Charger advice please

AJB · Post by **AJB** » Tue May 27, 2008 12:44 pm

I need a trickle charger for a R1100S.

Vines of Guildford only sell the workshop charger, which is £110.45 and suitable for later gel batteries. The girl there (Penny - extremely helpful on the phone) suggested Optimate.

I would like to plug the charger straight into the accessory socket on the BMW ideally.

Nippy Normans has an Indimate charger.

I know nothing about the different types. What would you guys recommend I do.

(By the way, I already have a heavy duty car charger / starter unit in my workshop that will start large auto engines or trickle charge them).

Thanks.

horse27 · Post by **horse27** » Tue May 27, 2008 12:54 pm

I have an Optimate (SP3) and can't fault it.

Have the sockets wired to all of my bikes so I just plug it in when required.

They also do an Optional BMW (DIN?) connector for less than £10 which should plug direct to your power socket I guess.

You can get one of eBay for about £35 I think.

Cheers.

tripe · Post by **tripe** » Tue May 27, 2008 12:55 pm

I've got the Optimate with the BMW accessory socket attachment.
It does what it says on the box!
H

skiddy boxers · Post by **skiddy boxers** » Tue May 27, 2008 12:59 pm

I use an optimate. Bike is connected all the time it is in the garage.

Connected the leads direct to the battery and managed to do it without removing the tank for access. Leads come with a connector. Ran them through to leave the connector exposed just under the right hand side of the seat. Attach the optimate, plug it in and job's a good 'un.

Nick

Boxered · Post by **Boxered** » Tue May 27, 2008 2:11 pm

Optimate for me too, I have the pig tail lead direct from the battery, and I too always have it connected when the bikes not being ridden.

Steve

Ruffy · Post by **Ruffy** » Tue May 27, 2008 3:23 pm

Optimate for me too with BMW accseory plug attatched on the bike

AJB · Post by **AJB** » Tue May 27, 2008 3:54 pm

No experience of the Inimate then? I was attracted to it because I understand it plus straight into the socket on the bike.

peter f · Post by **peter f** » Tue May 27, 2008 4:25 pm

CTEK XS 3600 (http://www.ctek.com/EN-GB/Charger-Academy.aspx) + BMW side adapter.

In theory this works with CAN-bus. In reality...erm...requires some rather weird steps to use that convenient socket. Other than that the charger is the best around.

horse27 · Post by **horse27** » Wed May 28, 2008 7:13 am

AJB ... the Optimate does plug directly into your socket ... as long as you get the optional 'accessory plug lead' for £8.99

See site for details:
http://www.optimate.co.uk/

AJ · Post by AJ » Wed May 28, 2008 2:49 pm

Optimate for me too

They come with all the leads and there's shed loads on fleabay ... http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search. ... e=optimate

Blackal · Post by **Blackal** » Wed May 28, 2008 3:31 pm

Optimate do a rubber capped plug lead that connects straight to the battery posts. It sits unobtrusively below the seat, and frees up the conventional socket. Also - it will allow you to connect up a conventional charger (with its higher output) without worrying about current flow through the (fused) socket.

Al