View Full Version : Optimate Extension lead?
I've got a carport with the bike under it and my scooter lives out in the weather as we don't have space for both under the carport.
I'm looking to make a long extension lead from my optimate so I can leave the charger in the dry under the car port but charge the scooter around the front.
The Optimate plugs look like the Tamyia ones you can easily get hold of so is there any reason why I could not make up a 5-8 meter extension lead with a Tamyia connector each end and something like 16 awg cable between the two. This will allow me to charge the scooter which had an optimate charge connector on it (5m) and also if necessary get as far as the cars too (8m) as one of those sits on the drive for weeks at a time so would benefit from a trickle charger.
I suspect I may get a little bit of a drop on the length but is there any reason why this would not work?
Could that length of wire confuse the sensing technology in the charger?
Thoughts?
maviczap
14-12-12, 10:06 PM
I bought some connectors on EBAY and used it to connect my sat nav wiring to the optimate connector on the battery, so no reason why you can't do what you're thinking.
You can buy both male & female connectors to make up an extension lead
You can buy ready made extension leads, so shouldn't be a problem confusing the charger
take the battery out of the one you don't use and keep it in the house. when you need to use it give it a quick charge he put back on bike/scoot.
take the battery out of the one you don't use and keep it in the house. when you need to use it give it a quick charge he put back on bike/scoot.
Far too much grief. The scooter is there to be used to "nip to the shops" Not much use if I need to spend 15 minutes fighting with fairings to get it all back together again. The SV is in range of the charger anyway.
Optimate sell a 2.5 meter lead question really is will having a lead 3-4 times longer cause the charger to get confused?
cant you just put the optimate in a waterproof box and have it half way between the 2?
it might confuse the optimate using a longer lead but you would have to try to find out.
cant you just put the optimate in a waterproof box and have it half way between the 2?
it might confuse the optimate using a longer lead but you would have to try to find out.
Then I need waterproof mains and a waterproof box for the charger and will need to move everything each time I swap what I'm charging. I'll make up a long 12v with a Tamyia on each end and report back my findings.
Teejayexc
14-12-12, 10:35 PM
Piece of pi55 to extend it, it's only low wattage, one live one earth, so just cut and join however much you need in the middle. Job done.
Piece of pi55 to extend it, it's only low wattage, one live one earth, so just cut and join however much you need in the middle. Job done.
Got no problems withe the mechanics of making it longer, just wanted to know if the increased induction and resistance would mess up the charging logic.
Fallout
14-12-12, 11:28 PM
Worst case scenario I can imagine is it senses the voltage is slightly lower with a longer capable, and therefore fractionally overcharges the battery. Not the end of the world, especially when you're talking about a POS scooter which really deserves to catch fire and incinerate itself into annihilation for the good of your street cred.
chris8886
15-12-12, 01:15 AM
Worst case scenario I can imagine is it senses the voltage is slightly lower with a longer capable, and therefore fractionally overcharges the battery. Not the end of the world, especially when you're talking about a POS scooter which really deserves to catch fire and incinerate itself into annihilation for the good of your street cred.
MASSIVE :smt038
Worst case scenario I can imagine is it senses the voltage is slightly lower with a longer capable, and therefore fractionally overcharges the battery. Not the end of the world, especially when you're talking about a POS scooter which really deserves to catch fire and incinerate itself into annihilation for the good of your street cred.
Do not mock the mighty epicuro!
Your long lead will be fine.
With such a low current flow as long as you don't use a conductor with the width of a spiders eye brow . The volt drop won't be significant.
Made up a 5 meter extension lead and it started with an orange LED then eventually got a green LED so appears to be working fine. Got 5 meters of 16 awg twin flex from screwfix for £2.50. Maplin sell the Tamyia connectors for a couple of quid. Got some more Tamyia's coming from ebay at a few pence each to make up another extension to plug into the end of that lot to give me even more flexibility.
So can now use the charger with it's normal lead for the bike, plug in the 5 meter extension lead and charge the scoot. When my new plugs turn up I can then plug another 5 meter lead into the end of that and do the cars.
Total outlay should be about a tenner and a bit of self amalging rubber tape to give some weather protection to the plugs.
Spank86
15-12-12, 11:21 PM
I wouldn't worry about length. You could make up your own connectors and throw them in the middle as long as the end one is right.
Unless you're going over 10-15meters that is.
Fallout
16-12-12, 08:45 PM
I wouldn't worry about length. You could make up your own connectors and throw them in the middle as long as the end one is right.
Unless you're going over 10-15meters that is.
That's how I rolled with the RC planes. 5amp rated connectors for 30amp loads and nothing ever blew up .... until I hit the ground. :D
Spank86
16-12-12, 09:00 PM
Yeah, well 5amp connectors might get a little hot.
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