Topic: Battery Tender vs Cover

[Phoenix]

Quick question.  Is it ok to use the battery charger under the cover if I have an AGM battery?

ps. I never had a CB750 twin

[Rigid]

You still dont have a cb750 twin.  Out gassing of the battery is aggravated by high charge rates.  A trickle charger is usually a low 1 amp or so.  The best ones monitor battery voltage and only cycle on as needed.  Most covers arent well sealed but if it worries you, take the battery out and store it inside.  Rock on.

[Apexxn]

To answer your question about AGM batteries, they out gas at about half the amount as a conventional battery.

That being said I'd be more concerned with the age and condition of the battery. Do you see leakage around the caps and is the vent tube in good condition and routed properly.

I charge my bikes with conventional batterys under a cover because I know whatever is gassing off is going out the the vent tube and my cover doesn't go all the way to the floor.

If you want to get really crazy you could also slip a bigger tube over the vent tube end and route that out away from the bike.

[lrutt]

no caps or vent tubes with an AGM, no problem leaving a tender on it under covery. I've been doing that now for 15 years on all sorts of batteries, including AGMs and LiFe's etc.

[TwoTired]

Is your AGM battery sealed?

Is your "charger" smart?  As in a maintainer or multistage charger?  Like motorcycles, there are thousands of different types of chargers.

You sure your CB750 twin is an actual Honda?  They might be interested in knowing about it. 

[bollingball]

To answer your question about AGM batteries, they out gas at about half the amount as a conventional battery.

That being said I'd be more concerned with the age and condition of the battery. Do you see leakage around the caps and is the vent tube in good condition and routed properly.

I charge my bikes with conventional batterys under a cover because I know whatever is gassing off is going out the the vent tube and my cover doesn't go all the way to the floor.

If you want to get really crazy you could also slip a bigger tube over the vent tube end and route that out away from the bike.

You need to read up on AGM battries. NO caps NO vent tube. AGM are very safe in low ventilation areas. No problem under a cover. Do make sure you have a maintainer not just a charger.
http://www.batterystuff.com/
Ken

[BobbyR]

What I do is put a battery tender on. I hook it up to one of those light timers and have it run for 30 min a day. It prevents overcharging.

[bollingball]

What I do is put a battery tender on. I hook it up to one of those light timers and have it run for 30 min a day. It prevents overcharging.

Maybe some models are different The battery tender I have will not over charge. Same with my yuasa.
Ken

[BobbyR]

What I do is put a battery tender on. I hook it up to one of those light timers and have it run for 30 min a day. It prevents overcharging.

Maybe some models are different The battery tender I have will not over charge. Same with my yuasa.
Ken

Yeah, mine was not supposed to overcharge. It dried up the battery and others have had the same problem. Now I use the cheap timer from Walmart to make sure.

[Jerry E.]

I charge mine(sealed battery)  before parking it for the winter(usually around Thanksgiving).  I leave it in the bike, in the garage, all winter. No battery charger at all, but I usually charge it again around the end of January. This same battery has been in my 2002 Road King since December, 2001 when I bought the bike. Best bike battery I've ever had. I've never noticed much improved lifespan, taking the battery out of the bike/keeping it indoors, in any batteries I had before this, though.

[Apexxn]

Hey Ken, I'll read up after you do.

AGM batteries gas off about half as much as a conventional, is that not a true statement?

AGM batteries have caps, is that not a true statement?

[Jerry E.]

The new AGM battery I bought for my K3 is completly sealed. I am using it on it's side, under my seat. They will work in any position, no venting needed.

[lucky]

The new AGM battery I bought for my K3 is completly sealed. I am using it on it's side, under my seat. They will work in any position, no venting needed.

Did you have to get a special regulator/rectifier for charging that AGM battery?

[singedebile]

CB750 twin?

[totem12]

AGM batteries are nothing more than a SEALED lead acid battery....the only time they off-gas is when you are destroying them by over-charging (over-voltage), then they will off gas...they do not leak unless you are destroying it...you can use them in any position..upside down is not recommended..they take standard lead acid charging parameters, not like GEL batteries...and they hold their charge longer than a simple L/A battery...lots of advantages, not much down side, except cost.

