Re: battery tender

[ColoradoGSRider@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 12/14/03 1:19:45 PM Mountain Standard Time, 
lodahl@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

> Topping up the battery didn't help, BTW.  It may be toast.  I'm going to 
> try
> a bigger charger, and if that doesn't help, Odyssey may have gained another
> customer.
> 

A "bigger" charger may not be the answer, Martin. TPCutter hinted at what I 
see as the likely culprit... a battery whose plates are heavily sulfated. This 
is a chemical reaction which occurs over time under the right set of 
circumstances. What I think you need to do is "wake" the battery by de-sulfating the 
plates, then begin your standard charging procedure.

This process begins by subjecting the battery to a high amperage charging 
process for a period of 5 to 15 minutes. Once the crust on the plates has been 
broken through, normal charging should work for you unless the battery has 
simply reached the end of it's life cycle.

And for the record, I've read tests of the Odyssey battery that make me 
question whether it's all it's cracked up to be. I'm not sure this isn't one of 
those items that has gained a reputation which isn't necessarily deserved... 
kinda like Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Brian in Boulder
'01 BMW R1150GS
'02 Yamaha WR426F
'87 Honda ATC250ES

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