Revised Mar 2007

OptiMate – additional information.

June 2007 – see also RIDE Magazine June 2007 – Battery Charger Test and UK Specification versus Euro models (“grey imports”)

OptiMate IIIsp -The last word in lead-acid battery maintenance. Optimised for modern batteries from 2.5 Ah to 28 Ah.

OptiMate IIIsp is truly the last word as regards automatic battery care and maintenance. For use by individuals and small workshops, it is a 100% automatic battery tester and charger without switch, knob or fuse. There are no decisions for the user to make, therefore no possibilities for error. All judgments and consequent actions are programmed into the circuitry, which is protected electronically against inverse polarity and short-circuit. Indeed, OptiMate is safe to the extent it is impossible to create any spark even by deliberate short-circuiting of the battery clamps. The only effect this produces is the automatic annulment and re-setting of the programme at the beginning of its automatic sequence. This is in practice very convenient for users wishing to switch from one battery to another quickly, without even switching off the mains supply.

On correct connection to the battery, OptiMate:

• first does a very rapid evaluation of battery status as to whether deep-discharged, discharged or full-charged.
• initiates, if necessary, a special enhanced voltage "recovery" mode whereby most even very deep-discharged batteries can be recovered over time. (Yes, this is true!).
• recharges using the constant current principle for the quickest means of recharging even the smallest (2.5 Ah) lead-acid batteries safely and correctly. Constant current is the only effective principle for charging fully sealed "MF" batteries (e.g. Yuasa YTX, YTZ series).
• double checks that the battery is indeed full by a half-hour assessment of voltage "drift" in float charge mode. (This is to avoid "error" arising from misleading voltage signals from well-worn batteries).
• once it is sure the battery IS FULL, maintains it indefinitely in voltage-limited float charge mode, with a 50% duty cycle.
• then, every hour, continually conducts a self-discharge test to check for adequate charge retention! This last test is especially valuable when the battery remains connected in the circuit of the vehicle, where there may be one or other small "leak" or drain of current, either through imperfect wiring or through devices such as electronic control units, anti-theft alarms etc.

If the battery fails this "self-discharge" test, a red led warns the user who is then advised to disconnect the battery and re-start the OptiMate for a second check to establish whether the excessive self-discharge is due to battery or vehicle circuitry. If the battery is "good", the OptiMate will indicate this by a green led illuminating after at least one hour of connection: half an hour (at least) to establish that the battery is indeed full, then half an hour to check for charge retention. OptiMate makes no assumptions! For easy use on batteries remaining on the vehicle, OptiMate comes complete with a small quick-connect cord-set comprising eyelets, short 2-core cable & small push-connector allowing easy connection to the OptiMate without having to remove parts of the vehicle to access the battery every time. The battery clamp set can equally easily be connected to the push-connector for bench charging. Additional cord-sets are available for use with several vehicles plus a range of useful accessories.

With all this electronic wizardry, the unique OptiMate Automatic is presented in a compact and good-looking housing, affordably below £40 including tax. It is the final answer for truly dependable short to long-term battery maintenance, and can be left connected safely for months. In many countries worldwide, OptiMate is approved and/or distributed by major OE manufacturers - clear evidence of this product's qualities. Over a million OptiMate users worldwide agree.