Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

[ratdude747]

I'm currently fixing up a scooter and one thing I'd like to add to it is some sort of built-in trickle charger.

Presently, the only way to trickle charge the battery is by removing the floor mat and a bunch of screws on the battery cover... But what I'd like to do is make some way to make this less tedious, as keeping the battery on a trickle charger is reccommended for scooters.

I had a couple of ideas:

1. add some sort (weatherproofed) connector that an off-the-shelf trickle charger could connect to, with a matching connector added.

2. (even better IMHO) add a weatherproofed male NEMA connector for an extension cord (or other 120V weatherproofed conenctor for a long modular cord) and a status LED or 2 and internally mount an off the shelf or homebrew trickle charger.

Has anybody actually done this mod? Do higher end scooters have these built in?

What do you all suggest as an approach?

Larry

[popeye]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

Hi

What type of scooter are we talking about? If it is a mobility scooter like mine the charger enters trickle charge when batteries are full.

[ratdude747]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

Hi

What type of scooter are we talking about? If it is a mobility scooter like mine the charger enters trickle charge when batteries are full.

If you saw the link, it's a 50CC Scooter for road use. Well, 72CC now (installed a big bore kit since the existing upper motor was trashed).

[stj]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

well if nothing is across the battery constantly - like a clock or alarm for example.
then either is an option - only space is the limiting factor.

an internal charger could be a safety issue, unless it's in a waterproof case inside the bike though - driving rain, morning condensation etc can get into a lot of places.

if you need waterproof locking connectors, there are loads of those too - again, it's down to available space.

dont forget to use the right colour cable (yellow) and "arctic" rated if it's outdoors.

[ratdude747]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

Sounds like external is the way to go. Weatherproof connector suggestions?

[ron350]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

I would suggest a battery maintainer like the Battery Tender or Battery Minder that matches your specific battery. I think walmart sells the Battery Tender brand.


http://batterytender.com/products.html

http://www.batteryminders.com/catego...otorcycle.html

[ratdude747]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

I would suggest a battery maintainer like the Battery Tender or Battery Minder that matches your specific battery. I think walmart sells the Battery Tender brand.


http://batterytender.com/products.html

http://www.batteryminders.com/catego...otorcycle.html

I already have a harbor frieght charger. This is more about making it less tedious once the scooter is rebuilt, not finding a charger per se.

[stj]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

re waterproof connectors.
any idea on maximum current?

[ratdude747]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

I did see this:



The one bummer is that the plug is only rated for 5A while it would be cool if the internal NC switch could do the 7A (based on a fuse spec) the non-starter circuitry handles. the reason being that I could route the power wire past the fuse to the switch, and make it so one couldn't overload the the charger by powering up the scooter... if that's even a good idea.

[ratdude747]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

re waterproof connectors.
any idea on maximum current?

The issue I saw with those is that they are waterproof at the wrong time... I want it waterproof(resistant) with nothing connected (when I'm on the road riding through a storm)...when the maintainer is hooked up, I could care less (as it's in the garage or otherwise protected).

[stj]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

a lot of those have a sprung cap with a gasket in them.
but they are for mains - i assume we are now looking at 12v?

[stj]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

these look both pretty good, and cheap.
http://www.rapidonline.com/cables-co...nectors-538679

and you may find this handy.

btw, if you get the 3pin, you can use the 3rd pin for other stuff, like feedback so the charger knows it's connected.
or a loopback to trip an alarm if it's unplugged.
loads of uses.

[ratdude747]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

a lot of those have a sprung cap with a gasket in them.
but they are for mains - i assume we are now looking at 12v?

Yes, more like 13V more or less but yeah, not mains.

I only need 2 pins btw, but I may get as many as 5+ if the cost is the same... if I wanted to use it as a multiuse connector or something... not so much an alarm as the scooter has locking steering... I was thinking more along the lines of a tach or relay for the 7a line... but whatever, I'll look into the ip68 rated connectors listed.

[SteveNielsen]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

I'm curious, what is considered a trickle charge for a lead-acid battery? For example I have a battery charger that is switchable from 2A to 6A, is the 2A setting a trickle charge?

[stj]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

i would say a 50th of the battery capacity at most.

so it would take 2 days to charge a flat battery.

[ratdude747]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

these look both pretty good, and cheap.
http://www.rapidonline.com/cables-co...nectors-538679

and you may find this handy.

btw, if you get the 3pin, you can use the 3rd pin for other stuff, like feedback so the charger knows it's connected.
or a loopback to trip an alarm if it's unplugged.
loads of uses.

Not avail. in the USA apparently... and UK shipping is $$$... damn it.

Now to find a USA sourceable equivlent...

[stj]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

Cliff is a top brand,
i'm sure you can find a source in the u.s.

[ratdude747]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

Cliff is a top brand,
i'm sure you can find a source in the u.s.

from what I saw the only US seller was Newark, which listed it as UK stock only (at $20 per ounce to ship to the US). I did look.

[stj]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

well maybe bulgin bucaneer series has something.

[SteveNielsen]

Re: Internal trickle charger for a Scooter

So, is 2amp considered a trickle charge or not?