help with motorcycle battery?

Question

this bike i just bought has an Autocraft battery in it and there are plugs for cells but how do i know if it needs water? and if so how far do i fill it up?

im guessing that yes, it probably is shot but are you sure its water? i just now read that some require acid?! thx.

Answer 1

The water should be just above the cell plates.
If you can't see the cell plates by shining a light through the battery, just look down at them through the holes. If the cell plates in a cell are not covered with water, add just enough to cover them.
Use distilled water, not tap water.

Yes, they require Sulfuric acid (electrolyte) the first time they're filled. After that the water is just to top them off. It dilutes the acid, but the acid still works as an electrolyte because when the water evaporates it leaves the SO4 behind. - You're simply re-hydrating the SO4.
If the cell is too low on water, there is a possibility that the cell will sulfate between the plates. If a cell is sulfated, sometimes a pinch of Na4 EDTA (Tetrasodium) or MgSO4 (Magnesium sulfate AKA Epsom salt) can help. Top the cells off with water and trickle charge it overnight at 2 amps or less. You should be able to measure around 13.2 volts. (each cell should be 2.2 Volts.) If it measures less than 12v you know there's a bad cell.

bikinkawboy, a base will neutralize an acid. If you do get some electrolyte on your clothes you can put Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda) or Sodium Carbonate (Washing Soda or PhUp) in the washing machine and you won't get holes in your clothes.

Ride safe

Answer 2

Don't know what you are riding, but I have a "gel" cell battery in my FXDWG. They are kind of expensive, but are sealed, have no water to replace, and do not suffer from evap problems. It's hot down here in Florida, and after reading some propaganda about the "gel" I had to have one. No problems so far, it's a year old, and the bike starts on the first push of the electric leg. Even when she's hot. (Always had to play with the starter when she was hot. She's eight years old and kick's back sometimes. Glad I don't have a kick start on this puppy! The TC-88 would either throw me over the bars, or break my ankle.)

If you have your heart set on trying to revive your batt, get a flashlight and look at the plates. They should be grey, or close to it. Like a "battleship" color. If they are light, almost white, or you can see flakey crust on them, it's about shot. If you have good color, add water (Yes, distilled if you want it to last longer. Tap water has deposits that get on the plates.) to the bottom of the fill hole. There is a little ring at the base of the fill hole. Fill to there, don't just cover the plates.

If the batt was not completely dead, a trickle charger may help you out if you can borrow one. I wouldn't buy one unless you are going to have the bike stored for long periods. (I don't need a charger. I live in Florida and use my bike as a commuter. I don't own a car.)

Of course, if cost is a problem then you could go to an independant shop (No dealer affiliation.) and hope they have one that still has some juice in it from some poor slobs 25,000 or 50,000 mile service. (They pretty well much always try to sell you a new battery at 25,000 and 50,000.) I got a decent battery when my XL1200C battery went out, quite some years ago, for just five bucks. Lasted me nine months. I thought that was a good deal for just five clams.

And I'm not even gonna bother to ask if you cleaned all the white and green junk off the terminals and connectors, and made sure the top of the battery was dry. (A battery terminal cleaner is like, $1.99 at the auto parts store.)

Good luck to you. Drop me a line if I can explain any of this any better. Heels in the wind, and bugs in the teeth. Ciao!

P.S. Above me is right. You don't need to add any acid. It's pain to handle, and not needed in this situation.

Answer 3

Wet cell batteries use a water-sulfuric acid mix to cover the plates you see. Water evaporates but acid doesn't, so add only water and no acid. The only time you add the electrolyte mixture is when you but a new battery and it has no liquid in it at all. Don't get it on your clothes and wash your hands well after handling the battery because after the first washing, you'll have holes in them.

Answer 4

When you put water in it you can either take it out and look at the mark on the side, or look in the filler holes and fill till the water looks like it "dimples".
Its better to have too much, rather than too little.

Answer 5

there should be a" fill line" on side of the battery, and only used distilled water

Answer 6

If it works, don't mess with it, if it's over 3 years old, just buy a new dry cell battery.

Answer 7

use distilled water if that's it.

check it at

http://www.autobatteries.com/basics/index.asp