Info on battery tenders

[DragonLady]

In general, not the brand.

After not riding for five years (LONG story), someone finally helped me get my NT running. But since it may still be a while before I can ride it daily, I need to know what are the best battery tenders for lithium batteries. (And I don't have a lot of money.) I'll go out every day and sit on it, run it for 10 or so minutes (while going vroom, vroom — god, I've missed riding) but I was told I need a better tender than my old Battery Tenders.

Does that make sense?

Thanks!!!

 

[Mellow]

I have one of these which work on either lead acid or lithium.

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-Junior-Charger-Maintainer/dp/B06X9GGNZC/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1VDWSWZCOYEG0&keywords=battery+tender&qid=1647813333&sprefix=battery+tenderr%2Caps%2C252&sr=8-6

 

[Sunny]

In general, not the brand.

After not riding for five years (LONG story), someone finally helped me get my NT running. But since it may still be a while before I can ride it daily, I need to know what are the best battery tenders for lithium batteries. (And I don't have a lot of money.) I'll go out every day and sit on it, run it for 10 or so minutes (while going vroom, vroom — god, I've missed riding) but I was told I need a better tender than my old Battery Tenders.

Does that make sense?

Thanks!!!

If the battery is good and you ride at least 1 a month, you don't need a tenderer. For Lithium, I don't think you need a tenderer at all.

My personal experience is that the tenderer may screw up your battery. Check the battery voltage before you ride with those SAE USB Voltmeter/5V output dongles and if needed just plug in a charger 60-30 min before ride. I found that to be a better solution.

I have this Noco 10A charger. It has a 12v 10A power supply mode to run small 12V electronics, 12V repair mode that fixed my NT battery. It is right now $100, but it occasionally goes on sale for $70ish.

NOCO GENIUS10, 10-Amp Fully-Automatic Smart Charger, 6V and 12V Portable Batt... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W3QT226/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_0082R2QQ8KTEGVX5K7F2 via @amazon

You can get the 5A one:
NOCO GENIUS5, 5-Amp Fully-Automatic Smart Charger, 6V and 12V Portable Batter... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W8KJH44/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_0EX5V6T80AYG9ABS43TF via @amazon

The 1A one is $30. I would recommend it over the battery tenderer model.
NOCO GENIUS1, 1-Amp Fully-Automatic Smart Charger, 6V and 12V Portable Batter... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W46BX31/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_QY8JV7FPE7ZYANHJA7F1 via @amazon


5V Dongle with switch:
Motorcycle USB Charger, Motorcycle Phone Charger, SAE to USB Adapter, with ON... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WXKPTS3/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_KCFKVVJEEQRTN8Y80KG5 via @amazon

 

[rc_heli_nut]

As Sunny said, you really don't need a tender for an NT equipped with a lithium battery, assuming the electrical system is stock, that is, there are no add-ons drawing power key-off.

I did some testing a while back on my own stock NT to determine parasitic power draw, it is only 2mA which I determined to be the LCD clock. There doesn't appear to be any keep-alive memory power draw from the PGM-FI module (Honda's nomenclature for an ECM).

Lead acid batteries have a normal small self discharge not in use, which is probably how we got maintainers in the first place, lithiums do not have that so you should be OK. I have not run in to any issues charging a lithium with a Battery Tender Jr or similar.

I went back to the stock Yuasa on my NT, after several cold weather no-starts with a lithium. I'm in Northern IL, if you live in a warmer place you might have better luck. I tested the removed lithium, a Shorai, with a FMA Powerlab 8, which is a fairly high end battery workstation for RCers, and it showed full capacity on several charge-discharge cycles. But it gave up starting the NT below 40 degrees. Anybody else run into this?

 

[ST1100Y]

You can get the 5A one:
NOCO GENIUS5, 5-Amp Fully-Automatic Smart Charger, 6V and 12V Portable Batter... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W8KJH44/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_0EX5V6T80AYG9ABS43TF via @amazon

Decent kit, handles even car batteries with no issue...

...it showed full capacity on several charge-discharge cycles. But it gave up starting the NT below 40 degrees. Anybody else run into this?

Installed a NOCO NLP14 in my GF's NT700, quite powerful, starter cranks significantly faster...
Upon temps below 0°C/30°F it shows an odd behavior: headlight nicely bright after flicking the switch, but there is about 1 sec delay till the starter cranks when hitting the button...
Seems the LiFePO4 really needs some load + time to warm up...

 

[Sunny]

Decent kit, handles even car batteries with no issue...


Installed a NOCO NLP14 in my GF's NT700, quite powerful, starter cranks significantly faster...
Upon temps below 0°C/30°F it shows an odd behavior: headlight nicely bright after flicking the switch, but there is about 1 sec delay till the starter cranks when hitting the button...
Seems the LiFePO4 really needs some load + time to warm up...

yup, at low temp, I remember reading that it is recommended that you run some load (headlight for 10-15 seconds)to warm up the Lithium battery to bring up its internal temp to operating team , and then hit the starter.

NOCO NLP14 a straight fit in the NT (even Amazon says that) + 5 years warranty. Only challenge is that it is 3 times the cost of PB batteries.

 

[ST1100Y]

Only challenge is that it is 3 times the cost of PB batteries.

Dunno, € 140,- for the NOCO, can't get a YUASA below € 120,- which is likely shot after 2 years, so if the NOCO exceeds that lifetime...

 

[Nick Wilkinson]

Albert Einstein stated that he did not understand electricity. I find my self in the same position. What follows is simply my view and having been married appreciate that my default position is to be wrong.

Motorcycle charging systems have not changed since the 1980s and are designed around lead/acid batteries. New technology batteries are different from lead/acid ones. If lithium directly replaces lead/acid then make an appointment for a practice session with the fire department. The lithium batteries specifically sold for use on motorcycles contain electronics that make the lithium cells behave like and appear to be lead/acid.

Generally, electronics are extremely vulnerable to overcharge and subsequent overheating. Some chargers built for lead/acid employ high voltage pulse charging, which is intended to counteract the accretion forming on the surface of lead plates. The pulses are capable of destroying electronics, which incidentally is why it is advisable to disconnect the battery from a vehicle before using a charger of unknown performance.

I would be happy to use one of these (photo) cheap half amp devices.


For more on batteries this footage is informative.
FortNine on batteries

 

[rc_heli_nut]

It's interesting the varied levels of success people are having with these lithiums in their bikes. As I stated in my prior post, the lithium didn't work too well in my NT. I've been using lithiums for years now in my RC stuff with great success, got familiar with how to use them properly, safe charging/discharging and all that, no problems there, but that's a different application than an engine start battery.

I have a new Yuasa AGM battery waiting here, to install in the NT once it's out of storage. The last one lasted 5 years so I can't complain. Since I'm usually out riding sparsely traveled roads I need a battery that won't let me down, and the Yuasa is that battery.

 

[JQL]

Not all batteries are the same!

Having owned an RV, I soon found out that different types of batteries (Lead Acid, Gel, Sealed, Lithium etc.) require different charging voltages and "regimes" for charging.

Some Lithium batteries come with an integrated charging circuit so your vehicle's charging system won't hurt it. Having said that, don't use ordinary chargers on these batteries, get a charger which is Lithium rated.

I fitted the Skyrich Lithium battery into my Deauville about 8 years ago and, except in temperatures below about 3C, it is fantastic. The Skyrich I bought has an integrated charging system.

Details Here: YTZ12S Lithium Battery
Amazon Link (much cheaper): Amazon Link (double check the dimensions before purchase as it's 8 years since I bought mine and memories fade...) Mine came with a spacer as it is smaller than the original.