|  | Topic : Battery recommendation and charging questions |  |
| | | daz | | Zeus |  |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 25 Dec 2022 - 22:14 Post title : Battery recommendation and charging questions | | | Never owned a charger or activated a new battery but i recently bought a deltran battery tender Jr to keep the battery trickle charged during the winter. Till i moved to this colder area a year plus ago i never had to bother because i could ride at least once ever couple or 3 weeks. Not anymore. So battery is done and it only gets to about 12.4v with a full charge so i need to get another.
1-anything out there as AGM types go thats better and as cheap or as good and cheaper?
2-any tips on activating/charging a new battery so that lifespan is maximized? I assume the deltran BT Jr is good for charging a new battery but it says nothing about that. I also assume charging a new battery is the same as charging a used one thats good but needs a charge.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | MotorMac | | Jupiter | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 29/08/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,790 | | Location | : | Nor Cal, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Dec 2022 - 01:53 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: daz) | | | Merry Christmas, Daz!
The stock battery has been so reliable, I've stuck with it (Yuasa YTX20L or YTX20HL), someone else might know about AGMs.
Yuasa's instructions for charging new battery (it ships dry) were simple, filler kit was actually fun to use. Don't recall instructions from manufacturer, but it was no fuss, simple and quick.
As for the Deltran Jr., it only puts out 750mA (3/4 of an amp) and could never charge a battery, only designed to maintain it during storage. You need 10A+ for charging. One thing about the Deltran, it will let you know if a battery is defective (will never go green).
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| | | daz | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Dec 2022 - 05:24 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: MotorMac) | | | Yeaj, merry xmas to you. Not to me apparently tho. Well damn, thats all bad news. It only gets to 12.4v even when solid green after a week or 2 on the trickle charge yet it's telling me the battery is good with solid green. So that would have me thinking the battery is good but how can it be when it only registers 12.4, which according to the shop manual means it;s about 50%. So then i would have to think it's some other issue but if so why does it never go past 12.4v? And now that i know i can't charge it with the deltran i guess i have to buy one charged from a shop which will be an 85 mile round trip. It's doing so wierd things too which i think are probably the battery being all but totally dead like hit the starter and the LCD goes blank and comes back in a few seconds. The fuel pump is acting odd too which also sounds like theres not enough current to run it fully. Merry f'ing xamas alright. Bah, humbug.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | MotorMac | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 29/08/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,790 | | Location | : | Nor Cal, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Dec 2022 - 16:05 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: daz) | | | Okay.... well then, happy Kwanzaa!
True test is how many amps a battery can produce, and it does sound like it expends its last gasp when connected.
Hook it up to a 12v incandescent bulb and see how fast it dims. An old headlight would tell you.
Order one online and save yourself the trip?
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| | | daz | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Dec 2022 - 17:08 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: MotorMac) | | | Will they sell activated ones via mail? Seems it would be risky so I didn't think they did but i'll look into it. Would save me some gas $ and a PITA drive down to bakersfield.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | Leethal | | Zeus | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 24/01/2011 | | Posts | : | 6,407 | | Location | : | Australia |
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| | Posted : 26 Dec 2022 - 23:43 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: daz) | | | There is plenty of information available on line for this which will save you any confusion. Plus a new one comes with instructions.
The best way to check battery health is by using a hydrometer ( they are cheap) and check the specific gravity of the electrolite which from memory is 1285 (again google it) . This of course requires individual cell caps. If it's sealed then a carbon pile load tester will give an accurate result.
My Indian has an AGM from new but as it is only 2.5 years old I can't give an opinion.
I will stick to lead acid for the Tbird, they seem to be kind on batteries.
| Experience is something you get just after you needed it 
1600,Foran Razorbacks, Meerkat bypass, Dyno tune, real headlight,plenty of chrome,switchblade pegs, Hagon Nitro shocks & Ikon progressive fork springs etc. Scorpion Western Low handlebars. PH adjustable fork caps.
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| | | daz | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 27 Dec 2022 - 00:43 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: Leethal) | | | T thought the stock battery was AGM. I know nothing on the subject so guess i'll dig a but deeper.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | MotorMac | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 29/08/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,790 | | Location | : | Nor Cal, United States |
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| | Posted : 27 Dec 2022 - 16:29 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: daz) | | | Stock battery is Yuasa YTX20L here in the States,
YTX20HL has a few extra cold cranking amps.
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| | | daz | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 27 Dec 2022 - 17:21 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: MotorMac) | | | YTX20L-BS is what i find. What is the BS for ? (yes, i already thought of that joke so move on ) I can't seem to find one with out the "-BS". Same battery i guess? But one thing i haven't found aside from one or two with a much more expensive price ate activated ones. It's winter anyways so i may just wait till the next time i have to go to bakersfield and buy one from the triumph dealer there. By the way, anyone know if the factory activated ones come with an activation date stamp?
