I just bought a new battery charger. It is one of those digital charges that has multiple charging rates and computerized battery assessment features. It has a low charge rate of 4 amps.
Now, I am aware that the conventional wisdom is that you should not charge a motorcycle battery (or any battery) at a rate that is greater than 1/10th the AH rating. In the case of the ST1300 stock battery, that's 1.2 amps.
Now, I know that the digital charger will assess the current state of the battery and the charging rate will be adjusted accordingly. The 4 amp charge rate is only a hard limit, not what it will actually charge the battery at.
I have been using an older charger that has a variable rate and a 2 amp rate mode, that has worked fine in the past. But it has gone 'missing' from my garage.
So, my question is, what does the voltage regulator on the ST1300's alternator actually limit the charge rate to at the battery? The alternator can put out a max of something like 60 amps. I'm guessing that it would not do that at the battery. But I find it hard to believe that it is also limited to 1.5 amps maximum when the bike is running at highways speeds and you've run the battery down trying to get the bike to start.
Now, I am aware that the conventional wisdom is that you should not charge a motorcycle battery (or any battery) at a rate that is greater than 1/10th the AH rating. In the case of the ST1300 stock battery, that's 1.2 amps.
Now, I know that the digital charger will assess the current state of the battery and the charging rate will be adjusted accordingly. The 4 amp charge rate is only a hard limit, not what it will actually charge the battery at.
I have been using an older charger that has a variable rate and a 2 amp rate mode, that has worked fine in the past. But it has gone 'missing' from my garage.
So, my question is, what does the voltage regulator on the ST1300's alternator actually limit the charge rate to at the battery? The alternator can put out a max of something like 60 amps. I'm guessing that it would not do that at the battery. But I find it hard to believe that it is also limited to 1.5 amps maximum when the bike is running at highways speeds and you've run the battery down trying to get the bike to start.