Battery Tender Hook-up

Discussion of the Genuine Buddy, Hooligan, Black Jack and other topics, both scooter related and not

Moderator: Modern Buddy Staff

Post Reply
User avatar
spinbud
Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:56 pm
Location: N.Georgia

Battery Tender Hook-up

Post by spinbud »

Buddy will rest some during bad weather this winter so will hook-up a Battery Tender plug. Where is the best place to route it. I've seen inside the pet carrier (but the Tender literature says not near the Carb) and thought about underneath but am concerned there about moisture from the road. Possible scenarios: Get home from work, scooter hot and fumey, a front moving in and don't plan to ride so want to hook-up to the tender and forget about it, thus carb fumes concerns. Other scenario: get home after driving on wet surface, hook-up is underneath the bike, maybe water inside the "waterproof" cover. Or "waterproof" cover collects a pool of water which arcs + to - and gives me a short while out in the boonies.
User avatar
donkin
Member
Posts: 135
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2008 2:46 am
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Post by donkin »

Get the optional power socket plug. It works great for our two buddies. Get done riding grab the plug, stick it in the power socket and you're done. 10 seconds.

http://www.scooterworks.com/Battery_Ten ... _P5478.cfm[/url]
GFridrich3
Member
Posts: 404
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2008 12:03 am
Location: NW Suburbs of Chicago, IL

Post by GFridrich3 »

Why couldnt you just remove the battery and leave it plugged in on a shelf or workbench in your garage or somewhere out of the way?
User avatar
DennisD
Member
Posts: 2112
Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 12:22 am
Location: Pensacola, Florida

Post by DennisD »

I have no battery tender and do not winterize anything. Here in NW Florida we get cold weather but not much and I usually ride year round. January and February and maybe some of March can be tough at times. I know people up north (Ohio) who also do not use battery tenders or put their bikes away in winter storage. They figure that sometime there is going to be decent weather and they'll ride 15 or 20 miles, keep everything working and moving and the battery charged. No problems yet. Unless you're snowed in all winter and are sure the temp will never rise to 45-50 until spring, ride your scooter. You'll love it.
User avatar
docutech
Member
Posts: 444
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2008 1:31 pm
Location: Saint Louis

Post by docutech »

Mine is marked:

Image
User avatar
Drumwoulf
Member
Posts: 810
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 6:49 pm

Post by Drumwoulf »

donkin wrote:Get the optional power socket plug. It works great for our two buddies. Get done riding grab the plug, stick it in the power socket and you're done. 10 seconds.

http://www.scooterworks.com/Battery_Ten ... _P5478.cfm[/url]
+1. Great accessory, IMO!! (But it's only good for Buddys 2007 and up. '06's do not have the power outlet on the dash!)
Namaste,
~drummer~

07 Buddy 125
07 Vespa GT200
User avatar
hcstrider
Member
Posts: 308
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:07 pm
Location: Ellicott City, MD

Post by hcstrider »

donkin wrote:Get the optional power socket plug. It works great for our two buddies. Get done riding grab the plug, stick it in the power socket and you're done. 10 seconds.

http://www.scooterworks.com/Battery_Ten ... _P5478.cfm[/url]
If your Buddy has an auxiliary power outlet (cigarette lighter) then the power socket plug that donkin mentioned is a quick and easy way to connect the Battery Tender to your Buddy. Lots of ModernBuddy members endorsed this plug as a great way to connect the Battery Tender: no tools required, just plug the Battery Tender into the auxiliary power outlet and the Battery Tender will keep your battery charged.

