MikeM · Oct 29, 2017

DogT said:
Re: Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the batt

I pull the fuse on my bike except when I'm using it, so I just use the clip leads. Pulling the fuse is easy enough, at least on mine, it's right above the battery below the seat.

Dave
69S

I do exactly the same. Last week I unplugged and while moving the bike the negative clip fell of and hit the frame. Smoke and bad things. I ripped off the seat and burned the shit out of my hand pulling the leads off. Needless to say I will NOT use the clips on it anymore.

concours · Oct 29, 2017

I found the Battery Tender "Junior" to never acheive green light top up in some circumstances. My Battery Tender "Plus" does. Maybe different threshold voltage for light.
JMWO(bservation)

DogT · Oct 29, 2017

I have a 10KW generator since we live out here in the country where the power goes off all the time, like last Tuesday, 1am to 2pm. I hooked up the tender to the gel cell on the generator and left one day, unknown to me I shorted the plus to ground. When I came back in the garage it was filled with smoke. It burned up every ground wire in that generator. Luckily just the wiring. I had to replace all the green wires and it still works fine. How old is this thread?

Actually it's windy and rainy now and I expect the power to go off at any given moment now. It always does, I can count on my big toe the times it hasn't.

cyclegeezer · Oct 29, 2017

I disconnect the fuse to keep the Zener from leaking any charging current to ground.

DogT · Oct 30, 2017

On the early Commandos, 69-71, a lot of stuff is still live (horn, lights, rear brake, alternator) with the fuse in and the ignition switch off. That's OK when I'm with the bike, but when it's in storage or semi-storage (not in use for a while) I just like the certainty of pulling the fuse. It prolly doesn't make any diff to the tender or charger. But I'm not certain about that. I reckon the zenier is still hot. That might clamp the voltage of tenders that send a voltage spike. I've never looked into it. If the fuse is out, the battery can't supply any current at all unless you drop the screwdriver across it.

Battery Tender Jr - Why do I have to disconnect the battery?

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