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:
Conventional
Batteries
- Check the electrolyte
level.Top up the levels as needed with distilled (not tap) water
- 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
- Check inside for excessive
sediment, sulphation or mossing
- Make sure the exhaust tube
is free of kinks and clogs
- Replace caps firmly
- Finish up by testing the
battery with either a hydrometer or 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.