Providing you would have access to a mains socket you could connect the terminals, plug it in and attempt a cold start when a battery has a problem due to more effort needed in cold weather to start the engine.

But no this is not a jump start machine like below :



This is meant for charging either partially depleted batteries and attempting to resurrect fully depleted batteries as well as maintaining charge on occasional use vehicles.

I would advise anyone avoid jump start machines anyway. Unless you keep their own battery topped up (and lets face it the majority of people will forget on such an 'emergency' occasional use item) they will themselves die from lack of use.

Much better keeping a pair of jump leads in your boot and jump starting your car from a friend/work colleague/kind person own battery in their vehicle, around a tenner at toolstation....keep that in your boot.

These units are very good, I don't use my car much and if I think I won't be using it for say a week or more; I connect this to the battery and it tops it up and conditions the battery so the car's ready to go the next time I need it.

Just bought one, thought I might have been too late, but still available, thanks :smiley:

Don't forget the offer is on from tomorrow guys.

Have not a clue, I have never had a battery permanently on a smart charger on trickle charge.

Problem I have been having over 3 years which has killed two batteries is leaving my bike dormant for a month, battery going dead, charging it with an albeit too powerful 2A charger...a few times of doing that over the course of 1.5 years and the battery eventually does not have enough power charged up to turn over the engine. As my bike is outside (under a weather cover) I do not have the luxury of leaving it permanently on charge.

With a more sensible output of a 0.8A smart charger, and using it once every week or two during periods of inactivity I have every intention of keeping a healthier battery.

Well I'm no battery expert but I literally never use it for months at a time. I've just had to replace it after 3 years but I believe it was in there 2 years with previous owner. So I would consider 5 years usage a decent deal, out of interest how long do your batteries last when you keep them on trickle charge?

I was using occasionally a 2 amp charger (over-amped for a small motorcycle battery..should be charging at around 0.8a), I don't think that helped the life, so yeah I was on the look out for one of these and was going to buy, but I said earlier in the thread I got one of the £25 vouchers from bespoke offers listed on here and used that on a Oxford Oximiser 900 Anniversary instead for just a £3 outlay, else I would have gone for this.

Still a good heads up for everyone else, these yearly deals from Lidl and Aldi get good write ups for those that have used them.

You need one of these chargers! :wink:

You have done well, I am on my third sealed AGM (and I don't plan again because of neglect!) within the 3 years I have owned my bike.

It used to be, but it got replaced with a sealed one. Around 2008 I think? It's survived ever since.

Does it charge stop and go battery? thanks

He was correct in saying don't start it at all if not riding it for the reasons I listed. I just disagreed about leaving the battery for months without charging :smiley:

If your bike is that old I would hazard a guess you may (unless replaced it) be using a lead acid battery that you would have to keep the levels topped up, rather than a sealed AGM battery.

So why say not start it , at all

Aye, that's quite reasonable. I've only ever had to replace my battery once (it's a 1997 bike so it was just old age), but yes a constant smart charge is a good plan. It was more about not starting the bike itself being the bad thing, for the reasons you mention.

Personally would say this is bad advice.

Whilst not starting the bike would be for the best if you have no intention of running it for a couple of reasons.....

Firstly you are not allowing condensation in the oil system to burn off through emissions.
Secondly, you would not be using the alternator at all to recharge the battery.

......it would be terrible for a bike to just sit there for months on end without any sort of battery maintenance. A 'Spring' maintenance on a modern sealed AGM battery after sitting idle for months of end could prove pointless and you requiring a new battery purchase come spring.

Far more sensible to use a battery charger once every week or two to keep the battery in shape if not using the bike at all, or for that matter if even used occasionally. Or for that matter if garaged to leave on permanently on top-up charge to keep it in shape on a smart charger that will avoid overcharging, like this very one from Aldi.

Unless you're actually getting it up to temperature and taking it for a run, I'd recommend not starting it at all. Mine sits in the garage all winter, the only maintenance it needs in the spring is a recharge of the battery due to the alarm discharging it.

Its a bit naughty of Aldi to say it suits all batteries. Battery chargers come in different types , suitable for up to 2000 cc vehicles, up to 3500 cc vehicles, etc. as bigger the vehicle usually the more amp hours the battery.
Most chargers come with reverse polarity protection but they vary on whether they have a guage or how many led lights show you the state of charge.

