Optimate battery charger drains the battery
 

I learnt a simple but daft lesson the other day. I normally leave an optimate charger plugged into the battery on my race bike and its always worked just fine.

The other day though I needed to move the mains lead out of the way in the garage so I unplugged it from the wall socket and left the remainder connected to the bike battery......mistake. After a week or so I found it was enough to drain the battery totally flat....not even enough to light up the nuetral light, never mind spin up the starter.

Fortunately the Optimiser has recovered the battery and its working fine.

Moral of the story is if you are going to switch off the charger, make sure you disconnect it from the bike.

Re: Optimate battery charger drains the battery
 

How can you be sure it was the Optimate and not the bike?

I've left my SV and DRZ connected to the Optimate when the plug was off by accident for a week or so and it's not drained the battery:confused:

Re: Optimate battery charger drains the battery
 

Well it deosnt happen when its not connected so I put two and two together :-)

There may be improvements in later versions of the Optimate that cater for this though, which one do you have.

Re: Optimate battery charger drains the battery
 

I have the Optimate "3" version

How often do you use the bike? Not that often with it being a race bike I'd assume? It might be worth trying a week with the charging connector unplugged to see if it doesn't discharge by itself?

Re: Optimate battery charger drains the battery
 

i have an optimate 3 and my charger does this when its turned off but not unplugged, just remember to unplug it.

Re: Optimate battery charger drains the battery
 

I have noticed a small red glow on the optimte when not charging but still connected. i am thinking this was what drained my battery.

Re: Optimate battery charger drains the battery
 

silly of them, a simple relay that cut the connections when not plugged into the mains would sort out problems like this

Re: Optimate battery charger drains the battery
 

it tests the battery strength when connected, whether with the power on or off

Re: Optimate battery charger drains the battery
 

totally agree, this is a design flaw.

Re: Optimate battery charger drains the battery
 

not really, why have it connected if you are not charging the battery