Motorcycle
Battery FAQ's
Click on a
question below to view the anwser
~Do I
have to charge a motorcycle battery?
~Can I put my battery straight on the bike to
charge it?
~Can I use a car charger or a high rate charger?
~Why do I need to top up my lead acid battery?
~I need to top up my old battery, what should
I use?
~What is the popping or fizzing noise I can
hear when I charge my battery?
~My battery says CTX9-BS on it, is this the same
as a YTX9-BS?
~How can I check if a motorcycle battery is fully
charged?
~I've put a new battery on my bike but every
time I go to use it the batteries flat?
~My motorcycle battery has gone flat, can I recharge
it?
~How long does a motorcycle battery last for
& why don't they come with long warranties like car batteries?
~When I put the battery on the bike, which terminal
do I connect first?
~What will happen if I connect the battery terminals
the wrong way round?
~What is the white stuff that collects in old
batteries?
~What causes sulphation?
~How do I keep my motorcycle battery from sulphating?
~Is it true that you shouldn't leave a motorcycle
battery on a concrete floor because it loses it's charge quicker?
~If I disconnect the battery terminals, will
the battery still go flat?
~Why are some batteries bigger than others?
~I have just connected the battery terminals
the wrong way round?
~How tight should the battery terminal bolts
be?
~What is battery acid & is it corrosive?
~I have accidentally drunk some battery acid
I left in a lemonade bottle?
Do
I have to charge a motorcycle battery?
Motorcycle batteries are dry charged to about 80%. If you
don't give the battery a top up charge (3-4 hours) the battery
will only ever be 80% efficient (which will greatly shorten
the life span of the battery)
Can I put my
battery straight on the bike to charge it?
Unfortunately, this method of charging a battery will also
mean the battery is only ever 80% efficient & may damage
a new battery
Can I use a
car charger or a high rate charger?
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! A car or high rate charger will force
a higher rate of charge into the battery, which can result
in permanent damage to a motorcycle battery. Because of their
size, motorcycle batteries cannot take the same high charges
or abuse that car batteries can.
Why do I need
to top up my lead acid battery?
Lead acid type batteries use electrolyte (battery acid) which
is a mixture of water & sulphuric acid. When the water
evaporates this makes the acid concentration stronger. If
the acid becomes too strong it will corrode the batteries
internal components which will cause loose particles to collect
in the bottom of the battery & short it out
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I need to top
up my old battery, what should I use?
Top up old batteries with distilled water. The electrolyte
(or battery acid) is a mixture of water & sulphuric acid.
When the battery reacts to produce electricity, only the water
part of the mixture is used up so adding distilled water dilutes
the electrolyte mix back to its correct strength.
What
is the popping or fizzing noise I can hear when I charge my
battery?
As your battery charges, the electrolyte (battery acid) reacts
with the lead plates inside the battery to produce lead sulphate
& in the process the electrolyte releases some of it's
oxygen, which causes bubbles to be produced inside the battery
which can produce a popping or fizzing noise (similar to the
bubbles in a lemonade bottle!). This noise can also be produced
for a short period after the motorcycle has been ridden as
the chemical reaction which produces electricity is still
occurring. BUT, the noise should be fairly quite, so if your
50 meters away from your bike & it sounds like someone
has put a firecracker under your seat, our advice would be
'RUN LIKE F**K!!!'.
My battery says
CTX9-BS on it, is this the same as a YTX9-BS?
In most cases, yes, the batteries are the same. The first
letter is a manufactures mark & different makes of batteries
use a different letter. For example a Sprint battery would
be YX9-BS, an Exide battery would be CTX9-BS & a Delco
battery would be GTX9-BS. This applies to most models of lead
acid, sealed & gel filled motorcycle batteries. A couple
of exceptions to the rule are Westco & Yuasa batteries,
who seem to make up their own battery listings, more to make
life difficult & to p*ss people off then for any practical
purpose! If in doubt, we can usually confirm a battery if
you send us the dimensions or the make, model & year of
motorbike a battery is from.
How can I check
if a motorcycle battery is fully charged?
The best way to check a battery is with a volt meter. A healthy
12 volt battery should be between 12.5 & 13.5 volts &
a healthy 6 volt battery should be between 6.5 & 7.2 volts
(although this is only a guideline, once a battery drops below
12.4 volts it will struggle to start most bikes)
I've put a
new battery on my bike but every time I go to use it the batteries
flat?
There are a few reasons why this type of fault can occur.
A few of the most common are:
> Faulty alarm systems can flatten a battery in a very
short space of time as can motorbikes left for long periods
with an alarm armed.
