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Motorcycle Battery Charging Information
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Conventional/Lead acid battery charging | Sealed/Maintenance free battery charging
Gel Filled battery charging | Battery charging points | Printer friendly version
-Motorcycle battery FAQ'S are HERE
-Motorcycle battery specs and sizes are HERE
A printer friendly battery charging page can be found HERE (link opens in a new window)
Lead Acid or Conventional type batteries
For conventional/lead acid type batteries the battery number usually starts with the prefix YB, CB, GB or 12N or 6N (e.g. YB14L-A2, 12N7-3B or 6N4-2A).
These batteries normally have a light grey/opaque casing, black top and a row of either 3 or 6 stoppers in the top (3 stoppers for 6 volt batteries & 6 stoppers for 12 volt batteries).
Charging a lead acid or conventional battery:
1) Remove the packing & yellow stoppers from
the top of the battery. Remove the cap from the end of the
breather nipple located at the top on the side of the battery.
2) Fill each of the holes in the top of the
battery with battery acid up to the upper level mark on the
front of the battery (do not replace the yellow stoppers yet)
3) Charge the battery for 4 to 24 hours (depending on the size of the battery, bigger batteries with a larger capacity, e.g. Y50-N18L-A2 or YB16Al-A2, will take much longer to charge than smaller batteries e.g. YB4L-B or YB2.5L-C) with
a Motorcycle Battery Charger
4) After charging, disconnect the battery
from the charger & leave to settle for 1 hour
5) Re check the battery acid level (make
sure it is up to the upper level mark) & top up the acid levels
if required
6) Securely replace the yellow stoppers into
the holes in the top of the battery
7) The battery is now filled & charged &
ready for use (when connecting to a motorbike/scooter, always
connect the positive (+) terminal first).
The level of battery acid will need to be occasionally checked and topped up on these types of batteries (check the battery acid level around once a month & use DISTILLED WATER, not battery acid to top up the battery to the upper fill level as required).
Maintenance free or Sealed type batteries
For sealed or maintenance free type batteries the battery number usually starts with the prefix YTX, CTX or GTX (e.g. YTX12-BS).
These batteries normally have a black casing, black top and a foil strip covering 6 holes in the top of the battery. They also come with a plastic strip that is used to seal the holes in the top of the battery once it's been filled.
Once the battery has been filled and the black strip has been pushed firmly in place, the battery is then 'sealed' for life (or maintenance free) & you shouldn't need to remove the strip or top the battery up.
Charging a maintenance free or sealed battery:
1) Remove the packing & remove the tin foil strip from the top of the battery. Remove the battery acid pack(s) from the plastic bag but DO NOT remove the foil from the top of the acid packs.
2) Invert the acid pack into the top of the battery so the foil covered tops of the acid packs are covering the holes in the top of the battery. Press the acid pack down firmly into the holes in the battery (a series of spikes inside the battery holes will pierce the foil & let the acid out). Gently tap the acid packs until all the acid has gone into the battery. Sealed batteries come with 1 or 2 acid packs, use all the acid that comes with the battery as this provides the required amount to fill the battery.
3) Leave the battery to settle for 1 hour
4) Charge the battery for 4 to 24 hours (depending on the size of the battery, bigger batteries with a larger capacity, e.g. YTX20L-BS, will take much longer to charge than smaller batteries e.g. YTX5L-BS) with a Motorcycle Battery Charger
5) Disconnect the battery from the battery charger.
6) Place the plastic strip into the holes on the top of the battery & press firmly into place until the plastic strip fits flush with the top of the battery.
Please Note: You can place the black strip in the top of the battery before charging, but, while the battery is having it's initial charge it can give of gases & the pressure that builds up in the battery can force the strip to come out of the holes.
This pressure only occurs during the initial charge, the cap doesn't have to be removed for a maintaining or top up charge.
7) The battery is now filled & charged & ready for use (when connecting to a motorbike/scooter, always connect the positive (+) terminal first).
Gel filled batteries
For gel acid, fully sealed or gel filled type batteries the battery number usually starts with the prefix YT, CT, GT or YTZ, CTZ or GTZ (e.g. YT9B-4 or YTZ10-S).
These batteries normally have a black, blue or grey casing and a black, blue or grey top.
These type of batteries are filled with a gel state acid and sealed when they are made & don't have to be sealed by us or the customer & don't require any topping up.
Gel acid batteries are often used in bikes where the battery has to lie at an angle or on it's side (due to the gel acid not moving around).
Charging a gel filled battery:
1) Remove the battery from its packing
2) Charge the battery for 4 to 24 hours (depending on the size of the battery, bigger batteries with a larger capacity, e.g. YT14B-4, will take much longer to charge than smaller batteries e.g. YT7B-4) with
a Motorcycle
Battery Charger
3) Disconnect the battery from the battery
charger
4) The battery is now charged & ready for
use (when connecting to a motorbike/scooter, always connect
the positive (+) terminal first)
Important Points to Note When Charging Your Motorcycle Battery!
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Lastly, please DON'T USE A CAR CHARGER TO CHARGE A MOTORCYCLE BATTERY!!!!
Motorcycle battery FAQ'S are available HERE
Motorcycle battery specs and sizes are available HERE