I took a slightly different approach last winter when my Buddys were in winter storage. I did not connect a Battery Tender to either Buddy, instead I would ride the Buddy in order to charge the battery. Our winters are pretty mild so I was always able to find a day in which the roads were clear: no snow, ice or road salt on the roads. About every 2 or 3 weeks I would ride the Buddy for approximately 20 minutes and this was enough to keep the batteries charged. When starting the Buddy, I did not want to drain the battery by using the electric starter so I kick started the Buddy.
Wayne
The safest rule, no ifs or buts
Just drive like everyone else is nuts! (Burma Shave)
Image
User avatar
nissanman
Member
Posts: 1209
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 4:11 pm
Location: Middletown, CT

Post by nissanman »

For long storage you shouldn't keep the battery on a charger indefinately, it can actually ruin your battery. I too have a battery tender and I went through two batteries during winter storage before I got the tip to use it for about 1 week per month of storage. Haven't killed another battery since. Unless your scooter has an alarm on it there is almost no current draw that you have to worry about, just the normal voltage drop a battey has from sitting. My lawn tractor is still on it's original battery after 8 years by using that method too. 1 week scooter (bike), 1 week lawn tractor, 1 week Truck and 1 week off :)
EZPZ #65
User avatar
spinbud
Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:56 pm
Location: N.Georgia

Tender outlet

Post by spinbud »

Thanks for the great replies. This site is fantastic for exchanging ideas.
The cigarette adapter sounds like the way to go. I wondered what I could use that 1 amp accessory for anyway. Nice pix of powder blue bud. For the others...true, probably don't need the charger at all but just in case. Remember the literature and the BT site with You Tube pitch indicated it would extend the life of your battery.
User avatar
Steady Teddy
Member
Posts: 187
Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2008 7:36 am
Location: San Diego

Post by Steady Teddy »

Anyone tell me what the battery model number is for a 2007 Buddy? Have a scoot with NO battery in it right now!

Thanks.

Ted
User avatar
pinkbuddydude
Member
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2008 5:46 am
Location: Baltimore
Contact:

Post by pinkbuddydude »

donkin wrote:Get the optional power socket plug. It works great for our two buddies. Get done riding grab the plug, stick it in the power socket and you're done. 10 seconds.

http://www.scooterworks.com/Battery_Ten ... _P5478.cfm[/url]
If by chance you also happen to be in the market for a tire pump, you could buy this for $30 with free shipping: http://www.amazon.com/Slime-40001-Power ... 913&sr=8-2

it comes with a cigarette lighter adapter that is compatible with the battery tender
User avatar
Drumwoulf
Member
Posts: 810
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 6:49 pm

Post by Drumwoulf »

nissanman wrote:For long storage you shouldn't keep the battery on a charger indefinately, it can actually ruin your battery. I too have a battery tender and I went through two batteries during winter storage before I got the tip to use it for about 1 week per month of storage. Haven't killed another battery since. Unless your scooter has an alarm on it there is almost no current draw that you have to worry about, just the normal voltage drop a battey has from sitting. My lawn tractor is still on it's original battery after 8 years by using that method too. 1 week scooter (bike), 1 week lawn tractor, 1 week Truck and 1 week off :)
I don't think you're using a MC type Battery Tender (brand), or even a float charger here! (Because you sure wouldn't be charging a truck with a little 1.5 amp MC float charger!)

The float Battery Tender types are safer and excellent for extended use on bikes because they kick off when the battery is fully charged! (Thas why they call it a "float" charger, dig?) 8)
I've kept all of my MCs and scooters, (for the past twenty years, at least!) on Battery Tender float chargers in my garage constantly whenever I'm not riding them! (Even in the summertime!)

This way the batteries are always maintained at peak charge and always ready to go; just unplug the leads to the bike and ride away...
And according to what I've read, maintaining a floating level charge this way actually EXTENDS the life of a battery, not shortens it! :)
Namaste,
~drummer~

07 Buddy 125
07 Vespa GT200
User avatar
rickko
Member
Posts: 626
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 5:35 am
Location: Somewhere in the Milky Way

Post by rickko »

nissanman wrote:For long storage you shouldn't keep the battery on a charger indefinately, it can actually ruin your battery. ...
Apparently you've had two unusual experiences.

I've had battery tenders on m/c batteries for years and years, occasionally riding the m/c's now and then. I've certainly had the tender hooked up for more than two months at a stretch. No problems, ever.

What I've found about the Battery Tenders is, they definitely prolong the useful life of batteries. If a battery normally lasts two years w/o ever being on a tender then it'll last about five or more years if its alway on the tender when not being ridden. That's saved me a lot of money over time. Certainly enough to pay for the Tender.

