Wintering Battery

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  • puskrat
    XStremely XSive
    • Jun 2015
    • 312
    • Peoria IL

    #1

    Wintering Battery

    Things I believe:
    Lead acid batteries discharge when Idle.
    Lead acid batteries cook off electrolyte when over charged.
    Maintainers are awesome for keeping a battery charged during the off season.
    I dont have a maintainer.
    I do have a 6/2 AMP, 12V charger.

    Is it feasible practical and wise to cycle my battery between disconnected and 2A charging during winter? I have the battery out, on my bench. My only previous experience is with deep cycle marine batteries or in-use auto batteries. for the boat I just had to charge hard before going out after an off season or a period of summer idle.

    I'm sure I'll get all sorts of knowledge from the hive. thanks in advance
    "Venturered" 80 XS1100G - "DoraMax" getting sort of resto/destro ed.

    Yeah it's a pretty blue, but just because you're old is no excuse to buy a bagger. Fortunately I have wrenches.
  • Rasputin
    XS-XJ Super Guru
    • Apr 2008
    • 3179
    • Lacombe, Alberta, Canada

    #2
    Charge it, disconnect it, walk away till spring. I get 6 or 7 years out of those batteries and we have very long winters up here. A fully charged battery will not freeze until like minus 127 or some such number. Suffice it to say it is a ridiculous number.
    2-79 XS1100 SF
    2-78 XS1100 E Best bike Ever
    80 XS 1100 SG Big bore kit but not fully running yet.
    Couple of more parts bikes of which 2 more will live!

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    • MaximPhil
      XS-XJ Super Guru
      • May 2004
      • 4119
      • Mississauga, ON CANADA

      #3
      Originally posted by puskrat
      Things I believe:
      Lead acid batteries discharge when Idle.
      Lead acid batteries cook off electrolyte when over charged.
      Maintainers are awesome for keeping a battery charged during the off season.
      I dont have a maintainer.
      I do have a 6/2 AMP, 12V charger.

      Is it feasible practical and wise to cycle my battery between disconnected and 2A charging during winter? I have the battery out, on my bench. My only previous experience is with deep cycle marine batteries or in-use auto batteries. for the boat I just had to charge hard before going out after an off season or a period of summer idle.

      I'm sure I'll get all sorts of knowledge from the hive. thanks in advance
      Hi puskrat,
      Ironically the colder the battery the slower it discharges when stored.
      Having the battery on the bench I would put it on charge at 2 amp setting perhaps every month to 6 weeks. Check the fluid level too.
      Phil
      1981 XS1100 H Venturer ( Addie)
      1983 XJ 650 Maxim
      2004 Kawasaki Concours. ( Black Bear)

      Comment

      • puskrat
        XStremely XSive
        • Jun 2015
        • 312
        • Peoria IL

        #4
        Thanks gents. I guessed I was making a bigger issue out of things than I needed.
        "Venturered" 80 XS1100G - "DoraMax" getting sort of resto/destro ed.

        Yeah it's a pretty blue, but just because you're old is no excuse to buy a bagger. Fortunately I have wrenches.

        Comment

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