I have a standard (not gel) BMW battery and am wondering if my Battery Tender trickle charger will kill the battery? Also what volt setting to do a slow charge?

Any help is always greatly appreciated!

A regular trickle charge will work just fine.....I wouldn't go much over 2 amperes for fear of boiling over the battery but you should be OK.................just my $ .02............maybe someone else has a different opinion, but I think your safe..................

Can't remember if my BT Plus has an option to set the charge... usually you just plug it in and you are good to go so long as you read the light setting properly.

Mugz

My guess (not knowing exactly what you have) is you are ok. If its a smart charger with a maintenance mode your lead/acid battery will be just fine. If you have doubt you could just unplug it during the week and plug it in on the weekends.

Walmart has a nice charger, Schumacher SC-600A. $29.95.

I have two Battery Tender Plus units. They are plug and forget units which can be left on all the time if you desire. One is on the K1200LT while I'm not riding this winter(it has an AGM battery from Batteries Plus) and the second unit is on a Z4 in storage with the original auto battery from BMW. Both vehicles have been maintained like this in the winter with zero problems. I'm coming up on the 5th winter on both vehicles vwith storage in December and returning to service in March.

It sucks to be in the Montana snows but I have no worries in the spring.

Try it, you'll like it.

I have been using the Black and Decker battery tender I got at Walmart 2 years ago for $19.95. No problems so far

The battery is 12 volts. The settings you have on the charger are likely for amperage unless it says 6 and 12. A true "float charger" turns off and on as needed and will not damage the battery. The exception to this is if you use a lead acid deep cycle voltage on a gel battery. The gel batteries cannot tolerate the voltages in the upper 14 volt range and need to be regulated around 14.0 give or take a couple of tenths. For what it's worth, the voltage regulator on my LT cuts out at 13.7 to 13.8. Hook it up and see where it floats.

BMW will tell you that you need a BMW "ADVANCED" charger...
I find it hard to believe that there aren't others that are equivalent though I am sure there are MANY that are not.
Depending on how old your battery is you may just want to get a new sealed AGM battery which I believe to be less sensitive and last nearly or just as long and cost about half the gel price.

Jason,

You are so right. I have a 6 year old AGM battery which is still going strong. It's great technology, vibration resistant, can be installed upside down if need be, holds a charge longer with less discharge over time, etc. I wouldn't buy anything else.
B

A barebones trickle charger can be used to "tend" a lead acid battery by plugging it into one of those timers that are used to turn house lights on and off.

I use a el-cheapo trickle charger as a tender by having it come on for less than an hour every day. It's been working for years.