Please suggest gel battery

[jetmechmarty]

The problem with gel batteries is that they give out rather suddenly rather than by giving you some warning like the slower death of a lead-acid battery.

I have a 9 year old AGM in my XS650. It's on the way out now. No sudden death. That bike rattles a wet cell to death every year.

I've had the Deka AGM in my XS Eleven for two or three years. I like it! Checking the electrolyte level in a wet cell is a PITA. I'm sticking with the AGM.

[motoman]

OK, I confused the nomenclature. I just bought an el cheapo battery from Walmart and charged it to 12.67 volts as recommended in the box. I used a low capacity charger (500ma) to get it there. I suppose a tender cycles the battery to some extent, I don't know. I will do a little research.

That it does, after a fashion. Lead acid batteries like to be 'used', not 'shelved' for longer life. As for 'cycle' charging, those same batteries are only as good as how many times they will take a charge. Charging while in use is NOT the same. Hence my reasoning, having basic knowledge thru years of training and hands on experience pertaining to wet cell batteries. My interest, or lack of in this case in this field(consitantly failed to listen to the all important mumbo-jumbo that someone like CZ knows well), leaves me a bit self-inflicted handi-capped. My bad, of course. The 'good as many times as they'll take a charge' when NOT in use is reason enough for me to not own a battery tender, least not for use on lead acid wet-cell batteries. Goes the same for AGM batteries, as they are also lead acid wet cell, just have the glass mat in bottom to slow down negative electrons flow for an initial better delivery upon a heavy draw. As CZ has stated, better initial 'hit', but won't continue that like a conventional wet cell lead acid battery. Getting a consistant 8+yrs. years out of the Interstate batteries I use, with maybe one re-charge during its life(mostly due to my own stupidity), and never letting a battery tender near them pretty much verifies what I've stated. Goes for my automotive batteries also. Just my experience, and results may vary for others. BTW, have nothing against AGM batteries.

[natemoen]

I have a 9 year old AGM in my XS650. It's on the way out now. No sudden death. That bike rattles a wet cell to death every year.

I've had the Deka AGM in my XS Eleven for two or three years. I like it! Checking the electrolyte level in a wet cell is a PITA. I'm sticking with the AGM.

AGM IS NOT GEL!!! AGM stands for absorbed glass mat. It is still a lead acid battery, just a different configuration than the standard wet cell. When you buy a AGM battery you still get the exact same acid as you would if you got a wet call battery.

Gel batteries use a gel medium in the cells.

[fredintoon]

- - - Lead acid batteries like to be 'used', not 'shelved' for longer life. As for 'cycle' charging, those same batteries are only as good as how many times they will take a charge. Charging while in use is NOT the same. - - -

Hi Moto,
what I get from the above is that I should con my batteries into thinking they are in use during their 5 month winter storage by arranging for TWO timers?
One that turns the chargers on and off and another that lets the batteries operate a lightbulb each?

[motoman]

Hi Moto,
what I get from the above is that I should con my batteries into thinking they are in use during their 5 month winter storage by arranging for TWO timers?
One that turns the chargers on and off and another that lets the batteries operate a lightbulb each?

Hi there Fred! Hey, works for me as my ST has the factory built in digital clock and the Venturer has the hooked up wire for the clock memory on the Alpine stereo, which I rarely use anyway. MP3 is more convenient with ear-buds, and does all the stereo would and has better pick-up reception for FM listening.

[ndj7919]

Interesting topic here.

I'm not a gel cell fan. I'm all for originality and if my bike is designed for a wet cell then that's what should be fitted. The XJ also has the addition of a battery fluid level sensor. The level of fluid in a battery will go over a period of time yes, like months probably but if it's over charged the battery will gas and the level will go very quickly. The reason for the sensor is to make this obvious to the user. A wet cell can be topped up but the level should never ever go below the top of the plates, if this happens then the plates will immediately sulferate wrecking a battery in no time whatsoever. Some GEL batteries charge differently to wet batteries in that the last stages of charging remove sulfration. This is a layer that prevents acid getting to the plates. A flat battery should never really be "jump" started, the current flowing from the bikes charging system is potentially high enough to warp the batteries internal plates. A flat battery should always be charged at a low level, say 10% of total capacity, 17A/hr battery, no more than 1.7A, so 1A is fine. As the battery volts increase above 14 volts the battery will start to gas. I use a cheap and chearful smart charger, it has only 1.2A maximum but handles the safe charging of most wet cell battery's. There's quite a good website (batterystuff.com, look for battery basics in they're articles section) that explains batteries but for me, I think I'll stick with a good old fashioned wet cell and make sure the battery voltage is approx 14.2v at 2000rpm, if it's like 17v then something is seriously wrong with the bikes charging system..
hope this helps someone.. Just as a word of warning, if you over charge a wet cell the chances of recover are higher than if you do the same to a gel battery. Check your charging system is fully working before you decide a gel cell is for you..