Battery top up

[newbuild100]

93 gs100.
Ive been to my bike today and checked the battery and found it very low on fluid. In fact, looking down into the cells,I couldnt see anything.
Question is, do I top it up with acid or distilled water ?????

 

[MattW]

93 gs100.
Ive been to my bike today and checked the battery and found it very low on fluid. In fact, looking down into the cells,I couldnt see anything.
Question is, do I top it up with acid or distilled water ?????

Don't bother - buy a new one, it'll be knackered.

You could try toppng it up (with distilled water) but it's unlikely it'll ever hold more than a fraction of its rated capacity.

Sorry - probably not what you wanted to hear....

 

[Kenny]

Mattw is right..if there is virtually no acid then the plates will be furred and buckled...but if some is still there and the bike working, why not try topping up and bung it on an otimate for a day or so...that'll tell you if it is OK

Me, I'd replace the battery...false economy and we all know what airheads are like with batteries !!!

 

[bustupbiker]

What Kenny said BUT, i would top up now and do some checks before the new battery goes on. If the Regulator is toast then you find out before you screwup a new battery

 

[newbuild100]

Well, i topped up each cell with distilled, and it took a while to charge up (overnight) and it started the bike ok.
Dont know what it will be like after a run though, Perhaps it wont start when im stuck miles from nowhere.
Ill give it a run tomorrow, and see what happens. Any doubts will see a new battery me thinks !

 

[MattW]

Well, i topped up each cell with distilled, and it took a while to charge up (overnight) and it started the bike ok.
Dont know what it will be like after a run though, Perhaps it wont start when im stuck miles from nowhere.
Ill give it a run tomorrow, and see what happens. Any doubts will see a new battery me thinks !

I think I've lost a day

 

[Womble]

Batteries don't tend to spontaneously dry out and it may well be overcharging. Put a voltmeter on the terminals and rev the bike - if it goes much over 14.5V, your electrics are dodgy and you need to get them sorted.

If it is dodgy electrics, it could be a blown regufier and/or failed coil in the alternator (or a dicky connector).

 

[(RIP) maverick]

I have been topping my sidecar battery up over the last three years and seen the plates more than I care to remember

It still charges and starts ok but the moment a bit of cold sets in it goes downhill very quickly. Will probably change it this year. I need to add I don't ride it often either so not reliant on it as a commuter

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Well, i topped up each cell with distilled, and it took a while to charge up (overnight) and it started the bike ok.
Dont know what it will be like after a run though, Perhaps it wont start when im stuck miles from nowhere.
Ill give it a run tomorrow, and see what happens. Any doubts will see a new battery me thinks !

Only way you can tell is to do a discharge test. Take it to a good garage and ask them to check it.

Can you push start your bike?
If so, no problem.
If not, change the battery.

Personnally, I would always replace a suspect battery.

 

[MattW]

Only way you can tell is to do a discharge test. Take it to a good garage and ask them to check it.

Can you push start your bike?
If so, no problem.
If not, change the battery.

Personnally, I would always replace a suspect battery.

+1

And also as Tobermory Womble says - it'd be a good idea to test your electrics (or get them tested) to make sure that you aren't frying your battery due to a failed rectifier or some such (airhead charging systems are outside my experience - I've got an oilhead but there's plenty on here who can tell you how to test them)

 

[thornley]

Change the battery BUT check out the regulator. My R100GS melted a Hawker battery 3 days after it was fitted. I had assumed the old acid battery had failed due to age, it had been boiled dry. Gel sealed batteries simply get hot on a constant motorway run and melt. Bast**d to get off the bike as it had swelled up to fill the compartment.

 

[newbuild100]

Well, i topped up the battery and put it on charge.
This morning, the battery seems to have charged up BUT the water levels have dropped significantly. I presume, soaked up by the dry plates. I have topped them up again, and its back on charge. (an optimate).
I will take the bike out over the weekend but any doubts, yes, I will be renewing (and checking the electics out on the bike).
I did get a 3 year guarantee with the battery (a year go), but thats no comfort when im stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Watch this space

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Well, i topped up the battery and put it on charge.
This morning, the battery seems to have charged up BUT the water levels have dropped significantly. I presume, soaked up by the dry plates. I have topped them up again, and its back on charge. (an optimate).
I will take the bike out over the weekend but any doubts, yes, I will be renewing (and checking the electics out on the bike).
I did get a 3 year guarantee with the battery (a year go), but thats no comfort when im stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Watch this space

You may well find that the warranty is worthless. There are so many ways to goose a perfectly good battery that the warranty usually only covers things like manufacturing defects.

 

[rudiemoto]

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hope this helps with why the batteries die

 

[orkneywind]

You might be interested in this LED battery gadget: http://www.kuryakyn.com/index.cfm/go/Home.ProductDetail/IMID/872 I have one on my R100R, and I found it to be pretty accurate. If the charging system and battery are sorted, then it will have a nice and steady green led showing. If your regulator is overcharging and the battery is dry it shows you a flashing red led, but if you are drawing too much current from the alternator and the battery isn't charging then it will give you an amber led, followed by flashing red if volts drop below 10v. I got mine direct from the States, but I think you can find them in the UK. One nice feature is that it has a built in photocell which works out if you are driving in daylight or at night, and adjusts the LED brightness accordingly.

I have heated grips on the bike, and with the headlight on full beam, and the grips switched on I can check if the battery is charging; the Kuryakyn is really useful and I can recommend it if you have any worries about the electrics on the bike.

 

[Redboots]

You might be interested in this LED battery gadget:

I went for one of these: digitalmeter. Mounted in the dash on the PD. I like it

John

 

[Beemerboff]

Jaycar in Oz have their LED gadget on special for $4.95, around $10.00 off.