> A faulty regulator/rectifier (or reg/rec) can flatten
a battery. The reg/rec regulates the direction of the electrical
charge & how much charge is produced from the engine,
they do tend to fail occasionally & will flatten a battery
if not working properly. A simple test to check if the reg/rec
is working properly is to rev the motorbike or scooter with
the headlight on, if it's working properly, the light will
get brighter as the revs increase, if the light gets dimmer
as you rev the engine, the reg/rec is probably faulty &
may need replacing.
> A common & often overlooked problem is loose battery
terminals which can cause running & starting problems.
Check the battery terminal bolts are as tight a possible &
recheck them occasionally to ensure they haven't worked loose.
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My motorcycle
battery has gone flat, can I recharge it?
Although motorcycle batteries are being constantly recharged
while the engine is running, they are only receiving a 'top
up charge'. Motorcycle batteries are not rechargeable like
mobile phone batteries, which run almost completely flat then
can be recharged. Once a motorcycle battery drops below the
level required to start a motorbike (usually around 12.4 volts),
it means that the battery is starting to fail.
How long does
a motorcycle battery last for & why don't they come with
long warranties like car batteries?
Most motorcycle batteries are at their best for about 3 years.
Because of their size, motorbike batteries don't last anyway
near as long as car batteries so warranties tend to be alot
shorter.
When I put
the battery on the bike, which terminal do I connect first?
Always connect the positive (+) or red terminal first. Make
sure there are no flammable substances (i.e leaking petrol!)
around the bike as connecting the battery can produce sparks
which can ignite flammable materials.
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What will happen
if I connect the battery terminals the wrong way round?
Your local dealer will be laughing all the way to the bank
with the money they made from all the spare parts you had
to buy! You might be lucky & just blow a fuse. We, however,
work on the sods law theory (if it can go wrong, it will go
wrong!) which usually means replacing lots of expensive electrical
parts like the CDI.
What is the
white stuff that collects in old batteries?
The white stuff is lead sulphate which is the same compound
the lead plates in the battery turn into when they discharge.
Lead sulphate is a crystal & can destroy a battery if
allowed to build up. This process is called sulphation.
What causes
sulphation?
In normal battery operation, lead sulphate never has much
chance to build up on the plates because the charge cycle
returns the sulphur back into the electrolyte & turns
the plates back into lead. But a battery that discharges too
deeply can develop sulphation.
Another cause of sulphation is low fluid or electrolyte level
in the battery. When the fluid level drops, the lead plates
are exposed to air. Under these conditions, the lead plates
will oxidize & sulphate & the battery will no longer
hold a charge.
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How
do I keep my motorcycle battery from sulphating?
Make sure your motorcycle's electrical & charging systems
are functioning properly so that any charge lost during starting
or by the running of lights or accessories is replaced. Keep
the battery terminals clean & disconnect them if possible
when the motorcycle is in storage. Most importantly, charge
the battery with a motorcycle battery charger regularly if
the motorbike isn't being used regularly to maintain a healthy
charge in the battery.
Is it true
that you shouldn't leave a motorcycle battery on a concrete
floor because it loses it's charge quicker?
You'll really believe anything you read, won't you? I suppose
you still believe in Farther Christmas & the Tooth Fairy
as well!? It doesn't matter what kind of surface you store
a battery on, concrete, metal or wood as long as the battery
is kept level, not stored in excessively high temperatures
& charged regularly.
If I disconnect
the battery terminals, will the battery still go flat?
A battery will still carry on discharging, even if it's not
connected to a motorcycle although it will lose it's charge
at a much slower rate.
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Why are some
batteries bigger than others?
The size & number of lead plates in a cell depends on
the output of the battery. The more plates in a cell, the
bigger the battery & the more current it produces &
capacity (amp/hours) it has.
I have just
connected the battery terminals the wrong way round?
1) Call White Dog Motorcycle Accessories & get ready to
part with vast amounts of money!
2) Lie down & cry for a bit when you realise how much
it will cost
3) Don't bother applying to MENSA
How tight should
the battery terminal bolts be?
Use a screwdriver or spanner to make sure that the bolts are
as tight as they can possibly be. A common problem that occurs
with bikes (even brand new ones!) is that the battery terminal
bolts are not tight enough (basically, when you think you've
tightened the bolts up enough, tighten them a bit more to
make sure!). Battery terminal bolts that are not attached
securely will work loose & cause erratic & rough running
problems as well as starting problems.
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What is battery
acid & is it corrosive?
Battery acid (or electrolyte) is a mixture of sulphuric acid
& distilled water & is highly corrosive, please handle
with extreme care. Try to avoid contact with skin & eyes
& don't put left over acid in empty lemonade bottles!
I have accidentally
drunk some battery acid I left in a lemonade bottle?
1) PANIC
2) Don't stray too far from a toilet
3) Make sure your life insurance is paid up
4) Don't bother applying to MENSA
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