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | Leethal | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 24/01/2011 | | Posts | : | 6,407 | | Location | : | Australia |
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| | Posted : 27 Dec 2022 - 20:56 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: daz) | | | daz wrote:
T thought the stock battery was AGM. I know nothing on the subject so guess i'll dig a but deeper. |
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All new oem Tbird batteries sold here were lead/acid, no idea about your market.
| Experience is something you get just after you needed it
1600,Foran Razorbacks, Meerkat bypass, Dyno tune, real headlight,plenty of chrome,switchblade pegs, Hagon Nitro shocks & Ikon progressive fork springs etc. Scorpion Western Low handlebars. PH adjustable fork caps.
| | Post edited by Leethal on 27 Dec 2022 - 20:56 |
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| | | daz | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 27 Dec 2022 - 22:08 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: Leethal) | | | Well, Yuasa doesn't make klead acid batteries far as i can tell looking at their site, and my '09 came with a yuasa so unless they were making lead acid batteries in '09 and discontinued them, then the Tbird comes with AGM. Maybe it's a govt regulation thing and in Australia Triumphs come with a different battery? USA has a lot of regs especially when it comes to lead so maybe vehicles sold here must come with AGM? What brand was your stock battery?
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | Leethal | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 24/01/2011 | | Posts | : | 6,407 | | Location | : | Australia |
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| | Posted : 28 Dec 2022 - 05:22 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: daz) | | | Yes I just checked and it looks like they only do AGM now Link
I have no idea what the OEM one was, that was replaced about 7 years ago.
I note the charging rate on the battery.
I would have no issue with using the AGM one though, they have been on the market now for a long time.
| Experience is something you get just after you needed it
1600,Foran Razorbacks, Meerkat bypass, Dyno tune, real headlight,plenty of chrome,switchblade pegs, Hagon Nitro shocks & Ikon progressive fork springs etc. Scorpion Western Low handlebars. PH adjustable fork caps.
| | Post edited by Leethal on 28 Dec 2022 - 05:24 |
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| | | daz | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 28 Dec 2022 - 06:47 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: Leethal) | | | I'm under the impression AGM is a step up from lead acid which far as i know was the original vehicle battery. I'm thinking i'll wait till a few months into the new year since it's unlikely i will ride till then with the shit weather in the area i made the mistake of moving to.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | MotorMac | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 29/08/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,790 | | Location | : | Nor Cal, United States |
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| | Posted : 28 Dec 2022 - 16:04 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: daz) | | | My bad, sorry, I dropped the 'BS' - Yuasa YTX20L-BS is same battery.
Ships dry with acid in a very clever package designed to fill all 6 cells at once.
As safe and simple as possible, with zero trouble and no prior shelf life.
Getting 5-6 years out of these, never had one fail. Replaced solely due to age.
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| | | daz | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 28 Dec 2022 - 20:38 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: MotorMac) | | | Yeah, but i bought the deltran thinking i could use it to charge too (mainly bought for trickle but thought it could charge too) and i'm not buying another to charge them. If i were young and be able to get a lifetime of use out of it then maybe. I likely have few years of riding left. So i'll just keep buying a activated batteries as always.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | MotorMac | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 29/08/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,790 | | Location | : | Nor Cal, United States |
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| | Posted : 01 Jan 2023 - 21:54 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: daz) | | | Happy Birthday, Daz!
Found a data sheet on the Yuasa batteries:
And a troubleshooting PDF for the Deltran battery tender:
Hope this helps.
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| | | daz | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 02 Jan 2023 - 06:50 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: MotorMac) | | | Thanks, but i don't use my actual birthday hen i pen accounts on forums so not my birthday. As for the tender, it's brand new so i think it's not defective. It flashes green while charging then once charged it's steady green just as it's supposed to. I removed it tho and after a few days off the charger, when i try and start it i hear a click and the LCD goes out. So maybe it's not the battery. But i need a new battery anyways so once i get one i will know for sure if thats the only issue of if the solenoid is bad or something else. The LCD going out after hearing a click seems like it;s something else like a short or something. Like i said tho, being winter i'm in no hurry to get a battery so it's be a while b4 i get to it.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | daz | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 03 Jan 2023 - 23:23 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: daz) | | | The strangeness continues.....i removed the charger last time i posted about it and left it off. Today i checked the voltage and it was 12.7v ! It even started. But when i hooked up the trickle charger again the light went and stayed red denoting a defective battery, or "possibly" defective as the manual says. Why isn't anything ever easy, JFC !
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | MotorMac | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 29/08/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,790 | | Location | : | Nor Cal, United States |
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| | Posted : 12 Jan 2023 - 01:55 Post title : Re: Battery recommendation and charging questions (Re: daz) | | | Well, that was offensive.
It's not rocket science.
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