Optimate battery Chargers

[appollo1]

This will probably sound like a really stupid question but are these sort of chargers only for bikes or can they be used on cars as well? :confused:

Thanks.

[Alpinestarhero]

my dad used his optimate to resue the battery on his car the other week :D

[ThEGr33k]

Any battery... The optimate is simply designed to not over charge a battery as they are supposed to be used over winter on batteries so left on for long periods. Bike batteries arnt special.

[Alpinestarhero]

Bike batteries arnt special.

mine is :compcrash:

[Mike2165]

Bike batteries arnt special.

Why does my optimate have a different charge rate for bikes and cars?

[appollo1]

Why does my optimate have a different charge rate for bikes and cars?


oh great now i am really confused !!! :confused::confused::confused:

i am looking to buy an optimate type charger and now don't know which one to buy!! i need one that will do for bikes and cars :confused::confused:

[ThEGr33k]

Bike and car batteries can both be charged the same rate BUT car batteries are a LOT bigger so need more power to charge as quick. Only reason I can see! 2A for bikes and 4A for cars I believe...

[metalmonkey]

oh great now i am really confused !!! :confused::confused::confused:

i am looking to buy an optimate type charger and now don't know which one to buy!! i need one that will do for bikes and cars :confused::confused:

I have latest one, which ever that is. Yes it does all types of battries, you just put it on the right setting.

[Frank]

I got a cheapo one from Lidl and it does both....

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

Bike and car batteries can both be charged the same rate BUT car batteries are a LOT bigger so need more power to charge as quick. Only reason I can see! 2A for bikes and 4A for cars I believe...

But surely its better to charge a bike battery slowly (trickle charge) rather than a super fast 1 hour charge? I thougth that fast charging isn't very good for the bike battery in the long run.

but...meh, what do I know :smt061

[ThEGr33k]

But surely its better to charge a bike battery slowly (trickle charge) rather than a super fast 1 hour charge? I thougth that fast charging isn't very good for the bike battery in the long run.

but...meh, what do I know :smt061


True! I think another reason for it is maybe they see Bikers as patient and able to put them on for a long time and car drivers as not and not having the time to charge them right. :rolleyes:

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

maybe they see Bikers as patient and able to put them on for a long time and car drivers as not and not having the time to charge them right. :rolleyes:

You could be right..!

Damn those car drivers :smt064:lol:

[Luckypants]

Well an optimate is not sold as a fast charger, but more as a battery maintenance / rescuer device. For Optimate to be effective a battery needs to left connected at least overnight IMHO (note I have not seen the latest model so know nothing of any fancy new features). My bikes live on the Optimate when not being used for a long period to maintain battery condition.

As far as cars go, there is a chap in the village with a TVR that only goes out in the sunshine and is kept on a standard Optimate all winter (on my recommendation) - it works fine. So Optimate works on cars for battery maintenance. I have used the Optimate on my kids cars when they do stupid stuff, but always give a 24-hour charge.

[flymo]

comes down to the size or capacity of the battery you are going to charge mainly. I have two, an Optimate 3 for my bike battery usually left permanently connected. Its a race bike so doesnt get used as often as a road bike.

I also have an Accumate Pro (from the same manufacturer) that I use for large batteries like my van, caravan, car etc. The Accumate is much better and faster for large Ah capacity batteries, it has also seemed to be able to rescue a bad battery more successfully than the Accumate.

Trying to charge a caravan leisure battery (90Ah) with the Optimate can take over a week for a full charge cycle, my Accumate Pro does it in 24 hours. You'll be able to charge a car battery with the Optimate but it may take longer if its in a poor state.

[lukemillar]

But surely its better to charge a bike battery slowly (trickle charge) rather than a super fast 1 hour charge? I thougth that fast charging isn't very good for the bike battery in the long run.

but...meh, what do I know :smt061

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS37SNYjg8w

[abdul.aziz]

which retailers sell optimate chargers???

I would appreciate suggestions of shops rather than websites/ ebay...if anyone knows any.

Thank u

[Alpinestarhero]

which retailers sell optimate chargers???

I would appreciate suggestions of shops rather than websites/ ebay...if anyone knows any.

Thank u

try Wemoto; they have a shop in southwick (west of brighton) and are very efficient with their online ordering - I have brought from the shop itself, and from the online shop. You'd have no problems ordering from them :) or you can take a ride down to brighton :D

[BernardBikerchick]

This will probably sound like a really stupid question but are these sort of chargers only for bikes or can they be used on cars as well? :confused:

Thanks.


should be ok i did !!!!

[embee]

Generally speaking a good rule of thumb charge rate for a lead-acid battery is equivalent to around 1/10th of its Ah capacity, so for a bike battery typically 10Ah you're looking around 1Amp.

A typical family car battery might be 50Ah, so while a small capacity charger will do the job, it might take a lot longer than necessary and as said by others it might well not be able to recover a deeply discharged battery as effectively.

The Optimate4 is described as being suitable for batteries of 2.5 - 50Ah, Accumate for 4 - 75Ah, Accumate Pro for 17Ah "upwards". See http://www.accumate.co.uk/

[appollo1]

thanks embee

i think i will go for the accumate