Battery/Optimiser help

[ToGGoT]

Hi guys, been away for a while, but the summer sun (and moving house and getting a decent sized shed) has encouraged me to drag the BMW back out of my parents garage.

I've been a bit naughty, because i haven't paid it any attention since the insurance expired ~september last year, and i didn't have the luxury of a battery conditioner to leave it connected to at the time.

So, typically, the battery (Which is only about 18 months old) is completely flat! The bike has a digital clock which reads all the time, and that was still reading, but faintly, but there wasn't any point in even bothering to crank her over.

I've had the battery out, and borrowed a Datatool Conditioner from my brother, and had it all connected over the weekend.


Now, reading the manual, the battery (12v 30ah) should take an absolute maximum of 20 hours to charge - i left it on all weekend, and it had just about managed to push the voltage up to 13.3v.

It is supposed to bulk charge to 14.3v, then revert to absorption charging at 13.6v, so i disconnected it, and let the charger cool overnight. Then volt tested the battery (12.5v), and reconnected it. This morning i went out, and i only have a power light on the charger, which the manual suggests you only get if the battery is deeply sulphated, and unable to charge at all - which i don't believe is the case, as it is bulk charging ok.

Disconnect, and reconnect, and i briefly get the orange light, and 14.4v across the volt meter, then VERY briefly get a green light, which should mean absorption, then only a power light, and the battery voltage quickly drops to around 13.3v.


Now, i have a brief recollection of one of our chargers being a little "iffy" during the winter before last, so there is a possibility that it was this one - but is there any other tests/battery maintenance i can do which is likely to help this battery? The 30ah ones are quite expensive, and i cant afford to MOT, Tax, Insure, and buy a battery this month...

Cheers for any help!

ToGGoT
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2005 BMW R1150R