Running multiple accessories from a battery
Discussion
Morning all
As the title says, how many 'toys' is a safe option for running off a bikes battery. At the moment theres only heated grips and a quickshifter to lob on but if you start adding thinga like satnavs and the such is there really a limit before the battery becomes bogged down and can no longer do its job?
As the title says, how many 'toys' is a safe option for running off a bikes battery. At the moment theres only heated grips and a quickshifter to lob on but if you start adding thinga like satnavs and the such is there really a limit before the battery becomes bogged down and can no longer do its job?
Not so much a question of "the battery getting bogged down", but the alternator not being able to keep up with the demands.
What's the total current draw of everything you're planning to fit? Look for watts on the labels/spec sheets/boxes and divide by 12 to get amps. Add 'em all together.
What's the output of the alternator?
What's the total current draw of everything you're planning to fit? Look for watts on the labels/spec sheets/boxes and divide by 12 to get amps. Add 'em all together.
What's the output of the alternator?
TooMany2cvs said:
Not so much a question of "the battery getting bogged down", but the alternator not being able to keep up with the demands.
What's the total current draw of everything you're planning to fit? Look for watts on the labels/spec sheets/boxes and divide by 12 to get amps. Add 'em all together.
What's the output of the alternator?
That's the answer What's the total current draw of everything you're planning to fit? Look for watts on the labels/spec sheets/boxes and divide by 12 to get amps. Add 'em all together.
What's the output of the alternator?
SatNav/Phones/ipods etc will have a TINY draw and not be worth considering.
Heated stuff will have the biggest power consumption, followed by any extra lights - go LED where you can to reduce the load. HIDs are often lower power consumption than standard (35W rather than 55).
As said at the end of the day its down to whether the alternator can produce what you are using.
Heated stuff will have the biggest power consumption, followed by any extra lights - go LED where you can to reduce the load. HIDs are often lower power consumption than standard (35W rather than 55).
As said at the end of the day its down to whether the alternator can produce what you are using.
Only time I've really has problems was using a Triumph Tiger (the big, mid '90s 885 triple) on the Elefant Rally. Was running heated grips and a heated jacket at full blast. The last 20 miles or so were on snow covered roads in the dark, so at very low speeds and very low revs.
When we got there I had an almost flat battery as during the last bit of the ride clearly I'd been draining more than charging. I had to run the thing at a fast idle for about an hour, and even then it was touch and go in the morning (people on s
te old bikes just light fires under their sumps).
For the rest of the trip I disconnected one of the (twin) low beams.
When we got there I had an almost flat battery as during the last bit of the ride clearly I'd been draining more than charging. I had to run the thing at a fast idle for about an hour, and even then it was touch and go in the morning (people on s
te old bikes just light fires under their sumps).For the rest of the trip I disconnected one of the (twin) low beams.
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