what size car battery do I use if I mount the battery in the side car? I have a HD FLHTC with the stock battery under the seat. I plan to mount a car battery in the back of the sidecar.
Size is not important unless you are using it for ballast, then the larger the better.
Get one that fits well into a marine battery box and strap it down. Some go parallel with the bike battery but I usually use just the car battery since they are much cheaper and have lots more amp hours for cranking and accessories.
Lonnie
oldriders - 2/1/2010 1:49 PM
what size car battery do I use if I mount the battery in the side car? I have a HD FLHTC with the stock battery under the seat. I plan to mount a car battery in the back of the sidecar.
I agree that it should be a standard sized car battery. Are you planning on leaving the standard battery in place and using the additional battery in parallel with the original battery?
I have three bikea with hannigan on them. 1 HD and two wings... all with car batteries. One is parallel with the originia and other two are the only battery. No problems with either way.
HOG - 2/1/2010 8:01 PM
I have three bikea with hannigan on them. 1 HD and two wings... all with car batteries. One is parallel with the originia and other two are the only battery. No problems with either way.
That sounds good. The battery is good ballast, too.
Great idea! 😉
If you're going to use a car battery, you should consider using a gel cell that doesn't (normally) vent, causing corrosion. I picked up an Optima "blue top" RV battery for ~$100 from the local Interstate battery shop. It was a "blem" - perfectly good battery with a slight scuff that kept them from selling it as new. Came with a one year warranty too. Lots of power and no worries about acid. Now I'm running two Optima "red top" 6volt batteries, tied together in series to provide 12v and plenty o'amps in a smaller package.
That is what I have in my three Hannigans. Blue top Optima, bought at Sams. U got a great price!! I just bought a 2,000/4000 watt inverter today, so i can hook up a heater or other access. as needed. Couldn't use that on a reg bike battery!!!
Yeah - you never know unless you ask. I'd priced them at a local automotive parts store and it was over $180 plus core charge plus tax... I got the blem plus custom length battery cables w/crimped and soldered terminal ends, glue-filled heatshrink to seal them up, all for under $150 (8.6% tax included).
Inverters are a great deal at pricemart. you get them now up to 3000W for 375$
And it is a blast to work with electric tools just where you want. No need to search for the next electric supply and long extension cords.
Only take into account that all current has to come from the alternator......
In my case with Jawa as soon I switch on the head light I draw down the battery because together with the position lights of the sidecar I surpass already the alternators output.
So after 1 hour at night time the light seems t drop down to the ground right in front of the wheel...
I do not think that a bigger battery would help in my case for much more then a few minutes more light.
Best regards
Sven
My unit is parallel to bike battery. I used welding cable to route to bike battery enclosing hack wires with it in a protective plastic casing. R100 has only 18amp output at best even with all the little tweeks. I run 4 brake/tail lights and 3 headlights. The extra two headlights are even height, as an auto, one on left engine guard the other on right side of sidecar . Many times at night I use only them. Brake lights are on hack fender, bike fender, and one each on top-box and top of Velorex 700 which makes them even in height.
My battery is a compact one from NAPA , strapped and boxed behind hack seat.
One of my projects is to put a car alternator on the R100. I have rotor already turned, the pulley , wee Nippon alternator from a homebuilt airplane application and a start on the bracket which I will fit inside the RT lower on the left side. THEN, I can get a voltage transformer, too. Ya just can never have enough power.
Make sure to anchor it down and be able to get at it easily. Wire size is an important factor too.
Will most motorcycle charging systems charge a car battery satisfactorily? I have a V-Star 1100 with a Hannigan Classic sidecar.
Any charger whether in a bike, auto, boat or even bench charger can charge a battery. There are a few things to consider in the word 'charge'. To charge, the alternator has to put out more amps than is being taken out of the battery. Most bike makers use alternators that will keep the battery charged when using all of the factory lights and accessories. But, when additional or substitute
accessories (lights or radios, or whatever) the alternator may have a hard time maintaining the the load and charging at the same time. You can substitute LED bulbs to reduce the draw on running lights, brake lights and signals. 55w-60w (translates to 5.5-6 amps) driving/fog lights take a big chunk of alternator output. There are after market power alternators for many bikes, but those are hi-$. Your bike specs should indicate the alternator out put and possibly the watts of each light and accessory. My bike is '77 R100RT BMW . Both Chilton's and Haynes list each stock bulb wattage. To determine how much charge you have left over from the alternator, simply add the bulbs' load together. My stock alternator puts out about 17-18 amps @3K rpm (slow criuse), and running the stock headlight, tallight and blinkers, I can get away with 2 more tail/brake lights and 2 25 watt fog lights as long as I am not in too much stop and go traffic. My volt meter tells me when I need to turn off the extra fog lights to conserve the battery ( including the car battery). I will eventually get LED taillight bulbs to gain a couple of out-put amps. My battery has never let me down ...knock on wood. The extra car battery can last much longer in an 'overload' (more than alternator puts out) than any little bike battery...hard starts, extra brake lights, hack heater, heated grips, etc.
I also keep a small battery maintainer on the bike when it sits for more than a couple of days. So, yes the bike alternator can charge a car battery but no it can't put out more amps than it is designed to generate. Maybe this helps some.
The voltages are identical, so only the charging is limited by the lower amperage of the bike alternator. In every case you install a car battery , you will get much better cranking force because the car battery will not loose voltage while starting the engine. And who cares if you reload the battery in 5 or 15 minutes?
Only show off coffee racers might worry about it. because they have to stop for to pee after 5 minutes again.
Motorcycle means it wants to spin its wheels.
Have fun
Sven 🙂 😉 😉
Yo, SVEN, get some LED bulbs and reduce the load. LEDS draw onlt about 1/10th of regular bulbs.
I have a dream of putting a car alternator on the R100. I've seeen it done a couple of times. Maybe you could run one off the JAWA tire, like an old bicycle generator.
I dreamin' of a reverse made to run off of a tire. I'm gettin' to old to push uphill.
......................
oldriders,
Mine (BMW R100RT/ Velorex700) is a small high powered battery from NAPA. A Harley can pull a BIG OLE battery. If weight and space are not an issue , get a marine deep cycle battery....the bigger the better. Be sure to use large cables like in a car( mine is 1/4" welding cable) or you will lose amps to heat loss..or melt the wire.
