Testing And Servicing A Battery

[Kf6vci]

How do you determine whether to replace a battery?

A friend recommended to check the voltage while the starter motor is grinding. If it drops too low, then the battery is toast

Is there anything else to extend the life? Replace the acid? Draining it completely, then charging it again?

Two decades ago, i bought a battery with the acid in a separate bottle. My dealer showed me such a kit the other day. Back then, I would drain the battery completely before charging it fully. Q: Are those DIY batteries better than complete ones? And is this method of testing a battery and discharging a new one completely before charging it correct?

Cheers,

Chris

[wildoates]

Just buy a good brand battery, Yuasa seems to be the best here. I use a battery tender on my bike and it seems to help. Most battries here are wet batteries that I have seen. Don't know if you can get a sealed one here.

for testing look at this http://www.ehow.com/video_2330193_check-motorcycle-battery.html

Edited July 12, 2010 by wildoates

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Maintenance free battery is easy to get everywhere, even gel batteries is easy to get, i get gel filled for my bikes, last longer (i think) my Harley battery is 4 years old and that’s pretty good for a battery here

[katabeachbum]

Just buy a good brand battery, Yuasa seems to be the best here. I use a battery tender on my bike and it seems to help. Most battries here are wet batteries that I have seen. Don't know if you can get a sealed one here.

for testing look at this http://www.ehow.com/...le-battery.html

if battery drops down to 11,5 Volt at any time, its toasted

when lead has been in acid, any part of lead getting dry again, will never work as a part of the battery. dead, actually sulfated

several bikes and cars in LOS comes with gel battery (yamaha Nuovo Elegance 135 for one), and they are available in the stores. great advantage in this climate.

some bikes tend to charge to high voltage, battery can not handle more than 14,45 Volt input. charging from bike should not be less than 13,8 volt, and if it is as low as 13,8 it should be charged with 14,4 on occasions from charger

[KRS1]

When the battery is charging it should hold the charge voltage for about a minute or two and slowly drop to the idle voltage when the engine is turned off.

a bad battery will immediately drop from the charge level voltage to the idle voltage within seconds.

[MaiChai]

Ah, Thai quality motorbike batteries

What I do is pour out whatever is in the battery and refill it with ready diluted battery acid and then a recharge. A straw helps with the refilling. What seems to happen in LOS is that batteries suffer evaporation with the heat and what with being refilled so many times with water, you end up with a battery full of water. You then assume the battery is dead when really it does not have any acid. I have 'repaired' quite a few batteries this way. Its worth a try before buying a new battery. You can buy the ready diluted battery acid at any bike shop (its in red bottles; the blue bottles are just distilled water). Pour out the acid in your shower area and then give it a good dilution with a shower so you don't end up with acid in the drains (guess it will make the cockroaches walk!).

[Kf6vci]

Thanks, guys!

Chris

[Seismic]

The best investment I made was to purchase an Optimate 4 battery charger/conditioner. Seems to have kept my battery good for the last 4 years, whereas previously I seemed to be changing them every 18 months.

Edited July 15, 2010 by Seismic

[katabeachbum]

The best investment I made was to purchase an Optimate 4 battery charger/conditioner. Seems to have kept my battery good for the last 4 years, whereas previously I seemed to be changing them every 18 months.

yepp

or the Cetec

or use the bike at least twice a week for 30 minutes riding/charging

[Garry]

The best investment I made was to purchase an Optimate 4 battery charger/conditioner. Seems to have kept my battery good for the last 4 years, whereas previously I seemed to be changing them every 18 months.

yepp

or the Cetec

or use the bike at least twice a week for 30 minutes riding/charging

+1

Have a C-TEK myself, works a treat My wife checks the bike a couple times a week while I'm working away. The charger is set and forget.

[BSJ]

If your bike is stored near a window stick a small solar panel in the window and hook it up to the battery......

[Kf6vci]

Called a Bike Shop and they send 2 mechanics - no tools.

told them to replace the battery acid, using an interpreter.

This morning, one returned with the charged battery and he tested it by shorting it. Sparks flew and the battery became very hot. Great - now it's destroyed

Chris

[smedly]

If your bike is stored near a window stick a small solar panel in the window and hook it up to the battery......

The panel needs to be outputting more than the battery's resting voltage this is why a charging circuit charges at about 14-14.5 volts the battery resting voltage is 12-12.5 so the battery is charging at about 2 volts when engine is running.

[katabeachbum]

If your bike is stored near a window stick a small solar panel in the window and hook it up to the battery......

The panel needs to be outputting more than the battery's resting voltage this is why a charging circuit charges at about 14-14.5 volts the battery resting voltage is 12-12.5 so the battery is charging at about 2 volts when engine is running.

a full battery should rest at 12,7 volt, if not its time for a new one soon

charging is 13,8 to 14,45 depending on time and temp. More than 14,45 hurts if its more than a few seconds

[BSJ]

If your bike is stored near a window stick a small solar panel in the window and hook it up to the battery......

The panel needs to be outputting more than the battery's resting voltage this is why a charging circuit charges at about 14-14.5 volts the battery resting voltage is 12-12.5 so the battery is charging at about 2 volts when engine is running.

I know, I know, I was just being a clown. You would need 12 x 1.2V solar cells to charge the battery. So that would be 900mm x 300mm in size. Hardly small! Next time I am being funny I'll put a smiley on the end that would be more obvious!

"12-12.5 so the battery is charging at about 2 volts when engine is running" Did you mean '2 volts more than 12-12.5 when the engine is running'?

[BigBikeBKK]

Called a Bike Shop and they send 2 mechanics - no tools.

told them to replace the battery acid, using an interpreter.

This morning, one returned with the charged battery and he tested it by shorting it. Sparks flew and the battery became very hot. Great - now it's destroyed

Chris

Wow- so you've been messing with this battery since July and still haven't figured it out???

Good luck!

[MaiChai]

I just returned from Thailand. I had to replace one car and two bike batteries. When I got back to the UK I then had to replace my car battery here (this time I went to a breakers and got a 2nd hand one with a month guarentee for 15 quid). Can someone invent a battery that lasts?

[katabeachbum]

I just returned from Thailand. I had to replace one car and two bike batteries. When I got back to the UK I then had to replace my car battery here (this time I went to a breakers and got a 2nd hand one with a month guarentee for 15 quid). Can someone invent a battery that lasts?

never run it empty/low, keep a charger like CTEC always on when gone or not used for a week and check your vehicles charging is not above 14,45 volt

Store as cool as possible

A quality battery lasts very long if treated like this

[KRS1]

I just returned from Thailand. I had to replace one car and two bike batteries. When I got back to the UK I then had to replace my car battery here (this time I went to a breakers and got a 2nd hand one with a month guarentee for 15 quid). Can someone invent a battery that lasts?

sure, but you wouldnt want to pay the price for it.

Royce batteries are some of the best, but their made for yachts.