Charging method for 12v gel filled motorcycle batteries.
Gel filled batteries normally have have black, dark blue or grey cases and come completely sealed, so there’s no opening in the battery or acid to fill the battery with.
Like maintenance free batteries, these batteries don’t need the acid levels monitored or topped up.
The batteries usually start with the code YT, CT, GT, DT, ET (e.g. YT9B-4, CT12B-BS etc) or YTZ, CTZ, GTZ, DTZ (e.g. YTZ10-S, CTZ12-S).
1) The 1st step for gel filled motorcycle battery charging is to remove the battery from its packing and visibly check for any damage to the battery terminals and casing (the batteries normally come with the terminal bolts, so these can be checked for damage as well).
2) Gel filled (also called gel acid) batteries contain a gel state acid and they are filled at the factory when the battery is made so they don’t need filling with acid before charging.
3) Charge the battery for at least 4 to 24 hours (depending on the size and power of the battery, larger batteries will need a longer charge) with a motorcycle battery charger.
4) Turn off the charger at the mains and disconnect the battery from the battery charger.
5) Allow the battery to rest for 1 hour and check the voltage (the voltage should be over 12.8 volts).
6) The battery is now charged & ready for use (when connecting to a motorbike/scooter, always connect the positive (+) terminal first).
Please note: These batteries are filled with acid by the manufacturer when they are made and are normally completely sealed, so the acid level doesn’t need checking or topping up.
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