Maintenance/Storage and Season Start
Up
Regular Monthly
Maintenance
You can assure the ongoing performance
and life of you battery by following a quick routine of battery maintenance.
Keep the battery charged to 100%, recharging when the lights dim, the starter
sounds weak, or the battery hasn't been used in more than two weeks. Other than
that, follow this simple check list every
month:
Factory Activated/Sealed Maintenance Free
Batteries
- Keep the top of the battery free of
grime
- Check cables, clamps. and case for
obvious damage or loose connections
- Clean terminals and connectors as
necessary
- Finish up by testing the battery with
a voltmeter.
To extend the service life of your battery, make
monthly battery maintenance part of your routine.
Storing Your
Battery
If the vehicle is in storage or is used
infrequently, disconnect the battery cable to eliminate drain from electrical
equipment. Charge the battery every two
weeks.
For extended storage, remove the battery from
the vehicle and charge to 100%. Charge the battery every month if stored at
temperatures below 60° F. If stored in a warm area (above 60° F), charge every
two weeks. Make sure batteries are stored out of reach of children. See our Off
Season Storage and Season Startup guidelines for more
details.
Off Season
Storage
We recommend that you spend a little
time in protecting your battery during off season
storage.
- If at all possible, remove the
battery from the vehicle. Clean the battery and terminals using a solution of
baking soda and water as a precaution to remove any electrolyte that might be
on the outside of the battery.
- Make sure that nothing enters the
battery during cleaning. You can also use the baking powder/water solution to
clean the battery compartment of the vehicle to help neutralize any
electrolyte that may be present. Rinse with clean water and dry thoroughly.
- After the battery is cleaned,
inspect for any signs of damage or extraordinary wear that may have occurred
while in service. If you have any concerns about the condition of your
battery, you should seek the advice of a mechanic or a battery
specialist.
Sealed VRLA batteries or those referred
to, as "Maintenance Free" do not require you to maintain the electrolyte levels.
Sealed VRLA batteries must never be opened once in service or permanent damage
and failure will occur. Once you have cleaned and inspected the battery, charge
it in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions.
When the battery is fully charged it
should be stored in a secure cool dry environment or reinstalled in the vehicle.
Either way, allow yourself access to the battery so you can periodically check
your state of charge, or simply attach a battery charger/maintainer to
it.
Maintaining your battery state of
charge during extended periods of storage is essential to insure the maximum
service life is delivered.
Season Startup
When it's time to inspect the vehicles
that you've stored during the off-season please make sure that the battery is
high on your checklist. Just charging a battery is no indication of its’ overall
health. Unless you've maintained the battery during the storage period, it may
not be able to deliver its peak performance and service life for the upcoming
season. To insure that you get the best performance your battery can deliver you
need to perform a few simple checks.
Before performing any inspection on your battery, make sure
that there are no open flames or possibility of sparks around the battery and
absolutely no smoking. Always wear eye protection, protective gloves and
clothing.
For a conventional style battery (those
with the liquid electrolyte) you should visually inspect the battery for any
apparent problems. These can include dirty or corroded terminal connections, low
fluid levels, physical damage such as broken or missing filler caps or dirt and
moisture on the battery. If you need to service the battery, it's best to remove
it from the vehicle. First insure that the electrolyte levels are properly
adjusted. Using distilled water; fill each cell until the level is above the
minimum level line on the battery case and at or below the maximum line. Never
overfill the battery or leakage will occur. If you discover that the electrolyte
levels have fallen below the minimum level lines, there is a possibility that
permanent damage may have been done to the internal lead plates in the battery
and a new replacement may be required. After adjusting the levels, make sure the
filler plugs are secured and the battery is free of dirt and corrosion.
If you need to clean the battery, use a
mixture of baking soda and water to neutralize any electrolyte that may be on
the outside of the battery. Simply brush this on the battery and terminals using
an old paintbrush or tooth brush and rinse it off with clean water. Dry the
battery using an old soft rag or paper towel and make sure the terminals are
clean and free of corrosion. You can clean the terminals with a small wire
brush, if the corrosion is significant, or just brighten them up by using a
piece of emery cloth.
When your battery is clean, it's time
to check the state of charge. When using a voltmeter, the battery terminal
voltage should read at least 12.6 volts. If your voltage is
below this or you've adjusted the electrolyte levels, a boost charge is
required. Charge the battery in a well ventilated area away from kids and pets.
The variety of chargers you can use to endless but it is recommended that you
use an automatic taper type charger specifically designed for Powersport
batteries. Do not use a high current or fast charger for the boost charge unless
you are familiar with their operation or permanent damage can occur to the
battery.
When servicing a Sealed Maintenance
Free battery, you do not need to inspect the electrolyte levels since the
battery is permanently sealed. The cleaning method and charging methods are the
same as for the conventional style batteries. Sealed Maintenance Free Batteries
have a slightly different electrolyte, which influences the terminal voltage.
The full charge voltage should read about 12.8 volts.
After you've performed this
maintenance, you still may require additional help with your battery. While the
battery may exhibit good terminal voltage, it may not be in the best state of
health. The battery could be seriously short on capacity if it had deteriorated
due to corrosion or sulfation. To check this condition you may choose to
reinstall the battery in your vehicle and perform a very fundamental start test
or you could take the battery to a service center and have a capacity test
performed. Most battery dealers will perform a simple electronic or electrical
resistance test on the battery and be able to tell you the state of health. By
knowing the state of health, you can determine the useful life expectancy of you
battery. With this information you can decide if you should replace the battery
with a new one or reinstall the existing one in the
vehicle.
To insure maximum performance and
service life for your battery, we recommend that you use nothing greater than a
1.5 Amp or 900mA Automatic Battery Charger or
Float Type Charger for battery maintenance. Please refer to the manufacturer’s
instructions for additional battery charging
information.
Even with the proper care and
maintenance your battery will eventually wear out. It is usually easier, more
convenient and in some “mission critical” situations safer, to replace them
before they fail unexpectedly. With this in mind, you may want to simply replace
the battery every few years with a new
one.
