Connected

[Anonymous]

Anyone know if you can keep an Optimate 3 battery charger on continually over winter months without diconecting the earth terminal, without  damage to battery or car.

Manual says earth should be diconected before charging and remove battery filler plugs.
On my Fireblade bike it was not necessary to diconnect earth terminal while charging with Optimate 3.
Just wondreing if it is the way the Optimate charges i.e. diognostic charge, which prevents any damage.

[Slacey]

Hmmm, not sure - it should be OK I reckon - when you jump-start a car, you are always supposed to connect the negative jump lead to an earthing point on the vehicle, so what Optimate says makes sense.

Also like you, I have an Optimate on my ZX6-R, and that's been sat for nearly 12 months   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  with no problems, although both terminals are connected.

[Anonymous]

Thats what I can't get my head round, what difference is there to the electrics on a bike to a car, surely todays modern tech machines are capable of Optimates charge levels without disconnecting the earth.   s:? :? s:?

[Anonymous]

Contacted local dealer today explaining I needed to charge battery using a diognostic charger i.e. Optimate 3. he says, officially, yes you should disconnect earth terminal as it could damage ECU etc, unofficially he personnally would'nt disconnect earth terminal.

Now I know exactly what to do !!!