[bollingball]

The new AGM battery I bought for my K3 is completly sealed. I am using it on it's side, under my seat. They will work in any position, no venting needed.

Did you have to get a special regulator/rectifier for charging that AGM battery?

Lucky that is a good point Some Gel Cell and AGM batteries may require special settings or chargers. My AGM Scorpion does not need any thing different than my stock regulator and rectifier. I e-mailed them to ask. Also I ask if I needed any special charger and if this one would work. Yuasa Smart Shot Model YUA1201501 Automatic 12V 1.5 Amp Battery Charger 6/12 volt switch Fully automatic 5 stage cycle for efficient charging
28-day charge recycle re-evaluates battery condition for long-term storage
Up to 16 volts for recovery of sulfated batteries Error proof operation Reverse polarity protection.
Ken


 

[bollingball]

Hey Ken, I'll read up after you do.

AGM batteries gas off about half as much as a conventional, is that not a true statement? No my ScorpionYTX14AHL does not.

AGM batteries have caps, is that not a true statement?

No again. I don't know what AGM you are referring to. Some do have plugs that you put in yourself after you fill them plugs not caps. They are not meant to be taken off Some like mine come sealed from the manufacturer. Also the Scorpion has no vent tube. I have not seen a true AGM that has a vent tube. Can you post a pic of the one you know about? Also with no vent how could it gas off.  Maybe someone else could chime. Like TT or HondaMan.
Ken

[70CB750]

I use one of these for year and half now.  Still not long enough to tell but there are no issues with the battery whatsaever.  The trickle charger is a smart one from TSC - they had it on sale for $20 - it will charge and than swtch to maintain.  Very happy with the combo.

Also I have a two prong pig tail connected to the other two contacts to connect the charger.  The only problem was of the prong cover breaking off - and I lost it of course.  To protect the life end of the pig tail I slid a piece of bicycle tube over it, works like a charm.  When not used, the pigtail hangs behind the left side cover.

[bollingball]

I use one of these for year and half now.  Still not long enough to tell but there are no issues with the battery whatsaever.  The trickle charger is a smart one from TSC - they had it on sale for $20 - it will charge and than swtch to maintain.  Very happy with the combo.

Also I have a two prong pig tail connected to the other two contacts to connect the charger.  The only problem was of the prong cover breaking off - and I lost it of course.  To protect the life end of the pig tail I slid a piece of bicycle tube over it, works like a charm.  When not used, the pigtail hangs behind the left side cover.

Do you see any caps that come off or a vent tube? did the paper that came with it say any thing about out-gasing? Was it filled from the factory or did you fill it?
Thanks Ken

[70CB750]

No caps or vents at all.  It was full from the factory and charged and ready to use.

[TwoTired]

Wiki has a pretty good write up about VRLA batteries, both AGM and Gel.  Neither is very tolerant of overcharge situations.  If they do vent, it is almost certainly damaged.  So, a smart tender or smart multistage charger is my best recommendation, right after what the specific battery manufacturer recommends.  If it has terminals and intended fitment to a motorcycle, there is a better than average chance that the plate materials and electrolyte selection is supportive of the same voltage levels for charging as your normal variety flooded cell battery.  LiFePO4 batteries are a very different matter regarding both charge and storage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VRLA_battery.

Cheers,

[Apexxn]

I just did a quick a search and found numerous mentions of AGM batterys being vented with one way valves. That top plate on that yellow battery posted above looks to house something under there or why would it be raised like that.

I knew I had seen tubes on AGM batterys before but it must have been in a different application not motorcycles, here is a quote from the Optima site:

"Optima group 31 AGM batteries are sealed and maintenance free but their vents have nipples which will accept a hose for remote venting, allowing their use in sealed areas".

I do a bunch of different types of fabrications and rebuilds so sometimes my signals get crossed on which fab was a bike or a car.

The next time I come across a dead motorcycle AGM i'll pull that top cover off and see what if any valves are present.