Checking your battery once a month & topping up the electrolyte levels (if required) will help to ensure you get the most from your motorbike battery. Below are a few battery maintenance checks that will help to prolong the life of a motorbike battery
Any checks that involve removing the battery caps can only be performed on a conventional or lead acid battery as maintenance free & gel batteries shouldn’t need topping up or removal of the caps.
Below are a few things that can be checked to help keep the battery healthy (which should make it last longer!)…
- Check the electrolyte level – (conventional/lead acid batteries only) With the battery on a flat & level surface, top up to the upper limit marks on the front of the battery with distilled or de ionized water. Always take care when handling electrolyte.
- Keep the top free of grime – (all types of battery) If there’s any dirt around the stoppers, sealing cap or terminals give it a quick wipe over with a dry cloth.
- Check cables, clamps, and case for obvious damage or loose connections – (all types of battery) Especially check the battery terminal bolts to ensure they haven’t worked loose.
- Check the battery for any visible signs of damage – (all types of battery) Check for any chips or cracks in the casings, damage to the terminals or for any signs where it looks like the casing has been stretched (this can be a sign of a faulty bike electrical system overcharging the battery).
- Clean terminals and connectors as necessary – (all types of battery) If there is excessive build up of sediment of sulphate (the white stuff!) on the terminals or battery lead connectors, clean them gently with a soft wire brush.
- Check inside for excessive sediment, sulfating (a white build up around the battery plates) or mossing (also known as treeing, it’s where sediment builds up at the top of the battery) – (conventional/lead acid batteries).
- Make sure the exhaust tube is free of kinks and clogs – (conventional/lead acid batteries).
- Replace the stopper caps firmly or make sure the strip across the top is securely in place –(maintenance free and conventional/lead acid batteries).
- Check the charging state of the motorbike battery –To accurately check the charging state of a motorbike battery & a motorcycle charging system, it is necessary to purchase a volt meter. Volt meters are available from most electrical parts stores & are relatively inexpensive (around £10 for a basic volt meter)
Disclaimers:
The information provided on this page is ‘to the best of our knowledge’ and should not be taken as 100% accurate!!
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