trickle charger will not stuff a battery... the trickle charger will charge the battery to 100% then stop .. it will then kick back in when the battery drops power..
I have mine on trickle all the time...
I'm afraid the short answer is probably Yes.
The testing of the charging system and the voltage regulator is an important step to ensure it is also OK too.
Low temperatures do affect a batteries voltage and it's ability to provide the required voltage and current flow, but to kill a healthy battery you need to be in Sub Polar Bear Country, my old Z900 used to start at sparrow fart time with no problems after being outside in -7 temps overnight with a garbage bag over the seat.
Low Battery voltage also causes issues with EFI operation.
While "free" battery voltage is important and does give an indication of the state of battery charge, the true test for a battery is done with a load tester, this places a high load (like when you are cranking over an engine) on the battery to see if it hay any "Guts" to it. A battery with a healthy free charge voltage of say 13 volts can crash to zip when loaded with a tester, this is usually because of the lead sulphate build up on the battery plates limiting how fast it can supply the required current.
So you could remove the battery, charge it up and get it tested, but it is probably just time to pony up for a new one, and yes charge it at least overnight before using it.
Now I'm trying to not get to technical, but some people might find the below information of interest :)
Back in the old days the voltage regulators were mechanical, and had a low and a high (lights on or high load) circuit, they usually charged the battery to around the 13.4 13.6 on the low circuit and 13.8 to 14 or so on the high circuit if my old memory is working, however it could be set higher up to 14 1/2 volts ( 14.7 volts is gassing voltage), this was enough to reverse the majority of the crystal build up.
The newer solid state voltage regulators do not charge the batteries high enough to reverse the build up of the lead sulphate crystal from when the battery is being discharged, this is one of the main reasons batteries don't last for more as long as they used too (less lead thickness in the plates is the other main one).
Some good stuff on battery desulfators etc on the net, and some of the top end battery charges can desulfate as well as charge.
See this link, only one of many.
You cannot just use a higher DC voltage to break down the crystals, it will just overheat the plates and cause them to warp and short out, (death for the battery and a possible fire as well), the desufators use a rapidly pulsing AC system to break down the crystals, and the battery doesn't even "see" this voltage as it is running at over 600 Hz.
BTW I also use the tender on the bike as I also work away on a similar roster (Marine Engineer) as it is only a small capacity one and the security system is always drawing down the battery, but with my old truck I just fully charge the battery before I leave and when I get back home before I even try and start it, that battery was fitted mid 2014 by the way.
Just on a cautionary note, some battery tenders ( cheaper ones usually) just keep trying to "Boost" charge the battery every day, this can cause the battery to reach the gassing stage and start boiling off the electrolyte, so even though our batteries are "sealed for life" it is possible and advisable in hotter climates to check the electrolyte levels and top up with distilled or demineralised water.
Hope I didn't boar ya's
Ken
Hey Ratbob :)
All batteries should be charged with the correct charger, the upper end units are selectable as the charging currents are higher mine is 25 amps, has normal, AGM and Cad modes, so if you have one with an AGM setting use that on a AGM battery.
The little cheap 2 amp max chargers you get at Super Cheap etc, should be OK too, as the current isn't high enough to cause heating issues, but don't use them on any non lead acid batteries, and they are really not suitable for deep cycle either, as these should be charged at 10% of the rated amp hours, ie 200 amp hour battery is charged at 20 amps.
So in a nut shell the cheap ones are OK for the bike battery, but there are better options.
Mixed blessing the solid state voltage regs, less maintenance (which wasn't that bloody difficult really) but non adjustable to get the charge up enough to fully reverse the crystal build up on the plates.
My cautionary comments about battery tenders are also the opinion of one of our Battery Gurus up here, I have some faith in the genuine HD unit I am using, otherwise I wouldn't leave her hooked up for nearly 6 weeks while I'm away :)
To the OP, hope it all gets sorted out with a new battery mate, but it is worth checking the earthing points fellas, they get overlooked.
