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chipperdoo2
Guest
My new to me '04 GSA seems to be cranking a little weak and I want charge up the battery. It's an Exide BMW gel battery. Is a battery tender going to be ok for the job? My first time with a gel.
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twintoaster2
New member
Gel Battery
You need a battery charger for gel batteries. Yes it must say for gel batteries on the charger. This is my first gel battery on my 04 R1150R and sofar I have not had any problems. After every ride that brings me back home I put it back on the charger. The charger I'm using is from BMW. It seemed weird at first. I could go out and ride for an hour come home and put the charger on and the red light would come on the charger saying it was charging. I thought my alternator was going bad. That wasn't it. You have to charge a gel battery slowly. So the BMW charger was starting out on the lowest setting. Hope that answers your question. JT
You need a battery charger for gel batteries. Yes it must say for gel batteries on the charger. This is my first gel battery on my 04 R1150R and sofar I have not had any problems. After every ride that brings me back home I put it back on the charger. The charger I'm using is from BMW. It seemed weird at first. I could go out and ride for an hour come home and put the charger on and the red light would come on the charger saying it was charging. I thought my alternator was going bad. That wasn't it. You have to charge a gel battery slowly. So the BMW charger was starting out on the lowest setting. Hope that answers your question. JT
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
You can use any automatic charger/maintainer that cuts out at 14.4 volts before going to float mode, which is the vast majority of them. I've been using a YUASA Hot Shot 12V 900 mA battery maintainer since I bought my 03 GSA. That battery is now in its 5th year and going strong, but then, I usually get 8 years out of my motorcycle batteries, more out of my car batteries.
Use the Battery Tender Selection Guide and see if your unit is listed as so called "approved". The Battery Tender Plus seems to be.
A battery charger for gel batteries? BMW didn't switch alternators when they switched to gel batteries, so .... think about that one.
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BUBBAZANETTI
Guest
yup
the cheapo battery tender jr works just fine, been using it on my bmw gel battery for 2+ years.
weak cranking may mean its time for a new battery, your charging system should bring the battery "up to par" after any ride of 20 plus miles. my bmw gel battery seemed to work wonderfully all this past winter, 2 or 3 weeks with no charging and cold new england temps and the bike would fire right up.
twintoaster2
New member
Charging
My gel is three years old and works fine as well as the BMW charger plug it in and let it go. As for alternators I called My mechanic at the dealer and asked him why BMW is not using a special alternator. The alternator is there to supply power to accessories (lights,heated grips,etc..), to recharge the battery after the motor has started and any loss during operation. There is no real gain to making a new alternator just better voltage regulators to smooth the power flow. He also pointed out that you will still have power spikes from your accessories being turned on and off. So do you need a special charger for a gel battery. Don't go by what I say. Read your manual or ask the mechanic at the dealer to get the facts.
My gel is three years old and works fine as well as the BMW charger plug it in and let it go. As for alternators I called My mechanic at the dealer and asked him why BMW is not using a special alternator. The alternator is there to supply power to accessories (lights,heated grips,etc..), to recharge the battery after the motor has started and any loss during operation. There is no real gain to making a new alternator just better voltage regulators to smooth the power flow. He also pointed out that you will still have power spikes from your accessories being turned on and off. So do you need a special charger for a gel battery. Don't go by what I say. Read your manual or ask the mechanic at the dealer to get the facts.
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