Trickle or no trickle?

[jambouk]

I've just got a second hand leisure battery from a kind astro friend. It is a 75amp hour but very similar to this:

http://www.batterymasters.co.uk/Product-Yuasa-L26-70,-12V-70Ah-Leisure-Battery-For-Caravans,-Yachts,-Motor-Boats,-Narrow-Boats-etc_2512.aspx

I've also got a trickle charger, just like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Streetwize-Automatic-Trickle-Battery-Charger/dp/B0012U5BO2

I am only going to run the mount and one, maybe two dew bands off it for a few hours per night, when weather and bad back allow.

Now, does it NEED to be left on trickle charge ALL the time? Or once the charger indicates it's fully charged, can I just leave the battery in the garage (which is part of the house and doesn't get too cold) unattached from everything, and then just give it a trickle for a few hours once a week or so? I only ask as the trickle charger stays very warm even when it indicates the battery is charged, suggesting it is using a reasonable amount of electricity, and also I worry about fire risks! (I inherited that from my dad who was convinced everything would burst into flames).

Thanks for any replies.

James

(Nottingham)

[wxsatuser]

Get an Optimate......leave on charge all the time.

My brothers use them permanently on their Yamaha R1s while they are garaged.

[TwoPi]

I take it that it doesn't say in the trickle charger manual? (apologies if you've already looked and that's why you're posting here!) Some trickle chargers are designed to be connected to a battery for months, some for just a few days. I'm not sure that any are intended to stay connected all of the time, but in any case they often say in the manual?

[wxsatuser]

Forgot he link

http://www.accumate.co.uk/

[jambouk]

The instructions with the charger suggest you leave it attached all the time, and when the charge drops it will detect this and recharge the battery, and then stop when the battery is full and then monitor it. But that isn't really my question, I should have been clearer.

Is leaving it connected all the time really necessary, or could I get away with connecting it for a few hours to recharge it and stimulate it once a week, or is that so astronomically bad for the battery to be left unattended in a cool environment that it will only last for a few months before becoming useless?

I ideally don;t want to leave it connected all the time as I worry about the energy consumption (clearly there is some as the charger is very warm even when it's in maintaining mode), and the risk of fire.

James

[TwoPi]

Good point that Mike makes - as I understand it the Optimates have a float capability, vs basic trickle chargers that don't. Without the float capability (a repeating rest / trickle cycle) then I believe you generally shouldn't leave a trickle charger connected for an extended period of time. Not clear to me which category your charger fits into James.

[TwoPi]

Sorry, the joy of crossed posts, obviously yours has the float capability. I've always understood that it's a bad idea to leave leisure batteries in a low state of charge for extended periods. So if you're worried about leaving it hooked up then I would charge it after you've used it and then when you're not using it for extended periods, just top it up every few weeks.

[stargazerslivingroom]

I keep my motorbike on an optimate and I agree they are fantastic. However, I feel that what you suggest will be ample (Pardon the pun) for your needs. A 70 amp hour battery is going to take a lot of discharging and can just be occasionally topped up. Hope that saves you some money.

Steve

[wxsatuser]

Optimates and alike are designed to run all the time.

Obviously take the usual charging precautions.

My brothers R1s are in are in a seperate garage away from the house and the chargers have run for years.

They only come off when they go for a ride.

[jambouk]

Ah, thanks all. I'm pretty good at charging things and having a routine, so I think I'll go down the route of charging after use, and then giving a bit of a boost every week or so when not being used. I've just ordered a fancy box off ebay to keep it in. Exciting times

Thanks all for the help and advice.

James

[wxsatuser]

I keep my motorbike on an optimate and I agree they are fantastic. However, I feel that what you suggest will be ample (Pardon the pun) for your needs. A 70 amp hour battery is going to take a lot of discharging and can just be occasionally topped up. Hope that saves you some money.

Steve

Once a month should be ok.

[ronin]

If it is rated as you say then you will have no problems leaving to sat for a week or two without a charger running, especially inside. I have left my car for 2 weeks at Gatwick and it is fine afterwards and that is outside and no charge and a small drain - the alarm will be on always.

A leisure battery is often used on things like camper vans and these will often sit unused for periods in excess of a week, quite often in excess of a month.

Check it occasionally as I do not think a leisure battery is a deep cycle battery. Think they may be a rugged lead acid so a complete drain is still not good. Seem to recall an artical pointing out the differences between Standard Lead Acid, Leisure and Deep Cycle bateries. Might be wrong however as I half recall it pointing out that a gel battery was not a deep cycle but a lead acid in effect.