..rickko..
Ride it like you enjoy it!
MB member #2568
User avatar
Rob
Member
Posts: 1177
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:09 pm
Location: Munster, IN (Chicago 'burb)

Post by Rob »

rickko wrote:Apparently you've had two unusual experiences.

I've had battery tenders on m/c batteries for years and years, occasionally riding the m/c's now and then. I've certainly had the tender hooked up for more than two months at a stretch. No problems, ever.

What I've found about the Battery Tenders is, they definitely prolong the useful life of batteries. If a battery normally lasts two years w/o ever being on a tender then it'll last about five or more years if its alway on the tender when not being ridden. That's saved me a lot of money over time. Certainly enough to pay for the Tender
I'd definitely agree. While I've only had the scoot since Sept, I've had it on the Tender all winter and it fires right up. And I've used a Tender on my ATVs for years, keep them on the Tender all winter and have never had a battery problem as of yet. Perhaps Nissanman has a bad Tender?

Rob
User avatar
mrhappy2u
Member
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:49 pm
Location: Austin, TX

Power Socket

Post by mrhappy2u »

donkin wrote:Get the optional power socket plug. It works great for our two buddies. Get done riding grab the plug, stick it in the power socket and you're done. 10 seconds.

http://www.scooterworks.com/Battery_Ten ... _P5478.cfm[/url]
I connected a tender today to my Buddy 150's 12V outlet and quickly found the 12V was not connected to the wiring (no charge signal from tender). So, I took the cover off the floor board & used the clip attachments for the battery to charge, so no hassle there.

This is a 2008 Buddy 150 w/ 1,000 miles w/ no modifications (yet! - I just got it!): does anyone know if the power outlet (12V) comes from the factory disconnected like the daytime running lights?

I'm planning on connecting the DRL and figured I'd tied in the 12V outlet too since it is way easier for charging and was just wondering if anyone had experienced this.
User avatar
Lil Buddy
Member
Posts: 850
Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 8:21 pm
Location: Tacoma, WA
Contact:

Re: Power Socket

Post by Lil Buddy »

mrhappy2u wrote:
I connected a tender today to my Buddy 150's 12V outlet and quickly found the 12V was not connected to the wiring (no charge signal from tender).
What battery tender did you use? Is it the "tender Jr."? If not, it may draw more than a 1amp load. The fuse on the accessory plug is 1amp.

So, make sure your tender is rated under 1amp. If it is, check the fuse behind the front panel (not the ones in the battery compartment) and replace if needed. Also, check to make sure that the connections going into the back of the plug are good.

FYI, if you do donnect the DRL's to the 12V outlet, you will need to put them on a switch. Otherwise they will always be on, even when the scooter is not (well, at least for about 10 minutes until the battery dies).
User avatar
mrhappy2u
Member
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:49 pm
Location: Austin, TX

Post by mrhappy2u »

You may be right Lil Buddy. I got a 12V 2amp Peak float tender (draws down and goes dormant when battery is fully charged). So its clearly twice the amperage of the fuse on the 12V outlet.

I did check the battery status with a plug-in meter though, and even after fully charged the meter is dead. Could be a faulty meter, but I don't know. [Edit; my guess is I blew the fuse on the outlet - as Lil Buddy pointed out earlier - so no matter what I plug in now its going to look 'dead'. Sorry for being slow to catch in to my own dumb mistakes folks!]

The tender did charge the battery going direct to the post and metal (for negative). Not sure how long it actually took since I was gone for six hours, but it was dead as a doormouse yesterday, and started right up when I rode it this afternoon after being on the tender.

Thanks for any suggestions - yes - on the DRL I didn't mean I was going to connect them to the 12V outlet (although I can see that I wrote that badly), I was just saying if it was disconnected I would connect it when I take the frontpiece off to do the DRL. I saw the instruction for that [DRL] somewhere else on this forum and it looks easy if you have patience and right attitude. I have both!
Post Reply