Refund. I might have just got a duff one and the rest are ok, but I dont want a charger that I cant rely on just because its cheap...

Keep your receipt if you buy one... mine only lasted 3 weeks, barely charged a motorcycle battery and then died after 2nd use

Do you n ed to get plug into mains

That to me defies logic...what sort of battery have you in your bike?!?! Certainly would not work with sealed AGM batteries. You are usually lucky to get over 1 month with a battery without it being flat. Repeatedly doing this even with charging will reduce the life span of your battery. I know, I had one replaced under warranty, and another gone through the same amount of neglect within the span of 3 years.

​How many winters have you been using this technique because it will eventually fail you, unless you are keeping your bike in a garage (even unheated).

I don't have a luxury of a garage so I kept it in a friends shed for 2 months, battery was a compete goner when I came to ride it home, jump start sorted it but the battery was permanently damaged and wouldn't charge above 12.4v and really struggled with starting, think the CCA had been reduced drastically too

I don't get this trickle charge milarky. I never use my bike between Oct and Apr and I never have a problem with the battery.

They probably use the internals of the LIDL 'Ulimate Speed' chargers as they did an LCD version. I had 2 of the LCD versions though - and they both stopped charging after a few Months - but the non LCD versions are still going strong years later. Oh and if you chop the clips off and solder on a male cigarette lighter socket you can charge within the car/van :wink:

Cheers, I'll be picking one up hopefully, track bike will be un-used all winter.

Can these be used for a Leisure battery (i.e. caravan battery) ?

I put a link to the manual in the first post. :smiley:

Actually I just found an old post from 2 years ago, with a bit more info here..

LCD/LED display: Battery voltage display, charging status display, cold weather charging, fault & mains lights, standby symbol, 3 year warranty.

4 charge modes including pulse charging, microprocessor controlled.
3.8 Amps at 12v trickle charging.
6 volt: 1.2Ah-14Ah.
12 volt:14Ah-120Ah.
Will charge gel batteries.
6 volt auto detect.
Similar to CTEK chargers.

Will this work with Dry Charge, Gel and Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries?

Heat, thanks OP!

Apologies if this is a stupid question, but would this unit be suitable to keep in the boot in case a jump start is required?

Could be worse, could be outside like my bike, however I keep mine under a thermal weather covering all year when parked up. With a garage (providing you have electric in your garage) you have the advantage of leaving it attached for trickle maintenance charging keeping the battery levels permanently topped up.

My poor old r6 will be in a cold garage .
First time I've had a bike in a garage over winter , can I trouble you for anymore advice .
I will be googling it as well , to tr and keep it something like

At the price it makes sense to be honest. Unless forecasts are grossly incorrect, I am talking from experience here.....leaving a bike battery to drain will kill the battery eventually, best you keep it in tip top shape by top up charging it every week or two if your bike is kept outside, or even better if in a garage keeping it on maintenance charge.

Thanks ,I will buy one .
Doubt the bike will be moving an inch in winter , brrrrr

Thanks op, been waiting for these to come up as you know :smiley:

If you intend starting the bike every week and riding it (starting it is not enough) then your bikes alternator will keep the battery charged up. Just bear in mind if forecasts are correct we could be in for a heavy snow winter, these things are always useful to have.

I doubt harm would come to the charger for attempting to start the bike with it attached, but really why would you unless your battery was weak and you were having trouble getting it to start because of it? Also you would need to disconnect before riding away :smiley:

One thing that some of the dedicated motorcycle chargers do have like the one I have just bought are fly leads you can connect to the battery for quick connect/disconnects.

Something would be damaged somewhere if you started it with it connected.

You know a lot more about these things than me :smiley:
Curious if I could start the bike with this connected or if it would damage the charger.
I do intend starting the bike every week so now wondering if I need this at all

Need a trickle charger for motorbike , this looks like ideal.
Thanks op

These units are very good, I don't use my car much and if I think I won't be using it for say a week or more; I connect this to the battery and it tops it up and conditions the battery so the car's ready to go the next time I need it.

I purchased this last year, used on a number of occasions and it done the job! Worth the money

[Manual] (Australian but same function)