Filling your battery

[timsatx]

This is if you have a Lead Acid battery. I got this off of Motorcycle Consumer News.

Care and Feeding

Batteries wait for their new owners in a state of hibernation called dry-charged, which means the manufacturer has dried the preformed positive and negative plates, assembled the battery and sealed it in a bag that doesn't contain oxygen. It can sleep like this for two or three years without a problem.

Simple floating ball hydrometer indicates charge by the weight of the electrolyte. A fully charged batterys electrolyte is 26% heavier than water, so the more of the graduated balls that float, the higher the charge.

The biggest single harm that can be done to the life expectancy of a new battery usually occurs when it's sold. In the rush to get a new machine set up for sale or to get the customer out the door with his new replacement battery, many batteries are simply filled with electrolyte, installed and pressed into service within minutes of being unwrapped. Sound familiar? It's all wrong. What this procedure buys you is a battery that will never have more than 80% of its power ever! For this reason, many riders prefer to prep their new batteries themselves to make sure it's done correctly.

Here's the actual factory-recommended service procedure, and don't be too surprised if you've never heard it before.

First, unwrap the battery, unkink the vent tube and snip about a half-inch off the end, unless it's a maintenance-free type and doesn't have a vent tube. Next, fill it with electrolyte midway between the high and low level markings on the case. Next, let the battery sit for one or two hours after which the battery will still be at only 65% of full charge. Check the electrolyte level and add electrolyte if required. That's right add electrolyte. This is the only time in the life of your battery that you can ever add anything but water.

Now surprise, you must still charge the battery. If it is a refillable lead-antimony type, it should be charged at one-third of its rated capacity in amp/hours for four to five hours to get it to full charge. Honda and Yuasa recommend that the maintenance-free type should be charged with a constant-current charger that can drive the charge with as much as 16.9 volts and closely monitored not to exceed full charge (another reason to buy a smart charger). Afterwards, recheck the level and add water if required. Finally, let the battery cool so the case contracts enough to fit into its typically tight little holder, run the new breather tube (if it has one) carefully through the original factory routing, being sure that it's well away from your chain and you're ready to go.

http://www.mcnews.com/mcnews/articles/battery.htm

[DarrellB]

That's maybe right but the guy who works on my bike tells me to add electrolyte every time it is low on fluid. Says don't use distilled water but electrolyte.

[timsatx]

That's a new one for me. I have never heard that one. As far as I know the acid does not evaporate, only the H₂O evaportes and that is why you replace with water.

[DarrellB]

That's what I used to think but he swears that you put electrolyte back in. I did that four months ago and have not had any problems.  At least not yet.

[Outback_Jon]

That's what I used to think but he swears that you put electrolyte back in. I did that four months ago and have not had any problems.  At least not yet.

It may not hurt things doing it once or twice, but continually adding electrolyte would increase the concentration of the acid.

I generally abuse my batteries by neglect.  When I finally checked the level in the OEM battery in my 06 Conc, there was about 3/4" of liquid in the bottom of all the cells.    The battery was still turning the bike over, but I had noticed it seemed a little sluggish if I let it sit for a few days.  I refilled with distilled water, charged overnight, and put it back in.  Next time I checked it, (probably more than a year later) it was down to about the same level.     Again refilled, charged, and reinstalled.  This spring, 2011, I replaced it with a sealed AGM battery.  I topped off with water again, (wasn't as low, but was well under 1/2 full) recharged, and installed it in my generator.

If I had done that with electrolyte, the acid concentration would have been really high. 

[T Cro ®]

That's maybe right but the guy who works on my bike tells me to add electrolyte every time it is low on fluid. Says don't use distilled water but electrolyte.

So your Mech knows better than everyone else who has been taught to only add water back? I'm not wanting to sound rude here but I would not let somebody who thinks he knows better than EVERYONE else so much as touch my bike......

Sooner or later your battery will fail because of this hopefully it does not overheat and explode; I've seen batteries do this and it is not very pretty at all.

[Silverado]

I check mine monthly and top off, if needed, with distilled water.  Haven't experienced any degradation or otherwise problems in over 2 1/2 years on the current battery.  I also regularly check the idle volts to look for problems with the alternator.  When this one decides to head south, I'll most likely be replacing it with a sealed battery. 

[Summit670]

Here is what the Yuasu web site says, and I think they know batteries:

Upon determining there is no concern of damage, for conventional batteries, check the electrolyte levels. The level of electrolyte must be maintained above the minimum and at or below the maximum level line on the side of the battery. Check only when on a flat level service. If you need to increase the level, carefully add distilled water avoiding any overfill. Once the levels are adjusted, charge the battery referring to the manufacturers instructions.

[DarrellB]

I don't think it is rude. I had always been taught to use distilled water in all car or bike batteries. But he has had his own shop for at least 10 years so I thought he knew something that I didn't.

[timsatx]

I thought he knew something that I didn't.

That's probably true, but this ain't it 

[Silver Connie]

i have a friend who is a auto mechanic. hes been working on cars longer then ive been walking. he tells me its ok to put straight antifreeze in radiators. he obviously doesnt know everything. straight antifreeze will gel up in sub zero temps. i told him this and he says he hasnt had any customers complain yet. thing is once they get stranded and whoever works on the car explains this to them, they probably dont go back to him. point is some mechanics have some goofy habits.

[DarrellB]

I agree, however I have been going over this in my mind. If electrolyte is what is added when its new then why do we use distilled water when it gets low. I mean why would adding something that is already in the battery not be readded if it's low. Is there there a scientific reason or did someone years ago figure out that you could add water and not hurt the battery's performance and save a little dough? This is not to be contrarian. The question just got me thinking about the ways things come about.

[The Other Brian]

I agree, however I have been going over this in my mind. If electrolyte is what is added when its new then why do we use distilled water when it gets low. I mean why would adding something that is already in the battery not be readded if it's low. Is there there a scientific reason or did someone years ago figure out that you could add water and not hurt the battery's performance and save a little dough? This is not to be contrarian. The question just got me thinking about the ways things come about.

Because the water evaporates due to the heat leaving a higher concentration of acid in the electrolyte. Adding water dilutes it back to the correct concentration.

[DarrellB]

So you are saying that that the original fill is already diluted acid. Ok.

[The Other Brian]

So you are saying that that the original fill is already diluted acid. Ok.

Yep, that is what I am saying.  35% Sulphuric acid and 65% water

Don't take my word for it - Google it.  Keywords - Battery Acid, Lead acid battery.....

Here is one of many that basically say the same thing. 

http://www.batterystuff.com/tutorial_battery.html#6

[RFH87_Connie]

Its the same principle as making tomato sauce.  As you continue to simmer it, the water boils off.  Your battery does the samething.  The difference is that a battery has acid and the sauce has pulp.  Add water to the battery and you reduce the acid's density/strength.

[Nosmo]

The sulphuric acid component of the electrolyte doens't evaporate, just the water.  If you add more electrolyte, you'll be adding too much acid and causing the battery to be too acidic, corroding the plates and shortening it's life.  You are supposed to add only distilled water.  We learned that in aircraft mechanic school, and it is stated in every lead-acid battery manufacturer's service instructions.  Why do people want to argue with the electrical engineers and chemists who design the things?  They give you instructions which are intended to naximum the life of their product.  If they gave you bad service info, they'd have shortened product life and more warranty claims, and less profits.  Belive what their service info says.