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Battery replacement on 09 RT


MoteroNC

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It looks like it is time to replace my original battery on my 09 1200 RT. I have seen some recommend the PC680 but was looking for any experience on weather it is best to stick with the original battery.

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28 minutes ago, MoteroNC said:

It looks like it is time to replace my original battery on my 09 1200 RT. I have seen some recommend the PC680 but was looking for any experience on weather it is best to stick with the original battery.

Evening MoteroNC

 

A lot us have had great success with the PC-680 as the 1200 hexhead has enough charging voltage to keep it happy. 

 

As far as the original battery goes?-- I am definitely against that as the original battery was a Gel battery & those are just too finicky to be anywhere near  the top of my list.

 

 

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thank you. I noticed the CCA on the PC680 is lower so that was my concern which looks like a non issue. Any limitations on chargers you are using on the PC680 to keep it healthy during the winter?

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28 minutes ago, MoteroNC said:

thank you. I noticed the CCA on the PC680 is lower so that was my concern which looks like a non issue. Any limitations on chargers you are using on the PC680 to keep it healthy during the winter?

Evening MoteroNC

 

It is difficult to compare CCA between the PC-680 & a conventional starting battery as the PC-680 is sort of an outlier as it is combination of a starting battery & a deep cycle battery.

 

The peak CCA is rated a bit lower (possibly due to using a different pull-down voltage for CCA measurement ) but it has enough cranking amperage to easily start the  BMW 1200RT even in very cold weather.    The PC-680's claim to fame is it's ability to still function with good cold cranking amps even after a large number of heavy discharge cycles that would about kill a conventional AGM battery.

 

If the CCA of both a conventional starting battery  & a comparable PC-680 was measured at 1 year of usage the PC-680 would kick the conventional battery's butt. 

  

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26 minutes ago, MoteroNC said:

thank you. I noticed the CCA on the PC680 is lower so that was my concern which looks like a non issue. Any limitations on chargers you are using on the PC680 to keep it healthy during the winter?

I use a CTEK MXS 5.0 for maintaining the PC680 in my 04 1100S. Was one recommended by Odyssey.

 

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, MoteroNC said:

 Any limitations on chargers you are using on the PC680 to keep it healthy during the winter?

Odyssey has a list of recommended chargers, available here, along with lots of other technical info.  Their recommended method for long term (up to 2 years) and winter storage is to disconnect the battery to stop parasitic drains and then just let it sit. 

 

A charger for a PC-680 should be able to provide 14.7 volts at 6 to 10 amps until the battery is fully charged, and then float at 13.6 volts.  My RTs voltage does not get up to 14.7V, so I'll occasionally top it off with an old automotive charger that has a 14.7V setting, and then switch over to an Optimate 4 that provides the correct float voltage.

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16 hours ago, lkraus said:

A charger for a PC-680 should be able to provide 14.7 volts at 6 to 10 amps until the battery is fully charged, and then float at 13.6 volts.  My RTs voltage does not get up to 14.7V, so I'll occasionally top it off with an old automotive charger that has a 14.7V setting, and then switch over to an Optimate 4 that provides the correct float voltage.

Morning Larry  

 

Technically the PC 680 doesn't need to see 14.7v to keep it properly  charged, that 14.7v  is  for the battery at  (about) 77°f.  So a maintainer charger should be in that range (and temperature compensated) this is for maintenance charging a parked motorcycle in decent storage temps. 

 

With the PC-680  mounted in the motorcycle (above the hot engine)  it takes a lower charging voltage to keep it charged. The battery, when mounted in the 1200RT (hexhead) motorcycle & ridden in moderate weather, it is probably operating at WELL over 110°f-120°f (probably even higher than that) so the 1200RT alternator output seems  to output enough voltage to do that. The 1200RT supposedly has a temperature compensated regulator but it still outputs well over 14 volts at hot riding temps (at least my personal 1200RT & 1200GS-A does). Is the temperature charging offset perfect?, probably not, but it does seem close enough to  keep my Odysseys fully charged while riding. 

 

I do winter-store  with the battery disconnected with (if I think of it) one mid winter top off with a temperature compensated 14.7v (nominal) charger (not left on a maintainer but just an overnight charge). 

 

If you want more info on the battery temperature vs charging voltage just poke around on the Odyssey web site as it is there somewhere, or at least it was at one time   (look for a battery temp vs charging voltage) graph. 

 

 

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