Motorcycle
Battery FAQ's
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?
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 so a specially designed
a Motorcycle
Battery Charger must be used.
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.
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 YTX9-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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