The " Good , Better and Best " of riders and their relationship with battery chemistry
A question often asked is why OptiMate has different battery chargers for lead-acid and lithium starter batteries if the two battery types work fine in the same vehicle , i . e . in a 12V vehicle charging system . Both 12V lead-acid and 12.8V lithium starter batteries work well within the 13V to 14.5V voltage zone required for a vehicle ' s ignition system to perform . That ' s why the stock lead-acid battery in a modern powersport vehicle can be replaced with a suitable LFP / LiFePO4 battery . In other words , for all intents and purposes , and without going into primary differences such as weight or cranking amps , for most riders a battery performs the same function - starting the engine , never mind the chemistry . If riders kept their batteries maintained every time they park their vehicle , not much else is needed other than an OptiMate 1 DUO , but we know that does not always happen ! As soon as that battery is dead-flat , you need a different type of charger to bring it back to life . Following deep discharge , lead-acid and lithium batteries require completely different reconditioning methods to successfully recover them from a vulnerable ' dead-flat ' state - and " successfully " also means safely where LFP / LiFePO4 batteries are concerned . The four cells in a dead-flat battery will be in a critical state of health and need to be treated gently . High current or voltage will cause damage or even kill the battery . OptiMate lithium battery chargers automatically deliver controlled low current and low voltage to bring all cells safely back up to the normal voltage zone before ramping up charging . A sulphated AGM 12V lead-acid battery on the other hand will not accept charge at normal voltage ( up to 14.5V ). It needs a higher reconditioning voltage to overcome its reluctance to accept charge , and that ' s within the charge algorithm of both the OptiMate 3 and OptiMate 4 battery chargers - and it ' s a pretty smart algorithm too . If vehicle circuitry is sensed , it will not engage that high voltage SAVE mode . It ' s therefore best to recover that battery ' off vehicle '. The basic things to remember are that higher voltage kills lithium batteries , but a sulphated lead-acid battery needs higher than normal voltage to overcome its reluctance to accept charge - their responses are the opposite of each other . Secondly , at low voltage a lithium battery can only tolerate low current , but a discharged lead-acid battery can accept high current charge - again , the opposite of each other . So how come a charger such as the OptiMate 1 DUO works on both battery chemistries ? Well , the DUO is a safe compromise . It does not deliver high voltage recovery , simple - and at low voltage it delivers only very low current . That said , it does still have plenty of ' smarts ' - for example , its 24-7 maintenance programme adjusts to the connected battery . For dealers it is important to sell the right OptiMate battery charger to their customers . Use the table seen here to navigate your way through the different customer habits that you have to allow for . The GOOD option is for the conscientious riders who never forget , i . e . always maintain the battery of their parked vehicle , with the BETTER or BEST options for those riders who may forget and need , on occasion , to save their battery or who simply prefer a battery charger with more features .
TECMATE Tienen , BELGIUM Tel : + 32 ( 0 ) 16 805440 www . tecmate . com www . optimate1 . com