Trickle Charger With No Ac Power

Hey all-

My best buddy still lives in NYC. He has gone to the dark side after years of VFR riding and is now sporting A GS as well as an F4i.

He only gets to ride the F4i once in a while and likes to keep the battery nice and fresh. He used to go through a battery every year or two when he didn't use a battery tender.

He just moved to a new apt where he gets free motorcycle parking!! Lucky dog. The only down side is that there is no AC outlet anywhere near where the bikes get stored in the garage. He really wants to be able to hook the battery tender up for a few hours every weekend.

Any thoughts? Solar is out as it is underground.

I was suggesting getting one of those portable jump starters and setting it up with a battery tender SAE plug. He could then keep the portable unit charged up in his apartment and then plug them together and let them equalize to at least add some amperage to the bike battery (without removing it).

He wants a real trickle charger and short of plugging his battery tender into an inverter which is then plugged into the portable battery/booster , I am stumped.

Any thoughts on how to keep a battery topped off without AC power? I told him to just not worry about it, but he wants to do the right thing by his batteries. Damn BMW riders.

Thanks in advance.

How much trouble would it be for him to just remove the battery and keep it on the trickler some place where he as AC power??

Deep cycle battery, hooked up to a dc/ac inverter, with a battery tender plugged in. Not efficient at all, but it would be a way to utalize a true trickle charger. You would just have to charge the deep cycle inside and carry it out to the bike to charge the small battery. Should work like a charm and charge the battery for a good 3-4 hours on full charge and who knows how long on float mode (days??).

My way would be somehwhat expensive.

I have a Great Planes Triton Charger (for Model Airplanes =$135) that is DC Powered and is capable of digitally monitoring and charging Pb batteries. I would park a car near the bike if possible or another motorcycle and charge off of it. If the GS is ridden alot it would survive being the energy source. Especially if he were to do this religeously therefore not requiring much charge to top off the battery.

-Matt

How much trouble would it be for him to just remove the battery and keep it on the trickler some place where he as AC power??

+1

The F4I requires tools to get the seat off and on. My buddy wants the bike ready to ride when he is, so I doubt he will find that acceptable.

I like the idea of charging off the BMW GS that he will be riding more often, but doubt he will feel it "tops up" the F4i battery sufficiently. I would say put battery tender lead on both bikes and hook them together after riding the GS!!

I believe there is no good answer, and that he should just accept reduced battery life on the F4i as a reality and not worry about it.

Thanks for the responses, I will pass them on.

The F4I requires tools to get the seat off and on. My buddy wants the bike ready to ride when he is, so I doubt he will find that acceptable.

Yeah, I hated that design on my old F4i but it only takes one 10mm socket wrench. If that's too much of a PITA, he can get quick release pins from Sargent seats or other places.

Or if there is a water faucet near by you could use an old car alternator with a diode and transistor pack with a voltage regulator and voltage cut off. Make a mount, (steel would be best), for the alternator. Then make some nice big blades to bolt to the front of the alternator (this to help spin as the water hits it). Place the alternator unit below the faucet and turn on water. Position the alternator so the water hits the enlarged blades. Route wires to said controls with a plug for the bike battery and your golden.

How about a real long extension cord!
Is there a light in this garage?
Replace the light with an adapter that lets you plug in the battery charger.
It would only charge when the light was on, but it might be enough.

Or if there is a water faucet near by you could use an old car alternator with a diode and transistor pack with a voltage regulator and voltage cut off.

BRILLIANT! :beer: Or since they live in CT, move the apparatus outside under a rain gutter. Not going to be riding anyway if it's raining. Of course, you wouldn't have thought of that living in dry San Luis Ob-piss-poh...... Ob-biz-boh....... uhhh.... Ubb-bish-puh. Whatever. http://www.vfrdiscus...tyle_emoticons/default/+1.gif