Installing a battery charger: Difference between revisions

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====Here we go====

Most people should have a battery ~~tender~~ for their cycles. Why, you ask? Well, motorcycles have very small batteries (you may have noticed this). They have a much smaller capacity than their automobile counterparts. These batteries can discharge over time if not maintained on a battery ~~tender~~, especially during the winter months, when the cold results in a more dramatic/quicker discharge. Also, the stator (alternator) on a cycle doesn't recharge the battery as quickly as an automobile one does.

Most people should have a battery charger for their cycles. Why, you ask? Well, motorcycles have very small batteries (you may have noticed this). They have a much smaller capacity than their automobile counterparts. These batteries can discharge over time if not maintained on a battery charger, especially during the winter months, when the cold results in a more dramatic/quicker discharge. Also, the stator (alternator) on a cycle doesn't recharge the battery as quickly as an automobile one does.

This tutorial will walk you through the steps of installing a battery ~~tender~~ with ring connectors. The model used here is the [http://www.yuasabatteries.com/chargers.asp Yuasa 900 mA] battery charger, which costs about $35.00. It's readily available online or locally at Wal-Mart, automotive stores, etc. This (and most other) units come with both a ring (permanent) and clip end. We recommend the ring end, as it's safer and easier to use. If you have additional motorcycles, you can buy additional Yuasa ring ends for about $7.00 each. It's easy to install one on each motorcycle and move the ~~tender~~ between them on a rotating basis.

This tutorial will walk you through the steps of installing a battery charger with ring connectors. The model used here is the [http://www.yuasabatteries.com/chargers.asp Yuasa 900 mA] battery charger, which costs about $35.00. It's readily available online or locally at Wal-Mart, automotive stores, etc. This (and most other) units come with both a ring (permanent) and clip end. We recommend the ring end, as it's safer and easier to use. If you have additional motorcycles, you can buy additional Yuasa ring ends for about $7.00 each. It's easy to install one on each motorcycle and move the charger between them on a rotating basis.

Umm... our photographer was still working on his macro technique when these photos were taken. We feel that you can figure everything out, anyway.

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[[Image:Yuasa_13.jpg|150px]]

Notice that the positive side has a RED boot/cover? You have two choices for installation of the POSITIVE (RED) ring connector: either on the outside of the red boot, or from within the red boot. If it's warm when you do this you may be able to push the POSITIVE ring connector through the boot sleeve with the other wires. However, if it's cold the rubber boot will be very stiff, and this won't work. So, cut off the ring connector and then feed the ~~tender~~'s POSITIVE wire through the red boot. You'll then need to crimp a new ring connector to the wire. If you want the easy way (not the preferred way), then you can place the bolt through the RED ring outside the red boot and then through the cycle's POSITIVE connector.

Notice that the positive side has a RED boot/cover? You have two choices for installation of the POSITIVE (RED) ring connector: either on the outside of the red boot, or from within the red boot. If it's warm when you do this you may be able to push the POSITIVE ring connector through the boot sleeve with the other wires. However, if it's cold the rubber boot will be very stiff, and this won't work. So, cut off the ring connector and then feed the charger's POSITIVE wire through the red boot. You'll then need to crimp a new ring connector to the wire. If you want the easy way (not the preferred way), then you can place the bolt through the RED ring outside the red boot and then through the cycle's POSITIVE connector.

Then, insert the bolt into the positive terminal post. You'll find out that the bolt is too short to reach the square nut. The nut falls down when the terminal bolt is loosened.

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 ====Here we go====
-Most people should have a battery tender for their cycles. Why, you ask? Well, motorcycles have very small batteries (you may have noticed this). They have a much smaller capacity than their automobile counterparts. These batteries can discharge over time if not maintained on a battery tender, especially during the winter months, when the cold results in a more dramatic/quicker discharge. Also, the stator (alternator) on a cycle doesn't recharge the battery as quickly as an automobile one does.
+Most people should have a battery charger for their cycles. Why, you ask? Well, motorcycles have very small batteries (you may have noticed this). They have a much smaller capacity than their automobile counterparts. These batteries can discharge over time if not maintained on a battery charger, especially during the winter months, when the cold results in a more dramatic/quicker discharge. Also, the stator (alternator) on a cycle doesn't recharge the battery as quickly as an automobile one does.
-This tutorial will walk you through the steps of installing a battery tender with ring connectors. The model used here is the [http://www.yuasabatteries.com/chargers.asp Yuasa 900 mA] battery charger, which costs about $35.00. It's readily available online or locally at Wal-Mart, automotive stores, etc. This (and most other) units come with both a ring (permanent) and clip end. We recommend the ring end, as it's safer and easier to use. If you have additional motorcycles, you can buy additional Yuasa ring ends for about $7.00 each. It's easy to install one on each motorcycle and move the tender between them on a rotating basis.
+This tutorial will walk you through the steps of installing a battery charger with ring connectors. The model used here is the [http://www.yuasabatteries.com/chargers.asp Yuasa 900 mA] battery charger, which costs about $35.00. It's readily available online or locally at Wal-Mart, automotive stores, etc. This (and most other) units come with both a ring (permanent) and clip end. We recommend the ring end, as it's safer and easier to use. If you have additional motorcycles, you can buy additional Yuasa ring ends for about $7.00 each. It's easy to install one on each motorcycle and move the charger between them on a rotating basis.
 Umm... our photographer was still working on his macro technique when these photos were taken. We feel that you can figure everything out, anyway.
@@ Line 68: / Line 68: @@
 [[Image:Yuasa_13.jpg|150px]]
-Notice that the positive side has a RED boot/cover? You have two choices for installation of the POSITIVE (RED) ring connector: either on the outside of the red boot, or from within the red boot. If it's warm when you do this you may be able to push the POSITIVE ring connector through the boot sleeve with the other wires. However, if it's cold the rubber boot will be very stiff, and this won't work. So, cut off the ring connector and then feed the tender's POSITIVE wire through the red boot. You'll then need to crimp a new ring connector to the wire. If you want the easy way (not the preferred way), then you can place the bolt through the RED ring outside the red boot and then through the cycle's POSITIVE connector.
+Notice that the positive side has a RED boot/cover? You have two choices for installation of the POSITIVE (RED) ring connector: either on the outside of the red boot, or from within the red boot. If it's warm when you do this you may be able to push the POSITIVE ring connector through the boot sleeve with the other wires. However, if it's cold the rubber boot will be very stiff, and this won't work. So, cut off the ring connector and then feed the charger's POSITIVE wire through the red boot. You'll then need to crimp a new ring connector to the wire. If you want the easy way (not the preferred way), then you can place the bolt through the RED ring outside the red boot and then through the cycle's POSITIVE connector.
 Then, insert the bolt into the positive terminal post. You'll find out that the bolt is too short to reach the square nut. The nut falls down when the terminal bolt is loosened.